By Laura Salazar | Project Leader
The crisis started when a large number of teens did so well on their entrance exams at the end of elementary school last spring . Suddenly the Good Samaritan Children's Home had more students with places in top notch high schools. The tuition bill was sky high. Did you know that places in high schools are held for students with high grades, but if tuition is not paid in full on registration day, those places are given to students with lower grades and wealthy parents? Neither did I. The orphanage met the high tuition bill by adding some of the food budget to pay tuition. For several weeks the younger children were fed only once a day. They became out of sorts, not knowing why they could not get more food. A donation of $800 from Fabulous African Fabrics provided food for a month, and the six to twelve year olds went to class with full stomachs ready to learn.
Suddenly in a new national ruling from the schools demanded a payment of $50 dollars for an exit test fee for each student who is in the last year of high school. It had to be paid at their winter enrollement. Seniors were sent home to the orphanage when they did not pay this fee, being told they would lose their place in school if this was not paid on time. A gracious donor from FAF paid the $950 bill, and that crisis was met. The teens went back to their boarding schools.
At the same time, the government demanded a payment of $1800 for NGO registration. The orphanage was threatened to be closed. Fabulous African Fabrics stepped forward and emptied its coffers and the orphanage was saved. With this NGO registration and restructuring the Kenyan goverment has pledged to help The Good Samaritan Children's Home with some of their financial woes. We do not know exactly what this means at this time.
Now FAF must face helping pay the spring tuition bill. Fortunately it will be smaller than the February bill, but we need your help. It is bonus day at GlobalGiving on Wednesday March 16. You can provide tuition money by giving generously. Bonus Day funds from GlobalGiving will be $75,000. Let's get some of that bonus. The percentage of bonus depends on the amount raised, so reach into your pockets.
We will meet each crisis as it comes, but under new management the Good Samaritan Children's Home will be prepared.
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