Summary of Our Programs

The introduction of Free Primary Education (FPE) by the Kenyan Government in 2003 led to an upsurge of school enrollments, among them, the 84 year old Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge, from Eldoret. The FPE has faced numerous challenges, including lack of adequate resources; crowded classrooms; and poor teacher student ratios. The situation will only get worse in future years, as graduates of the FPE will expect to join high school, yet no steps have been taken to prepare for the increased numbers. Currently, access to space in high school is already a big problem with almost half the number of students finishing primary school unable to proceed to the next level, even if they have passed the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).

Kusoma International - Laurenti Mohochi Educational Foundation's intervention will initially be in the following areas:

Scholarships: Kusoma - LMEF will work to raise funds to give scholarships to bright and poor students who would otherwise not have the opportunity to go to high school. The scholarships will be tenable at high schools in Kenya.

Infrastructure Improvement: Kusoma - LMEF will initiate an infrastructure development plan in schools in Kuria district. These will include establishing and upgrading toilets, establishing and upgrading kitchens, providing basic facilities like chairs and desks for students and teachers, repairing classrooms, and the provision of clean and running water.

Building a Library: As we began providing scholarships, we came to realize that it is equally important to support literacy in the community. The Kuria district is home to about 50,000 residents and an estimated 30 schools, but has no library or other facility in which children can freely access books and the Internet. For the community's children to succeed academically, they need a place where they can study and learn.

• Goal: Our plan is to purchase land in the most populated area of the district, construct a facility, staff it with a librarian, and supply the books. We hope to work with the community to establish reading programs and support student research. The library will include a community meeting room with Internet access.

• How to Help: You can help by making donations and collecting books.  Another way to donate is for you and your children to bake brownies!  BakeryCakery, a division of Kusoma - LMEF, distributes all the materials and instructions you need to bake and sell brownies in your community. Check out our website at BakeryCakery.com and become a member today.

Building Model Schools: Ultimately, Kusoma - LMEF will establish model schools to provide affordable and quality education that gives children in Kuria a fighting chance in the stiff competition for space in Kenya's institutions of higher education.

Mentorship and Community Service Program: We would like to see all of our scholars develop with a clear sense of community service and civic responsibility. We also wish to see them equipped with life skills and the ability to make career and other important decisions in life. To facilitate development of these traits in our scholars, we require them to participate in seminars as well as to complete a designated number of community service hours during the school holidays in April, August and December.