Support Quality Schooling of 250 Kids in Nguluni

Dear friends and partners,

Many of you are aware of the risk young girls and boys face in the world today. From radicalization, child labour, prostitution, child trafficking just to name a few. You and I both know that whenever we give children an education, we give them a bettter fightingchance against some of these destroyers of destiny.

Over the past few days there has been pictures and stories going round on human rights abuses by members of the polic who killed two children extra judicially. It was heart wrenching to say the least. As I thought about these children- they were about sixteen years of age- I quickly thought about a young man about two years older in our school and asked him what he thought about the incident. I asked him whether he ad seen the clip. 

It was not shocking to hear him say he knew the boys. He has a history of crime and drugs behind him. But now...he is focused on his studies and his music career dream both of which we are working to help him achieve. He says of his past...

I used to be part of this gang sometime back. We would take drugs. One time I took "lags" and slept for 24 straight hours. It was a terrible life.

Currently he has been working hard on his academics. Even though he missed some classes he has managed to stay oon course to complete his K.C.P.E (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) course. When he was selecting his choice of Seconadry schools, he could not hide his joyas he proudly proclaimed..." This is a dream come true. I never thought this moment would ever come!" 

As we get back to class, he says he will compose a song to the fallen soldiers. I wonder if I ever looked at children in situations like that as soldiers! Fighting for their lives, fighting against societal ills that allure them, for some even to the most cruel deaths. I want to be a soldier...to fight for their future...to give them something better...to fight with...EDUCATION. Thank you for being part of this fighting force through your giving and support.

Dear friends.

Let us join our hands in applauding the Class of 2016- Acres of Mercy Learning Centre.

Through myriad challenges they have persisted and succeeded.

Many fought through the challenge of limited resources at home, and family instability.

A few others fought through the stigma of low academic achievement in other schools, and a community whose idea of success is warped and limited to attaining high test scores.

Still they trudged on along, from the student who in 2009 as a young 6-year-old was admitted to the school. And the other fourteen who came in later with the last two being admitted in 2016 January.

It is the dream to see this girl and others like her complete school successfully that drove us to apply for a place on GlobalGiving in 2010.

Six years later, they have successfully completed this part of their life’s journey. Fifteen young lives. Nine (9) boys and six (6) girls- in some quarters this is 6 villagesJ.

Now I join my hands to thank you, for being a part of this incredible journey. Together, we took them through counselling sessions, we provided mentorship and guidance. We taught them life skills. We worked through math problems, wrote through essays, and practiced grammar. We ran the track fields together. We scored goals on the soccer pitch as they identified their skills and talents. We went after the few who almost gave up on school, visting their homes, we believed them when we should have disbelieved, we ate together and provided food when they were hungry. We cared and we gave hope...HOPE for a better future. And today, they are victorious.

Through the valleys and now we are on the mountain top of their first transition. Thank you for giving. Your gifts have surely given these young lives a head start in life. As they transition to secondary school, or technical school, we trust that the education we worked to bequeath them will serve them well beyond this year.

Thank you…you have made 2016 a success.

Dear partner,

I trust you have been well, having had a successful last three months in your endeavours. I can report that that we have had quite some success. Our success together since we are partners in this work together. This is our shared success. Thank you for making it happen.

Having started the last quarter to achieve the following

a. Improve writing so children can write legibly.

b. Teach students at least 200 key sight words

c. Teach students 300 word meanings through vocabulary instruction

We were looking to have a 20% improvement in students test scores as a measurementt of whether we are improving r not. In this regard I am glad to report that in the areas of Reading and Language we achieved and surpassed the 20% improvement target. On Average the whole school improved English Language scores by 21.48% from 50.09% at the end of Term 1 to 60.85% at the end of Term 2.

In Class 5, the students were taught 150 Key Words and about 150 Word Meanings Wghich yielded an improvement score in English of 18%, from an average score of 33.88% to 40.13%. 

These are the first step towards achieving higher scores in comprehension and reading across the school in all subjects taught in English.

Next term, we will have a school wide handwriting contest to assess students' handwriting. 

 However our challenges still remain the following:-

1. Low Pupil to Student Text Book ratio of 1 Text book for 8 children, a  ratio that must come down to 1:2. 

With your help we can raise $250 per month over the next three months to achieve this feat especially for Social Studies, Mathematics and Science. We would also like to have at least 5 English dictionaries for the five Upper level classes (Classes 4-8)

2. Vocabulary & Word Centres to help anchor learning and create a Word rich class environment ( 110 students) .$ 130 will enable us achieve this target.

Let's continue making a difference together. Increase our impact by making a new giving committment.

You, your friends and family can give now by directly going to our project page on https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/give-the-gift-of-education-to-180-children-annually/

Thank you again for being our partner in helping children have a better fighting chance in life through supporting their education.

Dear friends and partners,

There is an old quote by John Bunyan that says that you have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you. Our heartfelt gratitude for changing lives through your giving.

In the past three months have seen lots of changes at the school. The Project Leadership are taking a more pronounced role in delivering education to the children by becoming more involved in teacher coaching and training. In this way education outcomes for at risk children who need the most help will improve consistently over time. This is because quality will be ensured through weekly monitoring.

Our targets for the next three months are as follows:--

a. Improve writing so children can write legibly.

b. Teach students at least 200 key sight words

c. Teach students 300 word meanings through vocabulary instruction

The improvements above will be measured by looking at their relative improvements in the End of term standardised test scores. We are looking at 20% improvement in each student's current scores.

Our challenge remains how to raise sufficient support. For us to succeed we will need to increase $75 given to this work over the past three months to $600 in the next three months to enable us do the following:-

1. $ 105 for Handwriting Tracing Packs for 50 students

2. $ 130 for Vocabulary & Word Centres for a Word rich class environment ( 110 students)

3. $ 300 for Key Reader Text Books for 110 students

4. $ 65 for measuring and tracking progress

Let's make a difference together. Increase your impact.

Give now by directly going to our project page on https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/give-the-gift-of-education-to-180-children-annually/

Dear friends and fellow partners,

it's almost the middle of February 2016, and we are yet to wish you great year ahead. My apologies for coming in this late...Happy New Year!

They say better late than never.

Allow me to ride on this theme even as we share a few insights, hopes and progress we are making as a team.

In November 2015, together we helped 15 children complete their primary school. Their average age 17 years. They were on average three years late, but they made it.

Because of you and with your partnership over the years, these children would have dropped out of school. Because of your generosity, they came through

In January 2016, 102 children received Vitamin A supplements after being reviewed. None was malnourished, thanks to the 2015 School Feeding Program. In 2016 we do not have any committments to support the School Feeding Program as was the case in 2015.

Also In January 2016, we got back the results and letters to join Form One. 100% of the students received calling letters to enter High/Secondary School/. We are yet unsure how many will take up the places.

Impact (100% got the opportunity to transition into High School), they might have been late- but they got the chance because you belived that every child deserves every chance.

Knowing these and more encourgaed us this year to take in more children like Mata*. She had been in a public primary school. She attained 247/500 marks at the end of last years assessment test. At age 15, she did not want to repeat another year in primary school. Mata is an orphan  but her resilient character caused her to come to Acres of Mercy and seek for a place. She had not even a shilling on her. We just had to take her in, to support her education dreams.

But we know, that she will complete school and with the right help transiion well and have a great future. It is for girls like Mata that we continue into the year knowing that every resource will work towards achieving this goal. Let us team up to provide the books, uniforms, teaching staff and techniques to improve chances of 20% girls 30% boys obtaining scholarships (1 former student at Acres of Mercy got two scholarship opportunities and had to choose one). My request to you is to consider doubling donation support, increasing recurrent giving and mobilize friends and family to join in this cause.

For example our current Textbook to Student Ratio is 1:12. Getting this to 1:2 would improve teaching and learning with 20% possible improvement in standadised test scores.

This is our 2016 challenge. Let's join forces, rise to meet the challenge.