The office
In June 2008, KESHO opened an office in Kilifi to facilitate the day-to-day running of the organisation. This has improved access to our organisation by existing students and by new families seeking educational support. We are very lucky to have our administration costs funded by a separate organisation thus enabling KESHO to give 100% of all donations to the students themselves.
Selecting students
Students living in Kilifi District are considered for sponsorship. Children and parents are interviewed to assess their individual needs and we try to visit the children at home whenever possible. Priority is usually given to children with no or one parent, students who have not started school or who have missed a year of school owing to lack of fees, or have significant arrears in their fee payments. Numbers of boys and girls are equally matched. There is no discrimination on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Sponsorship through the private educational system is not provided.
Student Support, Guidance & Counseling
KESHO is committed to helping children realise their potential and make the most of the educational opportunity afforded to them. Students face many challenges and KESHO gives regular encouragement, advice and support particularly during the holidays. Currently, all the students are invited at the end of each term to the office whereby they are interviewed to review their progress and given academic guidance and counselling as required.
In addition, we host a minimum of three events annually. These include:
An Open Day (covering topics such as "making choices" and reproductive health), a Careers Day and a Craft Day for KESHO sponsored students. During these events lots of activities take place which help to broaden the support being offered to students. These include guest speakers, child counsellors, career advisors, discussion and drama groups, a craft table.
Academic achievement
While primary students are encouraged to do well at school, we don’t insist upon these students achieving certain grades as we feel all children should have an opportunity to complete their education at this level.
For sponsorship at secondary school KESHO requires that students achieve average grades (C) or above for their sponsorship to continue. Very occasionally, even after counselling and support, a student might repeatedly fall behind in his/her studies. Should this occur we invite the student, parents and sponsors to agree on a way forward which is mutually acceptable. For example, we might suggest the student transfers his/her sponsorship to a more vocational course of interest to him/her.
Accountability
KESHO recognises the importance of being accountable to the sponsors and the students both financially and in terms of the quality of service provided. We manage the payment of school fees, by cheque, at the beginning of each term and the provision of school uniforms and books is conducted directly through local shops in Kilifi through a voucher system. In this way the handling of cash is avoided altogether. Moreover, students are expected to provide their reports and receipts before being issued their cheque for the next term’s school fees.
We write to sponsors at the end of each term to forward letters from the students, their school reports and sometimes an example of their schoolwork. An annual KESHO newsletter is circulated towards the end of the year too.
Students are treated as equitably as possible to ensure they receive the amount of financial, social and emotional support required. We ensure some flexibility in the system for dealing with emergencies and those students who have particularly severe or acute needs. For example, should a student need an operation, or a disabled student require crutches, or an orphan require transport to a KESHO Day, the committee can provide for those needs on a discretionary basis.
Account & Data Management
We have a UK and Kenyan bank account. Interest earned is put directly towards student sponsorships. Accounts are entered on QuickBooks. Student and sponsor arrangements and transactions are managed on a FileMaker database. Dr. Kate Nokes manages the finances and the accounts are audited annually by an independent accountant. Our annual report and financial statements are published on this site and can be downloaded.
We are a registered Community Based Organisation in Kenya (SS/KFI/LR/WG/BAH – D/17/2008) and a Cooperating Institution of Rotary International.
Committee Members
Mrs. Zena Salim (Chairperson), Dr. Tabitha Mwangi (Secretary), Dr. Kate Nokes (Treasurer), Mr. MacKinlay Mutsembi (Administrator), Mrs. Saida Famau, Mrs. Anna Muli, Mrs. Sally Bagenal and Mr. Sam Akech (Members) and Mrs. Chrissie Gray (Member UK).
In June 2008, KESHO opened an office in Kilifi to facilitate the day-to-day running of the organisation. This has improved access to our organisation by existing students and by new families seeking educational support. We are very lucky to have our administration costs funded by a separate organisation thus enabling KESHO to give 100% of all donations to the students themselves.
Selecting students
Students living in Kilifi District are considered for sponsorship. Children and parents are interviewed to assess their individual needs and we try to visit the children at home whenever possible. Priority is usually given to children with no or one parent, students who have not started school or who have missed a year of school owing to lack of fees, or have significant arrears in their fee payments. Numbers of boys and girls are equally matched. There is no discrimination on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Sponsorship through the private educational system is not provided.
Student Support, Guidance & Counseling
KESHO is committed to helping children realise their potential and make the most of the educational opportunity afforded to them. Students face many challenges and KESHO gives regular encouragement, advice and support particularly during the holidays. Currently, all the students are invited at the end of each term to the office whereby they are interviewed to review their progress and given academic guidance and counselling as required.
In addition, we host a minimum of three events annually. These include:
An Open Day (covering topics such as "making choices" and reproductive health), a Careers Day and a Craft Day for KESHO sponsored students. During these events lots of activities take place which help to broaden the support being offered to students. These include guest speakers, child counsellors, career advisors, discussion and drama groups, a craft table.
Academic achievement
While primary students are encouraged to do well at school, we don’t insist upon these students achieving certain grades as we feel all children should have an opportunity to complete their education at this level.
For sponsorship at secondary school KESHO requires that students achieve average grades (C) or above for their sponsorship to continue. Very occasionally, even after counselling and support, a student might repeatedly fall behind in his/her studies. Should this occur we invite the student, parents and sponsors to agree on a way forward which is mutually acceptable. For example, we might suggest the student transfers his/her sponsorship to a more vocational course of interest to him/her.
Accountability
KESHO recognises the importance of being accountable to the sponsors and the students both financially and in terms of the quality of service provided. We manage the payment of school fees, by cheque, at the beginning of each term and the provision of school uniforms and books is conducted directly through local shops in Kilifi through a voucher system. In this way the handling of cash is avoided altogether. Moreover, students are expected to provide their reports and receipts before being issued their cheque for the next term’s school fees.
We write to sponsors at the end of each term to forward letters from the students, their school reports and sometimes an example of their schoolwork. An annual KESHO newsletter is circulated towards the end of the year too.
Students are treated as equitably as possible to ensure they receive the amount of financial, social and emotional support required. We ensure some flexibility in the system for dealing with emergencies and those students who have particularly severe or acute needs. For example, should a student need an operation, or a disabled student require crutches, or an orphan require transport to a KESHO Day, the committee can provide for those needs on a discretionary basis.
Account & Data Management
We have a UK and Kenyan bank account. Interest earned is put directly towards student sponsorships. Accounts are entered on QuickBooks. Student and sponsor arrangements and transactions are managed on a FileMaker database. Dr. Kate Nokes manages the finances and the accounts are audited annually by an independent accountant. Our annual report and financial statements are published on this site and can be downloaded.
We are a registered Community Based Organisation in Kenya (SS/KFI/LR/WG/BAH – D/17/2008) and a Cooperating Institution of Rotary International.
Committee Members
Mrs. Zena Salim (Chairperson), Dr. Tabitha Mwangi (Secretary), Dr. Kate Nokes (Treasurer), Mr. MacKinlay Mutsembi (Administrator), Mrs. Saida Famau, Mrs. Anna Muli, Mrs. Sally Bagenal and Mr. Sam Akech (Members) and Mrs. Chrissie Gray (Member UK).