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Scholarship Program

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. -Nelson Mandela

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raised of a $5,000.00 goal

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PREMISE:

In many developing countries, secondary school (high school) is not free. Tuition costs directly determine who can and cannot make it through school. In Kenya, for instance,  only 17% of its citizens graduate from secondary school (this figure proves to be even lower in the rural areas where we work). This low graduation rate is primarily due to families not having enough disposable income to pay comparatively astronomical tuition fees (for a mixed boys/girls day school in Kenya, tuition equates to about $200 USD/year on average, or $800 for one child to graduate after four years of schooling). That cost is overwhelming for most families when we understand that 40% of Africans live off of one dollar a day or less. Moreover, when a child’s family cannot afford education, the child becomes vulnerable to addictions that dull the pain of extreme poverty (e.g. drug and alcohol abuse). Lastly, while at school children are typically fed at least one meal per day. When they can afford school, they eat. When they cannot afford school, they may miss out on that one complete and balanced meal they need.

GOA’s SOLUTION: 

In 2010, GOA set up a scholarship program for hard-working students and their families who cannot afford education. Kindhearted donors like you make this possible by directly funding the tuition payments. Additionally, GOA volunteers enrolled in formal team expeditions contribute a substantial amount of their program fees towards this and other GOA projects. Currently, this program exists for secondary students (high school students) in Kenya. We are expanding the program to Uganda in 2013, and are planning for future expansion to additional areas in the near future.

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PROJECT DETAILS:   Through the help of our local GOA satellites, partners, local leaders and school management committees, GOA has identified student talent whose families will in all probability not be able to find the funds to keep them in school. In order to be admitted as a scholarship student in our program, their families’ levels of poverty are measured and analyzed using several criterion, including the Grameen Foundation’s Progress out of Poverty Index, as well as other GOA survey methods. They must be able to maintain specific marks and attendance standards, as well. Many of our families fall in the “extreme poverty” category, earning less than $1/day. Some earn zero income and are completely reliant on the minimal crops they grow for basic sustenance. All of our families have dealt with severe illness and devastating famine. Some have taken in abandoned or orphaned children/relatives as a goodwill gesture, but this ultimately has placed added strain on the families’ resources, which prevents those desirous to go to school from receiving an education. Several students we support have even lost one or both parents to disease and are now supporting their younger siblings as they battle to stay in school.These adversities do not prevent them from pursuing an education, though. Many of our scholarship students walk several miles to school and wake up at 4 AM just to be able to take care of home work and assist with daily house duties. With your help, nothing, not even extreme poverty, will stand in their way.  However, to merely graduate may not be enough. Many developing areas have a rudimentary vocational training system, or one that is not integrated into the education and employment system. The courses offered to youth are usually too theoretical and not geared towards the needs of the labor market. That’s why our local GOA satellite teams and expedition team volunteers continue to follow up with, oversee, and encourage our scholarship recipients in a variety of ways–mainly, focusing on supplemental vocational training outside of the classroom.  Local follow-up and oversight is vital to this program’s ability to flourish. In order to get the greatest return on our investment of time and resources spent on tuition fees, we work hard to train these students in areas of practical knowledge (e.g. income-generating agriculture, animal husbandry, skills for self-reliance, personal finance, business management, computers and career development). To learn more about project details, please feel free to contact us.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: 

The value of a dollar stretches a long way when every penny of it goes towards a project that directly supports a child’s education. Investing in education is something that is both needed and urgent in the developing world. You can choose to be involved in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty these children and their families face. You can choose to be apart of this project by doing one or more of the following items:

1.) Donate Money: Make a personal, direct donation today (or sign up for our monthly automatic donation program). Just $200 will cover the secondary education tuition for one child for one year. Or, $800 will cover all four years (that equates to just under $17/month to empower an individual). Simply scroll back to the top and make the donation from this page, or follow this link to donate: http://www.theglobaloutreach.org/donate/

2.) Donate Time: Have some spare time? Choose to become a fundraising manager to help lead fundraising efforts for this specific project. Contact us: (801)449-0463.

3.) See & Understand: Embark on a GOA team expedition to one of our participating satellite countries in order to meet our scholarship students. Learn how they live, get inspired to give. Become a life-long mentor dedicated to the development and well being of our global friends.

4.) Fundraise & Create Awareness: Orchestrate a fundraiser in your neighborhood, church or company location. Go out and talk to people in your community with affluence and influence–help us spread the word! Share this project to your friends on Facebook (and be persistent about it–it sure beats another invitation to FarmVille or Bubble Safari!)

5.) Seek Matching Grants: Ask your employer to offer a matching grant to what you, your colleagues or peers can raise.

6.) Holiday Gifts: In all probability, you likely don’t “need” anything this holiday season or for your upcoming birthday; therefore, choose to invest in the needful gift of education–the gift that keeps on giving. Suggest to your significant other or family member(s) to give an education to a hard working student instead of spending money on a new tie or wool mittens.
For more detailed information, or to become a continual donor for this project, please contact Global Outreach Alliance by email or phone: (801)449-0463.