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In Likoni, unemployment is high, wages are low and Secondary education is expensive, costing an average of 27,000 Kenyan Shillings, or $400, per student per year. Few Likoni families can afford these fees, so most students end their education after primary school, when they are about 14 years of age.
The Likoni Scholarship Fund (LSF) works to increase the number of Likoni students able to attend and complete secondary school, by providing scholarships to dedicated students from families that can't afford school fees.
We select our secondary students from 8th grade classes at Likoni's public primary schools and partner with families to pay educational expenses.
With greater access to education, more Likoni students will become qualified for good jobs and university admission. Jobs and higher education will enable our students to increase Likoni's standard of living, by providing for themselves and their future families.
In our first year, 2007, we sponsored seven students. In 2011 we have grown to 10 times our original size and now sponsor 75 students.
Every scholarship is need-based, the exact amount is determined by the cost of each school and the amount each family is able to contribute. Our scholarships include fees, uniforms, books, bags, shoes, lunch for day students or boarding fees for boarders, school trips, and weekly mentoring.
In 2011 we provided our first 2 college and university scholarships. This year we graduated 12 students from secondary school and look forward to sponsoring them in college or university in 2012.
