It is estimated that over 46% of the Kenyan population lives below the poverty line of $1.90 a day. These people are unable to access education due to various challenges including the inability to afford fees, no schools local to them , and lack of facilities among other challenges. These have forced children living in poverty to be locked out of education.
Poverty and education are intertwined at multiple levels. Such children grow up uneducated, preventing them from becoming productive members of a very competitive society. They in turn give rise to poverty-stricken offsprings, which in turn are unable to access education giving rise to a viscous cycle. The situation only gets worse with the rising cost of living and increasing competition among societies.
One such rural area is Chakama, an extremely remote location located in Kenya’s Kilifi County, comprising of 32 villages. The communities there are very needy, living under very harsh conditions, and lacking essential needs including food, healthcare, water, electricity, and sanitation. Along with our partners in the area, we are running projects to support communities living in Chakama to break free from the poverty cycle by enhancing education in the location. Other than poor infrastructure, the majority of students learning in schools within the villages lack basic books and stationery.
Your donations have provided school bags and books to 1000 students in Chakama, Kenya aged between 5 and 18, some of whom are orphans.
One of the children your donations have helped is Zishan*. Zishan is a class 4 pupil at Chakama Primary school. He is the 5th born in a family of 6 children, who live in the local village. His father is the sole bread winner of his family but unfortunately, he doesn’t earn much from his job. His family lives in extreme poverty and the fact that primary school education is free of charge is what enables Zishan to go to school. He mostly relies on papers provided by the school to write on, which regularly runs out. The WF-AID sponsored books and bag will go a long way in aiding his education. He aspires to become a doctor when he grows up.
