Education Kenya Project #35271

A bright financial future for 4,000 Kenyan pupils

by Centre for Enterprise Development and Innovation

Project Report | Mar 2, 2020
My Money Project 2020

By Nixon Aboge | Project Leader

Teachers during the ToT workshop in Kisumu County

CEDI continues to deliver on its promise of teaching Financial Capability Skills to over 4,000 children in Kenya. From the beginning of the year 2020 up to this far, the project has made great strides in terms of fostering financial capability skills, strengthening school child safeguarding systems, and furthering conversations with stakeholders in the Ministry of Education to embed the program into the national educational system.

As the stakeholders own my Money Program, the start of the year saw a stakeholder’s strategy and planning meeting on 8^th and 9^th Feb 2020 to share on the 2019 lessons and findings and improve the gaps and recommendations to better the program. The sessions, each held in Kisumu and Migori counties, were graced by Parents, Pastors, Teachers, Headteachers, school Board of Management Members (BoM), PTA Representatives, Local leaders, and Youths from neighboring communities. The stakeholders appreciated the rationale of teaching financial skills at the early stages of child development so that they grow up into responsible citizens. Similarly, there was a need to improve the capacity of teachers to provide an accommodative, inclusive, and friendly environment where children feel loved, protected, and safe.

On the need to improve capacity, we held two refreshers ToT workshops with teachers in Kisumu and Migori on 15^th and 16^th Feb 2020. The workshops reached a total of 116 teachers comprising from the four implementing schools, that is, St. Cecilia Olare, Migori, Manyatta, and Kudho Primary Schools. The workshop used various methodologies, child-friendly models, and role-plays, covering group exercises and class simulations. Teachers improved confidence in the delivery of My Money and the ability to implement safeguards for children in their respective schools.

The first quarter also saw My Money Clubs hold their Annual elections for My Money Club Officials within each school. The top positions contested for included; My Money President, Deputy President, Treasurer, Secretary-General, and Coordinator. Pupils displayed sobriety and maturity, right from the campaign period to the results announcement. Quite noting, as the entire process was pupils-led, no rigging reported, no pre or post-election violence reported, no voter bribery/malpractice reported, and no election appeal filed. A team of observers in every school comprising of pupils, teachers, BoM Members, and Education officials said the process was free and fair. Pupil contestants used campaign posters, break times, and campaign agents to sell their ideas to fellow pupils.

Looking forward to the rest of the year, CEDI is working to ensure the empowerment of the elected officials to not only act as leaders at the school level but also peers to fellow pupils. CEDI is further strengthening conversations with officials from the Ministry of Education to embed the program into the country’s education program; however, the slow government may be in up taking new ideas. Assessment is equally underway to replicate the My Money Program into one of the low-cost community schools in Nairobi’s informal settlements of Kibra or Kawangware.

At CEDI, we believe that one of the critical life skills that children need, especially in the low income and middle-income countries, is financial capability skills. As children begin to interact with money (and money forms) at the early stages of life development, there is a need to empower these children with critical capabilities that they take into adulthood.

Teachers in group discussions at the ToT

Teacher poses with elected My Money Club Officials

Pupils line up to cast their votes

Pupils show marked fingers after voting

A pupil contestant poses with her campaign poster

Campaign posters for pupils on a classroom wall

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Dec 2, 2019
My Money Project

By Nixon Oleche | Executive Director

My Money commitee and CEDI Director

CEDI has been implementing My Money program to deliver on its promise of providing A Bright Financial Future to over 4,000 school going children’ in Kisumu and Migori counties. So far, the project has reached an estimated total of 5962 beneficiaries: 3,980 pupils, 145 teachers, 1,797 parents, and 16 county education officials. Out of the total children reached, 24 children were children living with disabilities from target schools. Throughout the year, My Money program has had its fair share of successes, key learnings, and action plans for the coming period as highlighted in this report.

CEDI conducted with My Money stakeholders who included the school-going children, teachers, parents, and the local community.The teachers expressed the development of positive behavior and character among the pupils. They also noted that through the My Money program, talents among the children were realized. Parents noted that pupils developed responsible behavior and honored budgeting and saving at home. With My Money gardens, the local community around the schools appreciated the efforts of the pupils in setting and realizing their set targets’

Also, CEDI held consultative meetings with the Ministry of Education Officials and officials from the Department of Children Services from Kisumu and Migori Counties on how to embed My Money with the new education system, Competency-Based Curriculum. We received a positive welcome and the officials expressed their support in integrating Money with the Competency-Based Curriculum. They also expressed their continued support, to even implement the project on a broader scale.

My Money used a Multi-agency approach in strengthening and promoting child safeguarding at home, in school and within the community. Pupils, teachers, school staff, parents and community leaders were involved in several consultative open forums and meetings to identify and address challenges and situations that made school children more prone to abuse. The capacity building featured as a necessary intervention, especially for the schools’ safeguarding committees. Improved safeguarding checklist and safeguarding resources and tools were shared with project stakeholders to improve their awareness and understanding in promoting child welfare and wellbeing to achieve the best outcomes in health, education, opportunity Similarly, with the growing number of children living with disabilities getting admissions into our project schools, My Money curriculum and My Money Clubs are remodeling and repositioning to accommodate all children, with or without disabilities.

Over the past two years, My Money evaluation continues to show that when pupils with varied learning and support needs learn together, they experience better academic and behavioral outcomes, social relationships, high transition and retention rates, and post-school success. Full inclusion is going to look different in each of our target schools and every classroom and for every child. What is non-negotiable when it comes to inclusion is the expectation and desire that everyone belongs (and learns) together.

My Money remains on course in its goal of achieving highly holistic and wholly rounded children in Kenya. It is this pretext that forms the basis of our 2020 strategy. CEDI shall assess the impact and lessons learned in the project over the two years among primary school children and teachers as well as other stakeholders including parents, community leaders, and government agencies. The impact evaluation shall study the relevance, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of the project to inform future expansion plans which include but not limited to upscaling to vocational training institutions, secondary schools and children in independent living. Lastly, riding on the support and goodwill of government stakeholders and representatives from the ministry of education at the county and national level, CEDI shall pursue the integration of financial capability into the CBC as a key life skill for early childhood development.

We are thankful to the Global Giving team for the endless and valuable support and guidance which enable us to achieve our goal of offering even more Kenyan Pupils a Brighter Financial Future and to inspire a young generation of Kenyans to carry forward the beacon of hope in the fight against poverty. We hope to expand the program with more support from well-wishers and eventually meet our ultimate goal of $ 99,999. Please feel free to hit the donate button below and become part of this noble initiative.

A Teacher share their views on My Money

Pupils share lessons in My Money Club

Some teachers pose near My Money banner

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Sep 3, 2019
My Money

By Nixon Oleche | Project Leader

The program, My Money, through its commitment and interest remains on course to deliver on its promise of providing A Bright Financial Future to over 4,000 Kenyan pupils in Migori and Kisumu Counties. Between the periods June to August,2019 the project had its fair share of achievements, key learnings and action plans as outlined in this report.

The project participated in theAugust little by little matching campaign and was successful. We managed to crowdfund $ 4,313.81 from 34 donors. The funds received is a boost for this program for it is going to help us provide learning toolkits for training facilitators as well as teaching and learning aids such as exercise books, pens, manila paper, masking tapes, chalk, printing papers, rulers to be used during teaching and examining of My Money Program. We thank GlobalGiving for this opportunity and providing a platform to help celebrate the power of our crowd.

Additionally, there was a stakeholder meeting with My Money Committee and teachers from: Manyatta, Kudho, St. Cecilia and Migori Primary Schools. The teachers shared their learnings, experiences and challenges in delivering the program in 2019. Mrs. Florence of Manyatta noted that the pupils are now empowered and understand the value of money. It was encouraging to learn that pupils developed financial initiatives(Chama’s) and My Money box to save money together.

CEDI has conducted a feasibility study on expanding the program to community schools in Nairobi Informal Settlements in Kibera, Kawangware and Kibera. So far we have received positive feedback and appreciation from Jamii Community School in Kibera. The pupils have engaged in outdoor activities such as fun games which has helped identify talents and develop their life skills.

We hope to expand the program with more support from well-wishers and eventually meet our ultimate goal of $ 99,999. This will enable us to achieve our goal of offering even more Kenyan Pupils a Brighter Financial Future, and to inspire a young generation of Kenyans to carry forward the beacon of hope in the fight against poverty. Please feel free to hit the donate button below and become part of this noble initiative.

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Attachments:

Progress Review Meetings with Teachers (DOCX)

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