The ICO Kithoka Child Sponsorship Initiative which has been operational since Nov 2018. It has now expanded to include sponsored children in Nakuru as well as Meru County within a new support model.
The goal is still to find the best schools for children. In most cases, this is a boarding school. Until the end of 2019, children remained at the children’s home during school breaks. The new support model is to keep close ties with their community. We do this by finding an appropriate home with a guardian during school breaks. Until a safe place is found in their community, children remain at the school.
Nakuru and Meru Counties are in central and Eastern Kenya. People live on small farms and life is difficult. Droughts followed by floods and clouds of locusts have devoured crops in Kenya. There is a high degree of poverty. Schools are expensive. Children without parents or sponsors end up on the streets, without schooling, medical care, or food.
The key to success is researching the best boarding schools. Ones with strong moral values, good teachers, and well-equipped classrooms. In this way, children continue their education in safe places.
You can support one or more of these children with a monthly scholarship of $50 CAD to cover basic school fees. A donation of $100 will also pay for books, a uniform, and other school expenses. This includes some support for the extended families for food during school breaks when children are in their communities. Each donation will make a huge impact in one orphan’s life.
Since August, 2019, in addition to sponsoring our younger students we have also been sponsoring University students. We pay for their tuition, rent for one room near campus, food, cooking gas, toiletries, small amounts for pocket money, and student health insurance. In addition there are some initial start-up costs for bed, mattress, bedding, table, chair, curtains, cell phone and laptop.
To read more about our Initiative Lead Mark and our Field Lead Joash click here.
For more information contact our Initiative Lead:
Mark Holland: markholland@innovativecommunities.org
Joash Barasa: joashbarasa@innovativecommunities.org
