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.