Education & Dignity for 400 Western Kenya Youths

GlobalGiving Monthly Report – Education & Dignity Project

Reporting Period: April 2026
Project: Education & Dignity Project
Location: Butula Sub-County, Busia County, Kenya

1. Executive Summary

During the month of March 2026, Undugu Empowerment Programs (UEP) successfully advanced its Education & Dignity Project through target academic engagement, mentorship, and student support activities. This progress was made possible through a $420 donation received via GlobalGiving in February 2026, which was strategically deployed to strengthen educational access and student retention among vulnerable learners. The intervention directly contributed to improving academic confidence, psychosocial well-being, and continuity of learning among supported students.

2. Key Achievements This Month

Conducted a School Holiday Academic Workshop at Undugu Grounds
Reached UEP-supported secondary school students and vulnerable learners
Delivered mentorship sessions focused on discipline, goal-setting, and resilience
Provided learning materials and academic reinforcement support
Strengthened student tracking and engagement systems

3. Utilization of Funds ($420 Donation)

The March donation was deployed in a high-impact, cost-efficient manner as outlined below to support or April Worshop.

Expense Category

Description

Amount (USD)

Academic Workshop Facilitation- $ 300, 

Student Learning Materials - $ 100

Students  Refreshments - $ 20

Total - $420

4. Impact Delivered - The engagement yielded measurable and qualitative impact:

• Improved academic preparedness among participating students
• Increased motivation and school retention outlook
• Enhanced confidence and personal goal-setting capacity
• Strengthened mentor–student relationships within UEP programs

“This program has given me hope to continue my education. I now believe my future is possible.”
— UEP Student Beneficiary

5. Strategic Value

The Education & Dignity Project continues to serve as a pipeline for long-term empowerment, ensuring that vulnerable youth are not only retained in school but are equipped to transition into higher education and livelihood opportunities.

6. Challenges & Adaptive Response - While demand for support continues to grow, available resources remain limited.UEP is addressing this by:

• Strengthening donor engagement through GlobalGiving
• Enhancing data-driven beneficiary tracking systems
• Scaling low-cost, high-impact interventions such as group mentorship

7. What’s Next

In the coming months, UEP will:

• Expand academic workshops and mentorship sessions
• Increase beneficiary reach across Busia and neighboring counties
• Strengthen UHEF scholarship pathways

8. Appreciation

We extend our sincere gratitude to the GlobalGiving community and donors for your continued partnership. Your support is not just funding activities — it is restoring dignity, unlocking potential, and transforming futures.

9. Call to Action

With continued support, UEP aims to scale this impact to reach the Target 400 vulnerable youth in Busia rural and beyond,

Links:

• Increasing Access to rural Youth Education and Dignity in Busia

GlobalGiving Monthly Update – March 2026
Project: Increase Access to Education and Dignity
Location: Busia County, Western Kenya

In March 2026, Undugu Empowerment Programs focused on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to ensure students supported through our education and dignity project remain enrolled, progressing academically, and benefiting from dignity support services.

This monitoring period coincided with the school half-term break, providing an opportunity for field visits, beneficiary follow-ups, and engagement with schools and guardians.

Key Activities Conducted

• Conducted 22 student monitoring visits across supported schools to track attendance, academic progress, and wellbeing.
• Engaged teachers and 6 schools administrators to review the performance and retention of students supported through the Undugu Higher Education Fund (UHEF).
• Held guardian check-ins to understand household challenges affecting students’ ability to remain in school.
• Followed up with over 35 girls who received menstrual dignity kits to assess usage and impact on school attendance.
• Updated beneficiary records through the UHEF Scholar Code tracking system to strengthen accountability and program oversight.

During the half-term break, students also attended one-on-one sessions with the project leaders at the Undugu center. These individual meetings provided a safe space for students to discuss academic progress, personal challenges, career goals, and support needs. The sessions helped strengthen mentorship relationships and allowed the program team to identify students who may require additional academic or psychosocial support.

Early findings from the monitoring visits indicate strong retention among supported students, with teachers reporting improved attendance among girls receiving menstrual dignity support.

Next Steps

Insights from this monitoring period will guide upcoming mentorship activities, targeted student support, and ongoing program improvements under the Education and Dignity Project.

Through continuous monitoring and community engagement, we remain committed to ensuring that vulnerable youth—especially girls and teen mothers—can stay in school, learn with dignity, and build pathways to opportunity.

Thank you for supporting our project in rural Busia County, Kenya

Links:

• Increasing Access to rural Youth Education and Dignity in Busia