Live and Learn in Kenya Int'l Sponsorship Program

Sometimes things happen and children must leave the program - this is usually a sad occasion, but it happens and that's life. Every educational organization (and many parents all over the world) just have to accept that. Four students are leaving the Live and Learn in Kenya International program in November - and we aren't sad at all !!!  Erick will be graduating from university with a B+ grade average and a Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication degree. Luciana will be graduating university with a teaching degree and will be a High School teacher. She is graduating with a B- grade average. Lydia is graduating from college with a C grade average with a degree in ECD (Early Childhood Development)..  Tyson will graduate from vocational training where he learned wiring - and will now be able to find a good job.

These young adults were registered onto the Live and Learn in Kenya program when they were kindergarten kids! They came from extremely poor and desolate homes and would have, most likely ended up without any education at all and possibly on the streets. Now they are self-sufficient, well-educated people who can not only stand on their own feet - they will be passing their knowledge forward to their own children - and the generations after!

THAT is what Live and Learn in Kenya is all about - PASSING IT FORWARD. Our and we are doing everything in our power to give these children everything that they need to 

It’s a lovely early June day. The sun is shining bright and hot and the children at the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center in Nakuru are swinging on swings, playing pirates in the cubby-house and sliding down the sliding board, playing ball games or just relaxing with a storybook during their lunch break in the playground after enjoying a hearty meal in the new dining hall.

Megan happily comes to the Center after being called in by our secretary, Rebecca. She has a letter waiting for her. Megan successfully graduated from high school after attending 12 years of school through Live and Learn in Kenya’s sponsorship program. Megan’s sponsors, Carmen and Thomas, have bee supporting her education for 12 years now and are just as excited as Megan is to receive news about her future. Megan is elated. She has been accepted into the Maseno University. She is destined to be still another “LLK child” to attend university. She is proud of herself and everyone is proud of her. But along with the letter of admission came the fee structure for the first and second semesters. She can only attend university if her sponsors are able to pay the fees. We immediately wrote to Carmen and Thomas, who were also thrilled about the news, but sorry to say, they are financially unable to pay more than the annual sponsorship fee of about US$ 360 including Christmas present fund. University fees are a minimum of US$ 1460 annually and that doesn’t even cover books, school materials and the mandatory laptop that every student must have. Megan is heartbroken with the news. What could we do besides ask for donations? Live and Learn in Kenya Int’l cannot afford these costs.

Megan would be so happy if a way could be found to raise her up and make the next 4 years of university what it should be – carefree and ready to concentrate on getting the best possible grades in order to graduate and go on to live a life that could only be dreamt of by most of the children living in the Nakuru slums…

Megan was filmed today, talking about her need for support. Have a look at the 33 second film: https://youtu.be/33drIwGl0Ro

Together we can make a life-changing difference in the future of a child!

Harambee! is the Swahili word for "Joining hand and working together for a common goal!"

Links:

• Megan talking about her dream of going to university