By Nuala Evans | ChallengeAid
St Benedict's School of Hope in Mathare slum is currently running after school, at weekends and during school holidays, with an average of 30 boys and 45 girls attending. As well as academic support and provision of sports and clubs, the centre also offers rehabilitation services for children who are homeless and living on the streets and those who have gotten in trouble with the police. These children attend school while being accommodated at the centre until they can be reunited with their families. The School of Hope is managed by a committee of 5 members – 3 men and 2 women, which meets every month to discuss targets, achievements and any issues.
The SOH runs a Girls Club with 34 members which meets on Saturday from 4 pm - 6 pm; all girls receive sanitary towels every month to minimise missed days of school when on their periods (girls living in poverty can miss up to 20% of school days due a lack of period products). The Boys Club has 35 members who meet on Saturday from 2 pm - 4 pm; the club holds debates, talks on behaviour and responsibility and weekly clean ups of their compound and their neighbourhood. A chess club with 11 members trains every week, while the football team with 19 boys trains on Saturday and Sunday. All participants are members of the dance / drama club and the debating club and 9 students are members of the art club.
Twenty-Five members of the SOH participated in the Mathare's Got Talent Festival that took place in April 2022 and came third out of 19 teams.
The SOH presented 22 candidates for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and achieved a mean score of 329.14 out of a possible 500 marks. The nearest government primary school scored 275.43, which shows the hugely positive impact St Benedict's SOH has had on these young children's lives. A huge congratulations to them!
At Kenya Certificate of Secondary School level, the SOH presented 5 candidates, and scored a mean grade of C (51 points); 1 female student scored a B+ and qualified to join university.
As we have now reached our target, we are going to close this appeal. Thank you for all your kind donations!
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