In a country devastated by AIDS, many young children are orphaned and left in the care of guardians or elder grandparents. We recognize that the only way out of poverty for every child is through education. While primary school is supposed to be free the elderly find it impossible to pay for the many extra expenses needed to keep a child in school.

Challenge

You are a Kenyan girl of 12, and now you are home alone. Why are you not in school? A girl does not need school, she only needs to take care of the house, fetch water, wood, work in the shamba, get a husband, have babies, raise a family, cook, maybe work as a maid, but there is no reason to invest in education for you, or so the thinking goes. Predominantly the lack of education for girls has to do with economics, the firstborn boy is usually sent to school if any money is available.

Long-Term Impact

I have asked countless children in Kenya what they want to do with their lives. Their answers have been very similar. "I want to be a doctor or a business person to help my family. I want to bring clean water to my village. I want to help my grandmother, mother. I want to educate my younger siblings." All answers with the realization burned into the African soul... I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL!!! What if the cure for cancer is trapped in the mind of a child who doesn't have access to an education?

References

1. http://www.springsofhopefoundation.org
2. http://www.springsofhopefoundation.org
3. https://web.facebook.com/kijijimission/?_rdr

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