As we reflect on the last year, we are so grateful to you. Your generous donations, hours of volunteering, trips to Kenya, letters to your students, and care for kids in Kenya have fueled the mission of transforming lives through education to employment. Cheers to you!
Here are some highlights of what we did, together:
Annual Appeal Goal Hit!
Ted and Kathy Truscott’s $70,000 Annual Appeal match goal was hit on December 30! This year’s Annual Appeal match goal was the largest ever and allowed important programming not covered by sponsorship fees to be accessed by all of our students. Such programs include nutrition, healthcare, camp, caseworker support, sexual and reproductive health, life skills, our library and computer lab, and more. Sincere thanks to everyone who helped us meet the match.
Class 8 Exam Results Are In and Are Great.
At the end of each calendar year, which is the end of the school year in Kenya, students in Class 8 (Grade 8) and Form 4 (Seniors) complete their final exams to determine their next educational step. Lincoln (pictured here) scored the best of our Class 8 students . 100 percent of our Class 8 students are expected to join a secondary school, and six scored high enough to be admitted to national schools, the best in the country.Â
We Are Proud of Our First University Graduates, Eric, and Victor.
Our first university graduates were Eric and Victor . Eric and Victor both graduated from Kenyatta University with Degrees in Procurement and Computer Mathematics respectively. Victor is a self-employed entrepreneur and currently runs a small gaming business while he is looking for work in his field.
Eric’s promotion at Digital Divide Data has elevated him to the position of a full-time Project Manager. In this role, he manages a team of individuals and interacts directly with clients.
He is looking for a new apartment out of the slums. We are proud of Victor, Eric, and all of our graduates.
The Life Skills Program is Making a Big Difference for our Students.
The Life Skills Program is led by our local caseworkers with the support of Rotary International and Friends of Ngong Road board member, Meghan Feige. Topics such as goal setting, peer pressure, well-being, problem-solving, resume writing, interview skills, and more are taught. Graduation rates of our high school students have increased since starting the Life Skills Program, and the hands-on sessions have become a highlight for our students. Life Skills is already having a direct impact on student self-confidence and self-awareness. We anticipate the program having impacts on employment success and will continue monitoring and evaluating the program.
The Sexual and Reproductive Health Program Matters for Student Success.
Our Sexual and Reproductive Health Program was started in 2017 and is led by our Youth Peer Providers, who are our secondary and post-secondary students trained by Planned Parenthood. The program has received immense support from Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute and the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. So far:
- We have trained 300 out of 335 students.
- 96% of participants agreed more training sessions would be helpful.
- 26% of participants have accessed free medical care at our partner clinic.
- Unplanned pregnancies among our students have significantly dropped.
Karibu Loo Won an All-Kenya Service Award as Business Continues to Improve.
In September, the Karibu Loo team applied for and won the Kenyan hospitality industry’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) Award for the “Best Sanitation Provider in Kenya”. The team presented the award at a dinner event, which all the managers proudly attended.
Shown at left, from left: Steven Muendo, Operations Manager; Emmanuel Mukasa, Business Development Director; Maureen Mulievi, General Manager; and Norman Ruguroa, Administrative/Marketing Associate.
To read more about Karibu Loo: https://sandbox.ngongroad.org/2019/11/12/karibu-loo-business-update/
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