Program Updates
By gef on Jun 15 2011
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Literacy Tools and Training (LiTT) Program Update
GEF is currently supporting partner library projects in Kenya, India, and Guatemala:
- Kenya: Thanks to a grant from the Safaricom Foundation, GEF Kenya purchased exam prep books and provided donated reading books to Carolina for Kibera to support the creation of a youth learning centre that will be open to the more than 1,000 young people who participate in CFK youth programs.
-India: Donated reading books have been provided to three partner organizations (two near Delhi, one in Srinigar). In addition, a new partner school asked specifically for a set of National Geographic magazines, which GEF has collected and will be sending to the partner soon.
-Guatemala: Spanish books have been distributed across the country through partnerships with education organizations working in Guatemala. We are always looking for more Spanish books, if you have any to donate!
Kenya Youth Scholarship and Leadership Program Update
We are proud and excited that this is the fourth year of the Youth Scholarship and Leadership Program in Kenya.
This year GEF is sponsoring 77 secondary students; 25 of these young girls and boys are in their senior year of high school. This senior class is the first to have benefited from both GEF scholarships and the leadership program for all four years of high school.
From these progra
ms we have seen remarkable growth with our students- in their performance in school as well as in their transition out of high school.
The 19 scholars who sat for their national exams last year did very well. Over 60% of the graduates scored well enough to qualify for university and three students qualified for government subsidies for university.
This is a significant accomplishment given that these students come from an area where only 5% of all students qualify for university each year.
Congratulations GEF Scholars!
Partnership Resource Sharing Update
GEF invests time, funds, and other resources to forge partnerships in advancing access to education for children living in poverty. These investments express themselves as books, grants, staff time or other shared resources. In 2010, GEF provided two partners in Kenya with grants to support the important work they are doing with students in the GEF Youth Scholarship and Leadership Program.
In 2011, GEF is proud to announce investments in both Kenya and India. Grants are being organized to support community-based programs that enhance access to education, to include: the provision of textbooks and other literacy tools, training for teachers working in poor and conflict affected areas, education support for children freed from bonded labor, and mentorshi
ps and employment skill building with an academic curriculum for school-age children. Eight grants will be awarded to partners in Kenya and Idia.
