The majority of the population in Kenya is living on $2 a day or less. The average cost of a high school or college education is $3.24 a day. 75% of Kenyan youth every year drop out of high school because of factors associated with household poverty. Still, An education remains the gatekeeper to opportunity, self-sufficiency and entry into viable job markets. Its also lays the foundation for expanding young minds, reinforces self-confidence and provides a platform for creative expression. An education is in short…the pathway to an unhindered future.
Jeremiah Scholarships identify the most disadvantaged and vulnerable youth in Kenya and affords them access to a formal education at the secondary school level or beyond. Founded upon the biblical reference Jeremiah 29:11, the program gives priority to orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, young women and homeless youth giving them access to “hope and a future,” that would not otherwise be afforded to them. To date over 150 children have received scholarships and graduated , who would otherwise not have had access to continuing their education. JSP goes beyond tuition fees and includes peripheral costs that could also pose a barrier to uninterrupted school attendance including:
- School uniform and stationary items
- Transportation costs
- Housing
- Medical care
- Supplemental tutoring
- Personal hygiene products
SFH’s program model of care provides one-on-onementorship, counseling and ongoing followup in line with a student-identified career interests. The results are powerful and go well beyond a certificate of completion. To date, 150 young men and women were enrolled and graduated from academic programs all across the country. These are 150 youth who otherwise would not have been able to access or afford their education! 80%of our graduate scholars have gone on to be employed in career-oriented jobs, rather than manual or casual jobs that are more survival-based and unstable.
SFH works at the houshold level where possible to improve livlihood potential of caregivers to support the family for the long-term. Expanding access to health, psychosocial support and income generating activities, creates possibility