Emergency COVID-19 support for Kenyan children

Dear Supporters,

We at Raising Futures Kenya are happy to share with you some of the exciting activities and progress happening within our Seed of Hope programme; providing support for Kenyan children in low-income and drought affected areas.

Given the struggles of poverty, and lack of opportunities for children and young people to access education, training and skills in the communities we work with in Kenya, we thank you for choosing to support our project and for the achievements you make possible. We deeply appreciate your commitment to changing young people’s lives.

We have recently successfully enrolled new students to our Seed of Hope vocational training and entrepreneurship courses, and are currently supporting 443 students aged 14-25, including 253 girls and 78 young mothers. Many students who completed their training in June are now placed in internships, gaining hands-on workplace experience. 75% will go on to secure employment or start their own business within 6 months.

We are always seeking new ways to empower young Seed of Hope students, and last week, we partnered with government institutions to offer digital literacy sessions, focused on opportunities in the online job market. Additionally, we held financial literacy training for parents at our Kariti and Kitui Seed of Hope centres. These sessions, attended by over 80% of parents, are designed to equip families with the knowledge to support their children as they face the challenges of running businesses after graduation.

Seed of Hope centre developments 

• We are very proud to announce the completion of a new kitchen at our Seed of Hope Kitui centre, improving provision of daily cooked lunches to students where 40% of the population live below the food poverty line. This addition also opens the door to new possibilities as we plan to launch a catering and hospitality course here in the future, expanding our curriculum and providing even more opportunities for our learners.
• Our Nairobi Seed of Hope centre  introduced a new Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy course with its first intake in July, which has been met with enthusiastic enrollment. This course is off to a strong start, and we are excited about the potential it holds to empower even more young people with marketable skills.
• Its a major milestone that all 3 of our Seed of Hope Centers have received government recognition as official exam centres. This has motivated our students to confidently register for national exams, enhances our credibility and the value of our training, helping our graduates compete in the job market.

Our income-generating farming activities at the Kariti Centre continue to thrive. We’ve planted bananas, spinach, and kales, which are already being harvested. These crops not only support our lunch program but also provide fresh produce for sale within the local community, contributing to growing the financial sustainability of our centre.

All our students continue to benefit from our holistic programs. Our mentorship initiative, led by graduates, provides guidance and encouragement to current learners. We also ensure that young mothers receive their vouchers and that our girls have access to monthly menstrual hygiene packs, empowering them to stay focused on their education.

On Friday, Chege, speaking on behalf of his fellow students, said for him, 'Seed of Hope gave me a second chance, as I had already given up hope of ever being able to gain any form of skills due to my vulnerable background. I am sure the impact of my empowerment through Seed of Hope will impact my generations to come'.

None of these incredible achievements would be possible without your generosity. Your support has had a profound impact, not only on our students but also on their families and the wider community. Together, we are building a brighter future, one student at a time.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We look forward to sharing more updates and successes in the future.

Report by Florence.