Keep a student in school

The President’s Award - Kenya, known globally as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, is a non-formal education and learning framework that celebrates and recognizes young people's achievements beyond academic pursuits. The primary goal of the award is to equip young individuals with essential life skills, encouraging them to thrive in various aspects. These universal skills are acquired through engaging in activities such as physical fitness, community volunteering, and exploring a sense of adventure beyond the traditional classroom setting. As part of the award, an expedition marks the completion of each level. Affecto Foundation has enrolled all its program beneficiaries into The President’s Award. Of the 168 beneficiaries at Watoto Wasome program, 23 are in Gold level, 45 are in the silver level while 100 are in the bronze level. During the long holiday (November and December 2023), Affecto Foundation organized an adventurous journey to commemorate the completion of the bronze level for the 100 students. Two teams were dispatched to participate in the PA-K Adventurous journey at Kijabe, Longonot, where they undertook a challenging 26KM hike. The hike proved to be a memorable experience, with participants enduring elements from the scorching sun to unexpected rain. One team temporarily lost its way, only to be tracked by PA-K assessors while the rest were regrouping. Cold nights were spent sharing stories and preparing meals in the open field, with chilly mornings beginning at 5 a.m. for warm-ups and breakfast preparation. Showering, needless to say, was an interesting challenge. The journey symbolized life's lessons, emphasizing the importance of a support system for motivation during challenging moments and the joy that accompanies reaching the summit, among other insights. Our champions, at the end of the hike, couldn't conceal their smiles as they shared their exhilarating experiences. They expressed having learned the significance of teamwork, resilience, and maintaining a positive attitude. It was evident that they had forged lasting memories. Affecto Foundation is grateful to GlobalGiving for the platform to raise enough funds to facilitate the adventurous journey. The hike unquestionably served its intended purpose! We look forward to sharing more success stories together.