A bright financial future for 4,000 Kenyan pupils

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.