Urgent Appeal for Sponsorship Fees

Description
FAQ
Backers

Project Description

Sponsor My Future is a Maltese non-profit organization which helps a community of children living in the slums of Ruiru, Kenya. The programme supports the education and livelihood of children coming from underprivileged backgrounds, with the primary aim to give them an education which will allow them to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Through the programme donors are directly able to provide a child with valuable opportunities for growth and development, enabling them to reach their full potential both at home and at school.

We are putting out an urgent appeal for funding to support 4 children in desperate need of help. All 4 children are orphans and have no known relatives to take care of them and nowhere to live. It is our aim to admit these vulnerable children into appropriate facilities as soon as possible, to put them in a safe and stable environment where they will be able to receive the required support and have the opportunity to complete their education.

Simon, a diamond in the rough

Simon is a 15 year old boy that we came across during a county crackdown on street children by the local authorities, where they were being arrested, beaten and chased out of town. Most of the children had family or somewhere to go but Simon had no one. His mother died when he was very young and with no where else to go Simon took to the streets at the age of 7 in search of food and money, and has been homeless since. Simon taught himself Maths and English by picking out books from rubbish dumps and expressed to us his love for learning. When we evaluated his academic capabilities his level was that of someone at the end of their primary education… he has never been to school. Due to his exceptional academic skills we would like to enrol him in a private school that will be able to support his learning and unique capabilities. Additionally we would like to admit him to an orphanage specialised in caring for street children where he will be able to receive appropriate psychological support and guidance. We have high hopes for this child’s future and look forward to seeing what life has in store for him.

Patience, Joviana and Priscilla, sisters orphaned by HIV

These 3 sisters recently lost both parents to HIV/AIDS. Their names are Patience, Joviana and Priscilla (left to right in image). Each of the girls are coming to their final years of secondary education with two in form 4 and one in form 5, due to sit her O-levels at the end of this academic year. Since the girls recently lost their only caregivers they are unable to afford decent accommodation and are living in a slum where they are at risk of violence, sexual assault and even rape. We would like to remove them from these harsh conditions and admit them into a boarding school where they will be safe and supported. Each of the girls is bright and committed to completing their education in order to be able to get a good job and support themselves and one another. No child should have to lose a parent to a treatable disease like HIV, and no child should end up homeless as a consequence of that. Help us to help these beautiful and bright girls get through the last leg of their secondary education.

Share Project

Project FAQ

Where is the project based?

The project is based in Ruiru, Kenya which is approximately 25km away from the capital city of Nairobi. It is a densely populated and semi-industrial area, with people coming from other parts of the country in search of job opportunities. Most people live in single rented rooms with their families, often in substandard conditions due to poor maintenance, lack of electricity, water, and drainage systems. This leads to a highly unhygienic and polluted environment leaving the population vulnerable to several diseases and violence which can lead to deaths, and parentless children.

What exactly are donations used for?

The Kenyan government provides some assistance towards child education, however, this is not enough for most families. To attend school, families must provide their children with uniform, bags, books, shoes, stationary as well as tuition and exam fees. Unfortunately, for most living in Ruiru this is not possible as many parents/guardians are casual labourers and often find themselves without a job and sometimes even without food. This results in children dropping out of school and taking to the streets in search of money, food, and something to do.

How are sponsorship funds spent?

School Tuition and Public Exam Fees - The programme ensures that children are not only able to attend school but complete official exams all the way through primary and secondary school and where necessary vocational training and university.
Overcoming Barriers to Learning - We do whatever we can to ensure that our children can attend and fully benefit from being at school by providing uniform, shoes, books, school bags, stationary, hygiene essentials and decent nutrition through a daily meal.
Supporting Caregivers - We ensure that all children enrolled on the sponsorship programme live with an approved guardian. This can be the child’s birthparent/s, grandparents, an aunt, older siblings or even a kind neighbour. Caregivers from this community often struggle to make a living and we support them with practical things like food and medical supplies where necessary as well as job seeking assistance and food-aid packages once a month.

Additional activities

Any surpluses of funds generated by the project are used to support a wider group of individuals within the community. This includes distribution of food packages and medicine to single mothers and the elderly as well as a feeding programme which caters to all our primary school children and some 30 street children every day besides Sunday.