Safe futures - self-reliance for 675 Kenyan girls

Our students have just returned from their August vacation and are happy to be back in school and working hard. In fact, some students in Nairobi were even in school during the holidays to continue learning how to use computers and to make overalls for Seed of Hope’s mechanics students.

Seed of Hope is now its final term of 2012 and preparations are being made for this year’s graduation ceremonies. Almost one hundred students will graduate this year, including some fee-paying students whose fees help sustain our training programmes for disadvantaged youths.

Over thirty of the students who are graduating have been able to sit their Grade 2 exams set by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), Kenya’s most recognised examination board for dressmaking. Students who pass this exam have a higher chance of gaining paid employment. For those who are unable to sit the exams or who prefer self-employment, our Roots programme is designed to help them set up their own small businesses.

Since our last report, we have had word that two of our Seed of Hope Centres (Kisii and Kitui) have been certified by the government as recognised examination centres. This will reduce the costs involved in sitting exams for their own students and allow them to earn income by charging external students to sit their DIT exams on their premises. This will help with the sustainability of the centres.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Seed of Hope through Global Giving. Your contributions ensure that we can continue to train disadvantaged girls and give them brighter futures.

As with all Vision Africa partner projects, Seed of Hope has been set a challenge as we celebrate our tenth anniversary. By December 2013 they should be earning 30% of their budget through income generating activities (IGAs) with a view to this number increasing to 50% by 2015. This is the first step towards a sustainable future for projects which are making a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and youths in Kenya.

In recent months, the headteachers of our four Seed of Hope centres have been working with our new team member, Ruth, to plan how they can develop existing income generating activities and initiate new ones which will help provide funds for the running costs of their centre. Staff who work at each of the projects were invited to attend a workshop which offered training on marketing, record keeping and business development. The idea behind this was to build their capacity and give them the knowledge and skills they need to run a successful business.

It is anticipated that development of the IGAs will lead to increased participation of the communities in which Seed of Hope operates. Members of the local community will be customers for produce that is sold, fee-paying students for training courses that are on offer, volunteers donating their time and skills to work with the project or will be able to donate materials to get projects started.

Our Seed of Hope centre in Kariti is leading the field in terms of setting up IGAs. They have now expanded their curriculum and taken in fee-paying students in Hair and Beauty and Computer Studies. They are also making use of their land to grown maize and vegetables and rearing chickens and a cow. Njambi, the headteacher at the centre says “It’s important for us to be self-reliant as NGO funds can stop any time. We're a community based program and if we're self-reliant the community can be proud of themselves for what they give the centre.”

It has been an exciting time for our Nairobi centre. Crafted, a fashion brand set up as a social enterprise, has been working with an international jewellery designer to develop a collection called “Kushuka”. This will feature in the Edinburgh Festival in August and is currently on sale in Nairobi. The students and graduates involved in the process were thrilled to see their products on the catwalk.

As our Seed of Hope centres take steps towards sustainability, we appreciate all the supporters who have brought us to where we are now and ensured that Seed of Hope has been able to change the lives of disadvantaged teenagers. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this project through Global Giving.

This Wednesday, 13^th June, is Bonus Day on Global Giving and all donations to this project will be matched. Please help us spread the word to allow us to take advantage of this special offer from our friends at Global Giving and make an even bigger difference to the lives of our students.

Links:

• Information on Kushuka Jewellery Collection
• Vision Africa - information about sustainability