Education Kenya Project #50292

Keep a student in school

by Affecto Foundation

Project Report | Nov 7, 2024
IT'S A SECOND CHANCE FOR WANYONYI

By Alice Gathe | Project Leader

Wanyonyi is a determined young man from Bungoma who, despite facing significant challenges, has shown resilience and hope for a better future. In 2019, he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams and scored 323 marks out of 500. This performance earned him a place at Bungoma High School, a dream come true for a young man who had worked hard to secure a spot in secondary school.

However, Wanyonyi’s dreams were soon met with a major obstacle—financial constraints. The inability to pay school fees and cover other essential school requirements forced him to drop out during the second term of Form 3 in 2022. Although this was a decision he did not want to make, the pressure of unpaid school fees and the burden on his parents became too overwhelming.

After dropping out of school, Wanyonyi joined the construction industry, as a casual worker. He took on hard physical labor to help support his family. Despite the difficult nature of the work, Wanyonyi remained hopeful that this was a temporary setback. He believed that through hard work and faith in God, he would eventually find a way to return to school and continue his education.
Wanyonyi’s decision to work in construction was not only about supporting himself but also alleviating the financial burden on his parents. He never lost sight of his long-term goal: to go back to school and pursue his dreams.

His situation came to the attention of a school teacher who was determined to help. After conducting due diligence, Affecto Foundation was able to assist Wanyonyi by clearing his school fee arrears. This gave Wanyonyi a chance of going back to school. He was overjoyed and deeply grateful for this opportunity. It was indeed an answered prayer.

With this second chance to continue his education, Wanyonyi is more determined than ever. He is committed to making the most of this opportunity, not only for himself but also to make his family, friends, and supporters proud. Wanyonyi and 157 more students at Affecto Foundation’s Watoto Wasome program have successfully completed their academic year 2024. We are immensely grateful to GlobalGiving for the intervention in making this happen.

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Jul 10, 2024
MICHELLE BECOMES AN AFFECTO STAR

By Alice Gathe | Project Leader

In 2024, Affecto Foundation planned to onboard 50 students for Cohort 8. However, due to extraordinary circumstances, we ended up onboarding 51 students in Cohort 8, and an additional three students—two in Cohort 7 and one in Cohort 5. This decision was made after we encountered deserving students who we believed deserved our help.

Michelle is one of the students we onboarded in Cohort 8. Born in Kakamega County, her family later moved to Narok in search of better opportunities. Michelle sat for her KCPE exams in 2023 and emerged as the top student in her primary school, scoring an impressive 390 marks. Despite her outstanding performance, she had not joined her dream school or even a day school six months later.

After thorough vetting, we realized her parents could not afford to send her to school. Her father, who used to work in a quarry, fell ill and has been bedridden for most of the year due to severe kidney complications, rendering him unable to sit or move. This situation has further strained their financial situation.

Michelle's mother, who had to drop out after Form Four due to lack of school fees, currently works as a kindergarten teacher near their home. Her modest income of Ksh. 6,000 is used to cover their rent of Ksh. 3,500 and their daily needs, including her husband's medication.

Upon learning of Michelle's situation, Affecto Foundation conducted due diligence to confirm the genuineness of the case. We are pleased to report that Michelle has been successfully admitted to one of Kenya's national schools, where she initially received an admission letter from. This was made possible through the generous support of GlobalGiving.

Michelle’s story is a testament to the power of education and the profound impact that financial support can have on a student's life. We are deeply grateful to GlobalGiving for making it possible for Michelle to join school and continue her education.

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Feb 26, 2024
AFFECTO ONBOARDS COHORT 8 BENEFICIARIES

By Alice Gathe | Project Leader

Affecto Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Kenya to offer scholarship opportunities and mentorship programs to secondary students across the country. The program is designed to create lifelong impact for individuals and communities, by providing academically gifted learners from underprivileged backgrounds access to quality education. In the academic year 2024, Affecto Foundation is embarking on a significant expansion of its Watoto Wasome program, aiming to welcome 50 new students into the program. This strategic move will augment the program's reach, bringing the total number of students in high school to 150 and those in higher institutions of learning (universities and colleges) to 68. This increase in numbers and impact naturally necessitates an increase in funding to adequately support the growing number of beneficiaries. To achieve this, the organization is actively pursuing a fundraising campaign through GlobalGiving. The funds raised will be allocated towards fulfilling various essential needs of the students, including tuition fees for the academic year, provision of students' uniforms, supporting their self-care shopping, contributing to school development fees, covering bus fare to and from school, facilitating termly mentorship workshops, enabling participation in The President’s Award program activities, and providing pocket money. Remarkably, despite the financial constraints, Affecto Foundation has already made significant progress, having successfully enrolled 39 out of the 50 intended new students into the Watoto Wasome program. The organization has received over 500 applications from across Kenya, underscoring the widespread need for educational support. The increasing number of applications underscores the urgency and importance of the Affecto Foundation's mission. However, due to financial limitations, the organization can only accommodate 50 new students at this time. These are individuals who, without intervention, would remain excluded from the educational system, facing daily hardships that impede their ability to thrive. In the midst of this busy and transformative season, Affecto Foundation expresses profound gratitude for the support it receives from GlobalGiving. With this partnership, the organization is poised to make an even greater impact, providing education and support to those who need it most, ensuring a brighter future for these deserving students

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