This Saturday, roughly 30 primary school (Standard 7)
graduates came to Kilimahewa to complete the essay portion of their application
for an EdPowerment Discovery Sponsorship.
This is the third year that EdPowerment has offered two scholarships to one female and one male outstanding primary school graduate with no financial – and often no
parental – support. This year we asked the students to write about
the importance of water to their family, community and country. They write two essays, one in Kiswahili and
one in English. This process helps us to
evaluate their thinking and their command of English.
Every student last Saturday was dreaming about a Discovery Scholarship.
EdPowerment commits not just to secondary school, but to sponsorship as
far as the student can progress educationally – until he or she is ready to
begin a career. We know that a simple
secondary school sponsorship for the poorest of students means little unless
they can continue to A level, vocational or university studies. This commitment can last 9 years: Secondary
School (O levels or Form 1 – 4), High School (A levels or Form 5 – 6), and university
studies up to 3 years. The total cost of
such as commitment can range from $5,000 for secondary boarding school alone to
$20,000 for an entire ride through university.
Look at these young people as they struggle to
write about water - and then think of them as businesspeople, computer specialists, teachers, lawyers
and other professionals. This is the dream that an EdPowerment sponsorship transforms into a reality.
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