nef 2024 update
Students at Bujwang’a Secondary School listen to a speaker at a health workshop (Photo courtesy of Anne Truphosa, July 2024).
NEF IS A COLLABORATION OF MANY GENEROUS HEARTS, HANDS & MINDS. Together, we’re helping youth achieve their full potential through education. Here are some highlights from what we’ve achieved in 2024.
Provided scholarships to 19 students – this is our largest cohort to date!
14 secondary students – 7 girls & 7 boys at two community schools, including one recent graduate
5 tertiary students - all of them women and first-generation college students
Provided new uniforms, shoes, solar lanterns, underwear, belts, and bedding to the beneficiaries.
Donated 50 boxes ($800 worth) of sanitary napkins
Donated 2 large boxes of textbooks for NEF students at Busijo & Bujwang’a Secondary Schools to help with their studies.
Sponsored and organized 2 student workshops reaching over 1,500 youth, as well as teachers and administrators.
Facilitated quarterly goal-setting sessions and academic progress check-in meetings.
Provided hours of one-on-one guidance to first-generation college/university-bound students.
Provided financial compensation to local staff and School Advisory Council members who help implement the NEF program and provide guidance to the NEF beneficiaries.
Annual NEF School Workshops
On July 9th and 15th, 2024 NEF hosted workshops at Bujwang`a and Busijo secondary schools to raise awareness on key issues to strengthen students’ positive school/home relationships for healthy educational pathways. The workshop topics identified by the schools included: goal setting, conflict/anger/anxiety management, boy/girl relationships, and human sexuality development. Teaching youth about their health and relational issues are recognized as central to attaining, sustaining, and accelerating progress on universal access to education.
Student participation was high, more so for Bujwang`a Secondary School where 1,463 students were in attendance, for a 98% turnout rate. Busijo Secondary School had 154 students in attendance, for a turnout rate of 54%. Attendees characterized the workshop as very successful. They were very satisfied with the workshop speakers and the topics discussed. Attendees also noted increased awareness and knowledge gains as a result of the workshop topics presented. Ninety-seven percent (97%) of the attendees said that they will apply what they learned from the speakers. They also noted that the speakers and their presentations were outstanding, inspiring and educational. Furthermore, 88% of the participants agreed that the workshop attendees were very motivated, and the speakers were very interactive. Attendees gave recommendations for improving future workshops by providing more time and expert trainers, and additional topics to be covered in the coming workshops. They asked NEF to conduct at least two workshops (per school) annually.
The principal of Busijo had this to say about the workshop: “It was keenly and precisely organized, the topics addressed were relative and very educative. I liked the interactive format.”
READ the workshop report and the student feedback survey results.
Student/Parent/Staff Academic Progress Meetings
Twice a term, NEF Program Coordinator, Anne, meets with the NEF beneficiaries, their parents/guardians and members of the School Advisory Committee at Busijo and Bujwang’a Secondary Schools to help the students set goals and check-in with them on their progress. These sessions are an important part of the NEF sponsorship program because they hold all parties accountable to their commitments and they remind the students that NEF is an active partner in their education. We care about the students and our staff are dedicated to helping each student reach their highest potential. Currently, two of our 14 high school students have fallen below the standard C grade to keep their NEF scholarship. They have until the end of Term 1, 2025 to raise their academic standing. The students’ teachers and Anne are monitoring their progress and helping them identify their sticking points and ways to improve their study skills. Family support is also a key ingredient in student academic success.
Busijo students holding boxes of sanitary pad donated by NEF with resources raised at the Backyard Boba Party in June 2024. These supplies are another resource to help female students remain in school.
(Photo courtesy of Anne Truphosa, NEF Program Coordinator, Sept. 2024.)
Backyard Boba Fundraiser Results
Thank you to everyone who came out (or made an online donation) for the Backyard Boba Party in Seattle in early June 2024. Together, we raised $583 in online donations and $713 in cash contributions. The latter was matched by an employee contribution program at Boeing, bringing the fundraiser grand total to $2,009! As a result, NEF was able to order and deliver two large boxes of textbooks and 50 big boxes of feminine hygiene supplies for Busijo and Bujwang’a Secondary Schools. The books will be shared by the students when they need extra practice on subjects ranging from history and geography to math, physics, and agricultural studies.
NEW NEF BENEFICIARIES
Welcome Metrine
Metrine, 21, is a Form 2 (Sophmore) student at Busijo Secondary School. She is NEF’s newest high school scholarship beneficiary. Metrine was brought into the NEF program at Busijo during the summer when a spot opened up due to the departure of another student. Metrine’s favorite subjects are English, Chemistry, Business Studies and CRE. In her free-time, she enjoys reading novels. In the future, she would like to be an actress for her own enjoyment and a lawyer to help people in her community.
Metrine, NEF student at Busijo Secondary School (photo courtesy of the school, 2024).
Welcome Alice
Please join me in congratulating Alice (22 years old), NEF’s newest tertiary student. She began her first year at Kisii University in Kenya in early September 2024. She is excited to live out her dream of being a teacher. She wrote in her application: “I felt it (being a teacher) is one way of giving back to the community by making people understand who they are and helping them achieve their goals.” NEF is proud to support Alice and her dream, and we look forward to witnessing her academic progress.
Alice, NEF tertiary student at Kisii University in Kenya (Photo courtesy of the student).
