More than 570 students from poor families in Rangwe constituency in Homa Bay have been reprieved after their clan paid their school fees.
Clan members raised Sh3.3 million to support the learners.
Kowili clan in Kochia ward came up with the initiative after realising lack of fees was causing students to drop out of school.
Through an organisation called Kowili Education Recovery, the members said their sole agenda is to transform their community through education.
On Sunday, the community gave out cheques to 576 students at Ligisa Secondary School.
Kowili Education Recovery chairman Kennedy Ogindo said the students who qualified received between Sh5, 000 and Sh41, 000 depending on their need.
“The monies were given after thorough and transparent vetting of students to enable us get the neediest. We came up with the criterion for allocating diverse amounts of money to the students based on their need,” Ogindo said.
The majority of the recipients are secondary school students while a few others are in colleges and universities.
“We want to uplift the standards of education of our children. Most of them are bright but can’t achieve their academic abilities due to lack of money,” Ogindo said.
Committee members Tom Ong’ondo, Geoffrey Otieno and Ronald Oyugi urged the students to embrace good morals and to be cautious about what they post on social media.
“Let students demonstrate a high level of discipline and avoid posting any defamatory material in social media because this can land them in jail,” Ong’ondo said.
The students were advised to use digital technology only in a manner that improves their academic performance.
“The use of social media can enable one to improve academic standards. But let our children avoid using social media to insult people,” Ong’ondo added.
The students were advised to work hard to fight poverty in their families.
Otieno urged the students to shun peer pressure that may ruin their future as they study.
“We’ve seen cases where university students dupe their parents that they are studying yet their studies are hot air. Let them stick to their studies to achieve the objectives of this initiative,” Otieno said.
Oyugi expressed optimism that the initiative would empower the community.
“The best way to empower a community is through education. This project will transform this community,” he said.
Parents led by Milca Adhiambo said the initiative relieved them from difficulties in educating their children.
“I was in a financial quagmire and
my child could not go to school. May
this programme continue,” Adhiambo said.
