With support from the Rotary Club of Ottawa, the Stay in School project of Elimu (Canada) helped single mothers and girls in Kenya to pay school fees in the wake of covid. It also brought emergency food supplies to 21 families who were faced with having to choose between buying food or paying rent.
Like everywhere, families in Kenya are struggling during the pandemic due to its impact on the economy. But Kenyan families have the added burden of paying school fees. To make up the time lost last year, the government is squeezing four semesters into 2021 and 2022 instead of the usual three per year, meaning extra fees for parents at the worst possible time. The poorest, many of whom are single mothers, are hardest hit. When school fees aren’t paid, children drop out. Without the security of the daily school routine and with their mothers in town looking for any work they can find, children -- especially girls -- are at high risk of abuse and negative social influences.
Support for Elimu at the beginning of 2021 by the Rotary Club of Ottawa was about more than school fees. Supporting single mothers and girls with school fees improves the entire family. The financial burden is reduced so parents can concentrate on food and rent. Levels of stress and vulnerability are also greatly reduced, so students can focus on their studies and keep safe.
The Stay in School project also brought emergency food supplies to 21 families in the wake of the covid pandemic in Kenya. Each family received important staple dry goods and a little cash to cover fresh vegetables. These supplies helped avoid the difficult decision of having to choose between buying food or paying rent.
For more information on Elimu and its programs, visit: elimu.ca
Support for Elimu at the beginning of 2021 by the Rotary Club of Ottawa was about more than school fees. Supporting single mothers and girls with school fees improves the entire family. The financial burden is reduced so parents can concentrate on food and rent. Levels of stress and vulnerability are also greatly reduced, so students can focus on their studies and keep safe.
The Stay in School project also brought emergency food supplies to 21 families in the wake of the covid pandemic in Kenya. Each family received important staple dry goods and a little cash to cover fresh vegetables. These supplies helped avoid the difficult decision of having to choose between buying food or paying rent.
For more information on Elimu and its programs, visit: elimu.ca