Become a scholarship Supporter

BECOME A SUPPORTER OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR KYAITHANI and LOWER YATTA SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NDANDINI KENYA
In 2011 we started providing scholarships for the 9 top achievers at the only secondary school in the Ndandini area. In 2023 we have now increased that to 106 at Kyaithani and Lower Yatta Secondary Schools. There are over 400 desperately poor students at Kyaithani and Lower Yatta Secondary Schools striving to get an education so they can better their lives. Can you help us increase the number of scholarships that we provide?
We provide a CAD$110 per year scholarship to the students attending secondary school full time who originally graduated from one of the six primary schools in the Kyaithani area. We are looking for donations in any amount.
Donors to the scholarships will be able to follow our progress on this blogspot as we post information about the children being sponsored, photos and letters.
100% of the donations received go to the students and the Board of Governors accounts to us for the funds. There are no deductions for fundraising or administration.
Like the students and their parents, we know that without an education there is little hope for them to make a better life for themselves.

Unlike in Canada, families in Kenya have to pay school fees in order for their children to attend high school. Many children are forced to drop out because, with family incomes of less than $1/day, their families cannot afford to pay the school costs.


Donations in any amount will receive a tax receipt (for Canadian income tax returns).
For more information about the scholarship program contact me at TerryUmbach@hotmail.com .

Terry Umbach



Sunday, November 17, 2013

Donors think about again supporting the Scholarship Program for another year

We are quickly approaching Christmas 2013 and our donors are thinking again of their support of the Kyaithani scholarship program. In order to continue to provide scholarships to these students who come from very impoverished families, we are dependent on all of our past donors. We hope that the update below will encourage everyone to once again support these so appreciative students in Ndandini/Kyaithani. Jan & I thank you for your continued generous support.
 
Here is a current update.
 
Students are striving for excellence
The school year in the Ndandini/Kyaithani area begins in January (unlike here where it starts in September). Right now, from late October through mid-November, the Kyaithani students are writing their final exams. So it is a very busy and stressful time for them. Every scholarship recipient wants to maintain or exceed the previous academic ranking in order to retain their scholarship for the coming year. Those students who have not previously received a scholarship have been studying extremely hard to try to rank in the top 5 in their exams in the hope of securing a scholarship for the coming year. In fact, it is this motivation of every student that the teachers report is being successful in raising the overall academic performance of the school's student population.
 
Student Population and Scholarships Provided
There are approximately 130 students that attend Kyaithani Secondary School. These students come from five local area primary schools where there are about 1200 students in attendance (with about 110 in Grade 8). These primary schools are in the areas called: Ndandini, Kyaithani, Muusini, Ndunguni and Nthilani. As there are only about 30 students in Form 1 (Grade 9) at Kyaithani Secondary School you can see that the drop out rate between Grade 8 (110 students) and Grade 9 (30 students) is huge. This is mostly due to the lack of funds available to families to pay the secondary school fees and costs.
The 23 scholarship recipients in Kyaithani Secondary School are distibuted as follows:
Form 1 (like our Grade 9) 5 students - 3 girls and 2 boys
Form 2 6 students - 5 girls and 1 boy
Form 3 7 students - 4 girls and 3 boys
Form 4 5 students - 3 girls and 2 boys
 
Letters from Scholarship Recipients
We have recently received letters from many of the scholarship recipients.  We distributed these to those of our donors who have provided us with their email address.  If you would like a copy of them, let us know.
One of the recurring comments that you will read in these student letters is a request from these students to increase the number of scholarships, if possible, so that others who cannot afford to attend secondary school may also continue with their education.
 
Teachers go above and beyond to provide live-in "boarding" facilities for Form 4 (graduating) students
Many of you will remember that last October the Kyaithani Secondary School teachers decided to provide a supervised live-in "boarding school" environment for the Form 4 students so that they could take maximum advantage of the solar lighting at the school as they studied and prepared for their final examinations. The teachers received no additional pay for doing this. The teachers and administrators found the examination results so encouraging last year that they decided to support the live-in "boarding school" for the Form 4 students for the entire year this year (starting January 2013). So for the entire year about 12 boys have been sleeping over at the school and about 12 girls have been staying at the local church. I must explain that "boarding" means sleeping on the floor of the schoolroom or church on a 1" foam mat. There are no beds or private rooms! At least they have been able to use potable water at the school which gets delivered from the well by the tractor and bowser (water trailer) that our projects provided between 2010 and 2012.

Students hoping for post-secondary education opportunities
The 10 letters from the students are encouraging to read as we see how eager the students are to complete their secondary education (and so thankful for the scholarships that have allowed them to attend secondary school) and how much they would like to continue with further education after graduating from Form 4 (similar to our Grade 12 here in BC).
 
Can we do something to help with post-secondary training?
During 2013 we have formed a Ndandini Committee (composed of both Sunshine Coast based Rotarians and non-Rotarians) to provide support and advice for our efforts with our various Ndandini/Kyaithani projects. One area of focus of the Committee is the scholarship program and much discussion has centered on if we could, and how we should, try to provide some post-secondary education support for students graduating from Kyaithani Secondary School. This January will see the second set of students graduate and most are financially unable to pursue further education.
 
Goals for our Scholarship Program for the Coming Year
Last year we were able to provide each student who achieved a "Top 5 standing" in their Form with a scholarship.  Each scholarship is funded for all their future years at Kyaithani Secondary School as long as they continue to show academic excellence.
 
This year we would like to increase the munber of scholarships available for each Form.
 
We would also like to provide at least two bursaries for graduating students (one from this year and one from last year) to assist them to attend a trade or vocational school and return to the village with skills that will both benefit the village and provide them with a meaningful career.
 
We look forward to and thank everyone for your support which is so needed and so appreciated by the students.
 
Merry Christmas season to you all!
 
Terry & Jan

New Group from Canada Visits Kyaithani Secondary School

September saw a very exciting day at Kyaithani Secondary School in Kenya.  A group of 9 people from Canada came to see all the project work that has been done in the Ndandini area since 2007, to meet the villagers and students, and spend time some quality time with their now new friends.

Valerie Brown from Sechelt brought some of her Mant Famiily grandsons.  One of them, Chris, told us that they brought along 20 soccer balls which they had collected from the Burlington Soccer Club and they also brought some uniforms for the students.  What a surprise for the kids!  A great soccer game ensued between the Canadian young men and the students.  It will long be remembered by everyone!

Sammy Masila, the vice-principal of Kyaithani Secondary School, said "I want to register my appreciation to the Mant family through the golden lady - Valerie. It was a great honour to see part of your family visiting us at Kyaithani Secondary School in Kenya. We were struck by your happiness and exciting smiles.  The memories are still very fresh.  The gifts were amazing.  The ladies liked all the ornaments.  Our football players look wonderful in those t shirts.  You and the Mant family are great friends of ours.  Greetings from the students and teachers. God bless the family. Thank you Valerie."

Valerie replied "Our family continue to talk about our visit.  We will never forget the welcome given to us by all of you.  Your special school remains in our hearts."

The leader of the group, Debbie Riczu from Sechelt BC, told us that their visit to Ndandini village and Kyaithani Secondary School was the highlight of their trip to Kenya and that everyone is eager to go back.

We encourage all our donors and sponsors to consider a trip to Kenya for a fantastic safari and a visit to Ndandini and Kyaithani Secondary School.  It will be one of your most memorable trips of your lifetime. 

Terry & Jan