So Does Student Sponsorship make a Real Difference?

Giving money to a good cause is a reward in itself but then knowing the way the donation can change young lives for the better takes that 'feel good factor' to a higher level, although for most of our sponsors just knowing that young bright but very disadvantaged students have been given a chance that they would have wanted for their own children is more than sufficient.

Most of our students attend St Cornelius Ramula Secondary School. The fact that 39 out of 56 go to this school is out of choice, based on the high and impressive standards that the school expects and year after year attains.

To obtain a final Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education demands very hard work and the achievement of high standards in 4 years of exams. So with that in mind due to our donors' kindness and with the help of Calvince, the Director of Studies, a reward for sheer hard work and impressive performance was given this week to the 6 most deserving.

Names (l - r) Mr Paul (senior teacher) Ann Otieno, Ruth Mary, Naomi, Marvine, Irene and Calvince (Director of Studies)

(Peter is not in this photo)

Each prize winner got an 'A' Finder revision guide - they obviously used their good sense to get 6 different ones between them, so that all get the benefit of all 6 guides.

But their problems do not stop with revision for exams. Each has family at home and having a meal every day is proving very difficult in these very trying times - inflation in Kenya is incredibly bad. Therefore all 6 will also collect a bag of basic food essentials from Tom Bilo in the next day or so. The sponsored students do actually get one good meal a day at school lunchtime but their siblings and perhaps sole parent do not. Well for the next week or so the families will also benefit from their hard working student son/daughter.

So what about the rest? The other 33 at Ramula alone! The aim is with the fantastic support given by our sponsors/donors, we will repeat the above wards for as many as possible. So many work hard, this seems the least we can do to show our appreciation. If you are interested in helping even a little please do contact us - our Facebook page is - https://www.facebook.com/smallstepskenya/?locale=en_GB

So how did some of these absolute stars do?

Mavine Otieno Were

This young man is a very hard act to follow! His only surviving parent - his mother is too ill to work. So he has to support her and his siblings. Without fee sponsorship he would never have attempted his secondary education. So was he worth the risk?

Marvin receiving his revision guide from Mr Paul Ouma (senior teacher).

Marvin (Form 4) is a very talented footballer - his general demeanor and contribution to school life made him the obvious choice to be the president of the school prefects.

However if you are in a bright year group of 95 students, competition is going to be fierce and it is. But this does not stop Mavine being first out of 95 in his recent exams and this is a position he appears to have made his own. What a brilliant achievement.

He obviously just needed a chance when the odds were so heavily stacked against him and the excellent staff of Ramula school and the help that SSF could provide has given him that chance. He should go on to achieve a lot but his family will also benefit if he does.

Ann Omondi - Form 4

Ann was given the opportunity to complete her final year at Ramula by a relative who looks after although her family live 40k away in Awasi. They have obviously made sacrifices in their own lives, for her to get her this far but she has amply repaid them by attaining a fantastic fifth place out of 95 and this can be no mean achievement when she is up against the likes of Marvin and Naomi. A truly amazing performance.

Ann has had to face severe disadvantages to get this far in school but she is determined to complete her KCSE exams which in turn should give her the boost she need to develop more promising life opportunities.

Ann is being given her revision guide prize by teacher Mr Dennis Kikah

Gertrude and Peter

Gertrude and Peter receiving their guide from Mr James Wanga.

Mr Paul Ouma giving Naomi her prize. Naomi is rather good as well as she comes a close second in the whole school to Marvin and is currently on a B- final grade which is university entrance standard I believe.

Ruth Mary and Naomi receiving another revision Guide from Mr Paul Ouma

Ruth Mary was a magnificent sixth out of 95 ...absolutely amazing results from students who have to face such high levels of adversity ever day.