By Reporter
Parents of 570 needy students from the Kowili clan had a reason to smile after the education kitty paid school fees for their children.
The clan had earlier raised raised sh3.3million that was later distributed to the needy students from the community.
The Kowili clan members in Kochia ward, Rangwe constituency came up with the initiative after they realized the high rate of dropout by students as a result of lack of school fees.
Through an organization called Kowili Education Recovery, the sole agenda was to transform the community through education.
On Sunday, the community distributed cheques to 576 students at Ligisa Secondary School.
Kowili Education Recovery chairman Kennedy Ogindo said the students got money between Sh5,000 and Sh41,000 depending on the magnitude of their needs.
“The monies were given after thorough and transparent vetting of students to enable us to get the neediest. We came up with the criterion for allocating diverse amounts of money to the students based on their needs,” Ogindo said.
The majority of students learn in secondary schools but a few of them pursue their studies at tertiary colleges and universities.
“We want to uplift the standards of education of our children. Most of them are bright but can’t achieve their academic abilities due to lack of money,” he said.
During their funds drive, the chairman said members contribute funds according to their abilities and this has enabled the kitty to grow.
Committee members Tom Ong’ondo, Geoffrey Otieno and Ronald Oyugi told students to embrace good morals in their academic endeavours.
They challenged the beneficiaries to be disciplined and take seriously their studies.
“Let students demonstrate a high level of discipline and avoid posting any defamatory material in social media because this can land them in jail,” Ong’ondo said.
The students were instead urged to use digital technology only in a manner that improves their academic abilities.
“The use of social media can enable one to improve academic standards. But let our children avoid using social media to insult people,” he added.
The students were advised to work hard and remember to fight poverty in their families.
Otieno urged the students to shun peer pressure that may ruin their future as they study.
“We’ve seen cases where university students dupe their parents that they are studying yet their studies are hot air. Let them stick to their studies to achieve the objectives of this initiative,” Otieno said.
“The best way to empower a community is through education. This project will transform this community,” Oyugi said.
Parents led by Milca Adhiambo said the initiative relieved them from difficulties in educating their children.
“I was in a financial quagmire and my child could not go to school. May this programme continue,” Adhiambo said.
