Over the past 19 years, Faraja foundation through the scholarship program has benefited over 5000 students from correctional facilities and generally poor Kenyan families to access secondary education and vocational training. Out of these numbers that have been supported through secondary education, over 3000 have qualified to join public universities and over 2000 were sponsored to join vocational training institutions. Currently there are 95 students in the scholarship program; 63 in Secondary schools, and 32 in Vocational Training Institutions.
Problem Statement
Kenya is one of the countries that still struggle to have all its school going children in classrooms. The centralization of business affairs in Kenya’s capital -Nairobi has promoted rural – urban migration that has seen the emergence of informal settlements within the city. This has led to the establishment of many families most of whom have been born and bred there. For some this is all they call home. Most of these families can hardly cater for the most basic needs including education for their children. They are either school dropouts or have never acquired any formal education.
This project aims at enhancing child rights, securing the future of the juveniles by bridging the inequality gap by giving opportunities for education scholarships, reintegration and continuous mentorships. Through working with the legal, human rights and social welfare officers in the correctional services and children departments.
In Kenya, there are over 30 juvenile detention centers that house children below 18 years, who have committed offences ranging from habitual truancy to assault that are committed by courts. Juvenile detention centers are secure facilities where the children are separated from society for a maximum period of 3 years.
In the recent past, Faraja Foundation has shifted focus to the youths in the rehabilitation institutions by engaging in behavioral interventions, psycho-social support among others. These institutions provide shelter to over 3000 youth. While in the institutions, the youth are provided with basic primary education and vocational trainings.
Many of these youth that leave the institutions are faced with financial challenges and cannot continue with secondary education due to their constrained economic backgrounds. Faraja Foundation’s agenda is to support them through education and reintegrate them back to the society. We are looking into another phase to support 250 Youth from Juvenile Justice System by targeting our audience to raise KES 50 Million to support these youth wholistically.