Kenya Keys

KENYA KEYS IS A VIBRANT EXAMPLE THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. THEORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED IN 2005 BY RINDA HAYES, OF LAKE OSWEGO, OREGON ANDJOSEPH MWENGEA, OF TARU, KENYA.KENYA KEYS MISSION STATEMENT:KENYA KEYS BRIDGES TWO CULTURES, BECOMING A CATALYST FOR EDUCATION ANDLEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WHERE OPPORTUNITIES ARE FEW AND POTENTIAL ABOUNDS.KENYA KEYS IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. ALL DONATIONS TO KENYA KEYS ARETAX DEDUCTIBLE.OUR WORK IS GUIDED BY THESE HALLMARKS OF BELIEF:-EDUCATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL WE CAN USE AGAINST THE RAVAGES OFPOVERTY.-VOLUNTEERISM IS CRUCIAL TO SUCCESS. AN ORGANIZATION RUN BY VOLUNTEERSREMAINS VITAL, DYNAMIC, AND FREE OF CORRUPTION. IT ALSO CONNECTS PEOPLE ASGLOBAL CITIZENS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.-CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND EXPOSURE IS VITALLY ENRICHING FOR AMERICANS AS WELLAS AFRICANS.-THERE SHOULD BE NO GIVING OF THINGS THAT RUN OUT OR WEAR OUT. SUCH GIVINGONLY INCREASES DEPENDENCY, INVITES DISCONTENT, AND ISOLATES THE GIVERS FROMTHE REC

STUDENT SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM: THE GOAL OF THE STUDENT SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE SCHOOL FEES FOR KENYAN CHILDREN TO ATTEND SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY SCHOOL THROUGH CONNECTION WITH SPONSORS IN DEVELOPED NATIONS. THIS PROGRAM IS THE BACKBONE OF THE ORGANIZATION. IN 2021, THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES PRESENTED DUE TO COVID 19 WHICH AFFECTED THE SCHOOL SCHEDULES OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. THERE WERE 381 ACTIVELY SPONSORED STUDENTS. OF THESE, 200 WERE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 139 WERE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. WE ALSO HAD 42 COLLEGE STUDENTS PREPARING TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN 2021. OUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM WAS STRENGTHENED BY SEVERAL CONFERENCES TO SUPPORT OUR SECONDARY AND COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS. UPON GRADUATING FROM SECONDARY SCHOOL, ALL GRADUATES PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WHERE THEY VOLUNTEER FOR 6-9 MONTHS IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS SCHOOLS, THE CHIEFS OFFICE, LIBRARIES, AND HEALTH DISPENSARIES. MANY OF THESE INTERNSHIPS WERE CUT SHORT DUE TO COVID, BUT THEY STILL CONTINUED. IN 2021 WE HAD 299 ACTIVELY ENGAGED SPONSORS WHICH INCLUDED INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, BOOK CLUBS, SERVICE CLUBS, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER GROUPS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. THE EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND THEIR SPONSORS IS A HALLMARK OF THE PROGRAM AND SERVES TO DEVELOP THEIR ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS. OVER 538 INDIVIDUAL LETTERS WERE EXCHANGED BETWEEN STUDENTS AND THEIR SPONSORS THIS YEAR.

EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAMS: KENYA KEYS HAS ESTABLISHED MULTIPLE PROGRAMS IN KENYA TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS BEYOND THE BASIC SPONSORSHIP COMPONENT. THESE INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARIES AND DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS THROUGH OUR LIBRARY PROGRAM, PROVIDING EXTRA SUPPORT FOR AT-RISK SECONDARY STUDENTS THROUGH OUR USALAMA PROGRAM, PROVIDING MENTORSHIP TO PRIMARY AGE STUDENTSTHROUGH OUR HOPE SPRINGS PROGRAM, SUPPORTING SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS THROUGH OUR NDOHIVYO PROGRAM, AND PROVIDING IMPORTANT SKILLS AND ADDITIONAL EDUCATION THROUGH OUR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM (NFE.) KENYA KEYS ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM (NFE) SHOWED 50 ADULT LEARNERS PREPARING FOR THE KENYA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL EXAM. THESE EFFORTS ARE ALL MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DEDICATION OF OUR KENYAN STAFF WHO SERVE OUT OF OUR OFFICE IN THE VILLAGE OF TARU. THIS STAFF OF 6 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES ALSO SUPPORTS A GIRLS CLUB CALLED SAVE OUR SISTERS (SOS), A BOYS CLUB CALLED SAVE OUR BROTHERS (SOB), AND AN ALUMNI GROUP.

INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM: THE GOAL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM IS TO FURTHER THE IMPACT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY PROVIDING FACILITIES AND FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS. IN 2021, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF COVID, KENYA KEYS WAS ABLE TO FINALIZE CONSTRUCTION ON A DORMITORY FOR MACKINNON GIRLS SCHOOL AND FINANCIALLY SUPPORT A CLASSROOM AT TARU BOYS SECONDARY SCHOOL.