The following article overviews the campaign that Grand Dynamics International is supporting by offering training and development services in Kenya in 2012.
INTRODUCTION
“67 million children in the world are denied the chance to go to school. These children should be our next generation of leaders, doctors, scientists and teachers – but without access to free, quality education, they won’t be. Instead, they face a lifelong struggle against disease, violence and poverty.”
Omondi Otieno, Executive Director, ACV Kenya
Most communities living in the North Eastern region are nomadic and semi-nomadic, and depend on livestock for their livelihood. That girls’ education here is sacrificed for the sake of livestock is a matter that has come to be of great concern lately. According to statistics from the Garissa District Education Office, the enrolment rate of girls is just half that for boys. In 2003 when FPE was introduced, the total number of boys enrolled in primary schools was 11,397, compared to 5,539 girls. Sighted Source.
Successive years have seen enrollment of boys continue to tower over that of girls. In 2006, the enrollment of boys stood at 13,214, while that of girls was 7,120. A similar scenario was evidenced last year when 14,867 boys enrolled in schools, compared to just 8,071 girls. A similar enrollment ratio is noticed as they transit to Secondary schools where boys enrollment is twice that of the girls.
Education opportunities to both sexes have many benefits to the individual, family, community and the entire nation. Although the Kenyan Government’s introduction of free primary education in 2003 was a big boost for parents who couldn’t afford school fees for their children, the initiative also led to increased school enrollment for both boys and girls. This also meant that more pupils qualify to join secondary schools hence the need to put up more schools which can accommodate them.
Girl child education is a sure way of eradicating poverty as it empowers women and helps them play an active role in development matters apart from enhancing civilization from discriminative cultures such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which is still rampant in the North Eastern region.
The campaign seeks to increase access to girl secondary education within the entire North Eastern province.The campaign will also play a major role in increasing the number of girls who complete their secondary education, which over the past has been compromised by poverty forcing the girls to drop out of school.
67 million children in the world are denied the chance to go to school. These children should be our next generation of leaders, doctors, scientists and teachers – but without access to free, quality education, they won’t be. Instead, they face a lifelong struggle against disease, violence and poverty. Sited Source US Aid
It doesn’t have to be this way. In the past 10 years, the international community has made a big difference to the lives of 40 million children. But the financial crisis has led to budget cuts in developing countries, meaning millions of children are working instead of learning.
The cost to get the remaining children around the world into school and learning is small and achievable – and the potential benefits are vast:
1. every dollar invested in education would generate 10-15 dollars in returns through higher growth
2. 7 million cases of HIV/AIDS could be prevented in the next decade if every child receives an education
3. a child born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5 years.
In regards to this we are asking you to make a commitment to the Education For Girls in the North Eastern Province for the next few months.
Point of Intervention
We are asking you to:
1. Make a commitment to pay a fair share to basic education – and deliver on your promise.
2. Untie aid and ensure it is spent in promoting the education of the children in North Eastern Kenya.
3. Deliver predictable aid to basic education and focus on teachers.
Target:
Our most immediate target is to raise a total KES 20 million over the next 100 days beginning December 17th, 2011. The average cost of educating one child for one year is KES 50,000 per year, ($587 USD) which means it costs an average of about KES 200,000 ($2,345 USD) to support them throughout the 4 year high school education. This average cost includes the cost of uniforms and other scholastic support.
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As an effort to contribute to the fund raising of this campaign, Grand Dynamics is donating their time to offer training programs to corporations in 2012.
“Education of children offers a long-term solution to a variety of systemic challenges in Kenya, and the business community certainly can benefit from Grand Dynamics training programs. We are happy to offer our services to ACV as our corporate social responsibility effort.”
Tim Walther, President, Grand Dynamics International
ARNO ILGNER
ASHLEY CHAPMAN