KCEP Has A New Sponsorship Model!
Moving forward, we are excited that this new sponsorship model will continue to empower the work of KCEP and Tumaini academy.
Kenya
Tumaini students benefit from a loving Christian community at the school.
Since their beginning in 2010, Kenya Christian Education Partnership (KCEP) has partnered with the Diocese of Marsabit to build, operate, and sustain exemplary private schools in Northern Kenya that support a Christian worldview committed to improving the entire community. Tumaini Academy began with construction for one 1st grade classroom, and in only seven years grew to include classrooms for K- 8th grade, a library, an Administration building, and a multi-purpose building for school and community use! Graduates of Tumaini have repeatedly received top scores in national exams, and the entire community has benefitted from having such an excellent school in the area. KCEP merged with ARDF in 2018, and since then has been focused on the construction of two high schools, along with maintaining their student scholarship program. We are excited to announce that KCEP is improving its student sponsorship program to more accurately reflect the needs of the area!
The area is currently experiencing severe drought, making it difficult to care for livestock.
Northern Kenya is a difficult place to live. This semi-arid region is full of nomadic herdsmen who rely on the ever fickle rains to sustain their cattle. Most people live on approximately $2 a day and many families can not afford to send their children to school. Because of this, KCEP began with a student sponsorship program that matched children with sponsors in the United States. Sponsors and students exchanged letters, building a sweet relationship in addition to supporting school fees, meals, books, and uniforms. At the time, co-founder Rev. Qampicha Wario was living in the area and could provide information about the needs of each student. However, in 2016, Rev. Qamphica was consecrated bishop of the Diocese of Marsabit, and had to move to a more central location in the diocese. Without Bishop Qamphica at the school on a regular basis, it became increasingly difficult to receive updates on each child. As the school grew, reporting on and directing funds for each individual student increased the workload for teachers and administration, and when Covid-19 hit, the ability to connect with students became even harder. ARDF began to discuss different models of student sponsorship that did not rely on individual reporting.
In June of this year, KCEP moved to a general sponsorship model. We are very excited for this new development, as it addresses two specific needs at the school. First, it eliminates the need for extra work for the teachers and staff. Because many families are nomadic, a portion of the student population is transient, resulting in constant changes. Communication has also always been difficult in this area of the world, with cell service and internet often unstable. The second benefit is that funds for scholarships are flexible between students and can be allocated where the need is greatest. This ensures that the basic needs of all students are met.
We recognize that relationships have built up between students and sponsors over the years, so each US sponsor was given the option to move to the new model or to keep funding their individual student until graduation. Moving forward however, we are excited that this new model will continue to empower the work of KCEP and Tumaini academy. ARDF continually strives to improve our partnerships based on the needs on the ground. We are so thankful for the local expertise and commitment of those serving in their communities!
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