This project ensures Educational advancement among rural girls and boys through provision of full school uniforms including shoes, underwear and menstrual hygiene supplies in Western Kenya. Our target for this year is to provide school uniforms to 10,000 students from 30 secondary and junior high schools to increase school enrollment and student retention. The beneficiaries are disadvantaged rural boys and girls and orphans/vulnerable children from different schools within the community.
Most students from marginalized communities wear torn uniforms and shoes to school. Some are forced to 'wash and wear' wet uniforms because the only pair could not dry while others cannot raise their hands in class to answer questions or approach their teachers for consultation. Torn uniforms reduce students' self-esteem and confidence, causing an increased rate of absenteeism and poor academic performance.
We are setting up our own tailoring shop where we will train and work with out of school young girls and women to make and distribute school uniforms. Having a centralized school uniform shop will enable us to make and distribute school uniforms throughout the year, and provide jobs and internship opportunities for young women. We will also sell school uniforms to able families and use proceeds to fund free uniform distributions to marginalized students.
Providing students with school uniforms increases their school enrollment and retention rates through relieving their parents of the burden, freeing the money to pay school fees. It also ensures improved agency among students due to buoyed confidence, self belief and positive attitudes due to feelings of self worth arising from wearing high quality uniforms resulting in an improvement in their academic performance. Finally, it will provide employment to the local tailors & ensure sustainability.