Education
Caring Partners Global collaborates with local schools to increase the opportunities of orphaned and disabled children. Educational initiatives include: school lunch program, school uniform program and student sponsorship program for secondary and post-secondary students.
Lunch - Time Feeding Program
The feeding program began in 2006 providing lunch to the students at Matangwe Primary, located just down the road from the Matangwe Clinic. Prior to the lunch time feeding program many students attended school with empty bellies, and hunger affected their energy level and their ability to focus appropriately. As a result of the feeding program school attendance is consistently high, and the academic performance has greatly improved. In 2010 the graduating, standard 8, class obtained results on the national Kenyan Certificate of Primary School National Exams (KCPE) that were only a distant dream 5 years ago.
Today the school feeding program provides food to 450 students at Matangwe Primary and 70 students at the Matangwe Community Centre’s Early Childhood Education Centre. With sufficient funding CPG hopes to expand the feeding program to other primary schools throughout the Bondo District.
UNIFORM PROGRAM
The Kenyan school system still maintains influences from the days of British colonialism and all students, primary and secondary, are required to attend school dressed in the school uniform. It was evident, prior to 2006 when the uniform program was implemented, that this requirement was not rigidly enforced in remote Kenyan schools such as Matangwe Primary School. It also appeared that many students were not attending school due to their family’s inability to purchase a uniform, or the students would simply attended school in their tattered uniforms, or in their normal, raggedy, everyday, clothing, if able to withstand the stigma.
By providing a uniform for each student, all students fit comfortably into the overall school environment and no student has to suffer the embarrassment of being the poorest of the poor. Many orphans, who previously were not allowed to attend school by their guardians, are now allowed to become part of the school population.
This initiative, to provide one uniform for every student each year, has successfully been implemented since 2006, and hopefully will continue for many years to come. In 2011 CPG expanded the uniform program to not only provide uniforms for the 450 students attending Matangwe Primary School, but also uniforms for the 70 students attending early childhood education at the Matangwe Community Centre.
A donation of $8 will provide a uniform for one child for one year and your generosity will go a long way! Since the one uniform each student receives each year must last for the entire school year, it is quite amazing to witness the care these children put in to keeping their uniform clean and in good repair. Uniforms are often washed by the student by hand at the end of each school day and hung to dry to be used the following day.
Education Sponsorship Program
CPG is very proud of its unique student sponsorship program that is having a huge impact on the lives of so many young people in the Matangwe and surrounding region. What began with the sponsorship of 15-orphaned children in 2006 has grown to the point where over 100 students are being sponsored in 2011.
CPG is constantly looking for new sponsors willing to support a child through secondary school. If interested please contact CPG at info [at] caringpartners.ca or contact Ron Bell at 12.bells [at] sympatico.ca.
How it works:
CPG’s high school sponsorship program is a 4-year commitment of $650 per year (tax deductible in Canada).
Each new sponsor is matched with a deserving child who will beginning secondary school.
Students are expected to write at least 3 letters each year to their sponsor, and it is hoped the sponsor will reciprocate. In many cases a personal relationship is developed between the sponsor and the sponsored student.
Education Sponsorship FAQ
How are sponsored students chosen from the community?
Each student must complete an application, and once the list is shortened down, the remaining students are interviewed. Students are chosen on the basis of family status, financial need, academic performance on national exams written at the end of primary school and character. At least 50% of all students chosen for sponsorship must be girls.
Why is it a 4-year commitment?
It is a 4-year to commitment to ensure that each student will receive funding to complete their secondary education that they have begun.
What happens when the student I have sponsored graduates secondary school?
When a student graduates from secondary school sponsors are able to continue to support the student through their post-secondary education at the same rate of $650/year should the sponsor wish to and given the future goals of the student. CPG raises money for a Post-Secondary Fund that is used to subsidize the cost for college or university beyond what the student receives from the sponsor.
Many of CPG’s sponsored students move on to attend college or university in Kenya. In 2011 a total of 5 students sponsored through CPG will be graduating from college obtaining certificates for catering, auto mechanics, tourism and primary school teaching. Another student will graduate this year with a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Egerton University.
Throughout 2011 CPG has been involved in the sponsorship of 6 students in primary school, 66 students at various levels of secondary school, and another 30 students attending colleges or universities throughout Kenya.
What if I would like to contribute to CPG’s sponsorship program but am unable to commit to a 4-year sponsorship of a child at this time?
If you are presently unable to sponsor a child, but wish to donate to CPG, specifically to CPG's Education Sponsorship Program we have a Post-Secondary Fund that CPG must be maintained. CPG estimates it must obtain about $10 000 each year to keep the Post-secondary Fund from gradually being depleted. Your generosity would be greatly appreciated.
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