Community-based education programs in Africa

Dear Global Giving Friends,

Our biggest news is the decision by FINIDP to start offering short-term scholarships to a few needy students using a fraction of the general operating funds already granted from Even Ground. Our plan is to target a few academically promising students who are in candidate (Certificate Awarding) classes but are struggling to stay in school because of tuition and other school dues. Our first beneficiary is Shafik, a male aged 19 years, currently in Senior Six (Form 6) at Crested Senior Secondary School, in Kampala.

To Shafiki primary education was smooth with no big school fees challenges but life changed drastically when his Dad lost a job. According to Shafiki, the education journey at first was not the worst not until his father, divorced the mum. Shafiki noted that this seemed as something to reckon with but later turned up to be a huddle in his way of life. Shafiki said: “when mum left home life completely changed as my father continuously lived a life of hardships”. “Dad deserted us; we were left alone in the house for about three years”. “In these years, my brothers and sisters had to take care of me but they were also in secondary school and couldn’t help much”. “From Primary Five, I have been to different schools because school fees debts have been accumulating”. I am currently in Form Six, but with lots of financial problems and inconsistency at school yet in a candidate class one needs maximum concentration to achieve good grades.

FINIDP has already started by paying Shafiki’s outstanding tuition fees and examination fees for his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams due in December 2016. The purpose of the scholarship is to help Shafiki complete his UACE, which is a prerequisite to Vocational Training or College or University Education Institution.

We are grateful to Even Ground for the continued support and to all our supporters on Global Giving for making this possible.

Thanks,

Zziwa Ahmed

For FINIDP