LAMENTO STUDENTS PROGRESS OF MARCH 2025
In the month of October, Learn! Foundation (LF) team team managed to recruit 11 students for support to join various Vocational Training Centers. The students are doing different courses ie Plumbing-1; Hairdressing and beauty therapy- 2; welding -1; Decoration & fashion design - 1; Mechanics - 1; teaching -3; Accountant -1; computers technician-1 and all these students are from humble back grounds who have no means to improve their livelihoods so getting a chance to join school is a huge milestone for them. Among the 11 students 8 have already joined since November 2024 and will complete their courses between 3 months to 1 year. The Course that takes the shortest period (3 months) is driving.
There are 3 learners waiting to join Shanzu Teachers College in May 2025 when the college portals will be open for intakes to pursue Education so LF team will assist in application process as well as enrollment for them to join the school. This will help us in following their progress because they will be in the same institution. However, one learner pursuing mechanic dropped out due to interpersonal challenges between him and the tutor brought about by overwhelming family back ground. He will therefore need some counselling to assist him to get back on track and be able to cope with various challenges that most Kenyan youths are facing.
Challenges and lessons learnt
Most scholars are bread winners in their families and therefore they have to look for menial jobs some days so as to get money to survive and go to school same days. They have negotiated this flexible program with the Directors of colleges. Getting the menial jobs is also not easy. It is also about trying and luck. So, survival in school and at home is difficult for them but they are determined.
Solution: Learn! Foundation team helps out with food tokens to extremely needy and vulnerable students so as to give them hope in life and help them complete school. We have also mobilized additional food ratios to two needy students from friends and church members.
The colleges requires the learners to bring some materials, working tools and gears which they have to buy for practicals. Unfortunately this was not stated in the calling letters. Some of the items required are many and costly. Since it was a requirement to have them in order for smooth learning to take place, some of the students begun skipping lessons.
Solution: Learn! Foundation team visited all the students to make an assessment of these needs and LF has made a contribution by purchasing the said items so learning has resumed.
Our program is an all-inclusive program. Out of the 11 students, two are physically disabled. One of them has an above knee amputation and he was walking 6 km to and from school in crutches. The other one is from hard to reach area called Ganze and he has to rent and get food in order to study welding.
Solution: Learn! Foundation is helping the rented disabled student with food, rent and pay for utilities while the other one we organised with a fellow student with a motorbike to pick and drop him at the college everyday. He is very happy as we have lessened his pain of walking in the scorching sun every day.
