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STARS

How STARS Kept Education Going During COVID-19

STARS Kept Education Going During COVID-19

Our 19 STARS were supposed to take the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams this month. The KCSE is the cumulative, national examination that determines if a student graduates from high school and what further education opportunities are available to them. (Learn more about the KCSE and what it’s like for STARS to go to school in Kenya).

In mid-March, the coronavirus changed everything.

Because of COVID-19, the Kenyan government postponed the national KCSE from November 2020 until March 2021. In June, the government announced schools would be closed for the remainder of 2020. 

Our 4th-year STARS were deeply disappointed. This situation could have set them back an academic year, even though we provided extensive review materials for their KCSE preparation when schools first shut down in March.

The STARS were beginning to suffer from difficult living conditions and social isolation – especially since they don’t have mobile phones, computers, or even electricity. Not being in school also made them susceptible to being recruited by gangs or getting into other trouble. 

STARS Children Africa and our Kenyan partner, Miwani Community Based Organization, refused to let that happen. With God’s help, we came up with a plan to educate and mentor the STARS since they couldn’t go to school.

Here’s how we turned the Kenyan Coronavirus lockdown into a victory for the STARS academically and personally.

We Brought School to the STARS at St. Lukes 

Our local partner, the Miwani Based Community Organization arranged the use of the St. Luke’s Ministry compound and teachers for the 19 STARS.

Pastor Joshua Atieno coordinated the STARS guardians and classrooms at St Luke’s. He found teachers and organized teaching materials and food. Using the teachers’ expertise, the 4th year curriculum and KCSE examination prep were delivered to the STARS Monday – Friday for 3 ½ months until their schools reopened on October 12. COVID-19 safety protocols were put into place, i.e. daily temperature checks, use of hand sanitizer, and mask-wearing.

The STARS Received More Instruction and Personalized Attention

In a unique way, this COVID-19 situation has benefited the STARS. The student-teacher ratio at St. Luke’s was 1:19 compared to 1:40, which is typical for Kenyan classrooms and can sometimes be as high as one teacher for 60 students. Some classes were even smaller since not every student focused on the same subjects for KCSE prep, e.g. business studies.

The teachers had more time to prepare and meet one-on-one with the STARS since they had lighter teaching loads. Under “normal” teaching circumstances, a Kenyan high school teacher grades160 papers for each subject –  they teach a minimum of 4 classes with 40 students in each!

The STARS also received customized guidance for how to prepare for and take the KCSE exams from three of the seven teachers who are national graders for the KCSE.

Their Identity and Sense of Purpose Was Strengthened by Being with Other STARS

Prior to COVID-19, the 19 STARS attended four different schools. Studying together in one place increased their unity and support for one another as orphans with high school scholarships.  This time together helped and encouraged them toward the goal of changing their futures by getting a high school diploma.

Four of the seven teachers were STARS alumni, which benefited the current STARS in two ways.  First, these STARS alumni know what it takes to do well on the KCSE and live a  life of success and service. Second, they were able to personally coach and mentor the STARS to help them succeed in life. 

Humphrey, a STARS alumnus one of the national graders for the KCSE exams, coordinated all the teachers. He observed. “The STARS are very eager to learn. They are very positive and respond well to tuition. I believe they will make great improvements when they go back to school…they are disciplined and God-fearing”

The STARS Received Personal Development and Life Skills Training in Addition to Education

Being at St. Luke’s, the STARS received more focused practical skills and character training than in their regular schools.

Character development was provided daily, e.g. positive habit building, leadership skills, and public speaking. The STARS had frequent opportunities to practice given the unique school set up. A major bonus was that these STARS received hands-on computer training (from a STARS alumna!). Prior to this, many of the STARS had no computer training.

The STARS daily training in life and vocational skills by doing the following:

  • Bread baking.
  • Raising fish.
  • Tree seedling nursery and planting.
  • Chicken egg hatching.
  • Maintaining and cleaning St. Luke’’ compound.

The STARS gained practical abilities and grew in confidence as they saw the results of what they learned. For example, they fed the group at St. Lukes with the bread they baked, gave some to the widows St. Luke’s supports, and also sold some to raise funds.



Looking Expectantly to the Future

Despite the initial disappointment of schools closing and not being able to take the KCSE, our 19 extraordinary STARS have thrived.

With your continued support, we believe each of these 19 young men and women will successfully pass the KCSE in 2021 and go on to serve others like they have been served by the STARS alumni who taught them during this unprecedented time.

Given the programmatic adjustments we’ve made and extra costs due to COVID, our annual expenses are 50% more than expected.

Would you consider a $50 or $100 gift to help our 4th-year STARS succeed in spite of COVID?

You can DONATE HERE

The Coronavirus Challenge: How STARS Children Africa Is Responding

Image of Pastor Joshua delivering masks

On March 18, 2020 the Kenyan Ministry of Education closed schools to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Kenya. This decision came 3 ½ weeks before the end of the first term of the 2020 school year. At the time this was posted, the government has not announced a projected date to reopen schools.  As a result, 15 million primary and secondary school students are now navigating the challenges of home based learning. 

Kenya’s Ministry of Education has instructed students to access home based learning through radio, TV, YouTube, and the Kenya Education Cloud. However, only 1 in 5 Kenyans has access to the internet according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

This situation is challenging for everyone, but it has a greater impact on our 19 STARS. All are STARS are 4th-year high school students preparing to take the KCSE exam in November.  The KCSE is similar to the American SAT with one significant difference: it is the one thing that determines if a student graduates and what kind of academic opportunities he/she has after high school.  With schools now closed, the STARS are limited in how they can learn since none of them have internet access and only a few can access a TV.


How the STARS are Faring 

First, the good news! Pastor Joshua, our local partner, has confirmed that all 19 STARS are safe with their guardians. He hears that the STARS are in good spirits and are confident that they will pass the KCSE despite this challenge.  Each of the STARS is rigorously studying. They are motivated to score well on the exam so that they can receive government scholarships and be placed in better universities.

Samson, Bonifas, and Dominic are staying with Pastor Joshua at the St. Luke’s Ministry compound. One way Samson, Bonifas, and Dominic are keeping up with their curriculum is by watching televised classes. As their community contribution, they are helping to make protective masks. 


Image of Ken with Mary A. in Kenya

Mary A. is with her guardian. She is observing social distancing as required and shared, “I cannot go to my friends to study with them.” Though a very good student, she finds studying alone hard. Why? Because study groups are an important part of KCSE preparation. She also finds it impossible to follow the government guidance for students to study online since she doesn’t have access to the internet.  When she’s not studying, Mary A. is helping the family by doing farmwork and teaching community hygiene to avoid COVID-19.


How We Are Helping the STARS Prepare for the November KCSE 

“We are going to help these STARS succeed.”

-Ken Prussner

Our focus is on helping the STARS study by doing what Kenyans call “revising.”  “To revise” is to review and study materials from four years of high school. For the KCSE, each of the STARS will be tested on at least 7 subjects. Some subjects are mandatory and some are selected. As explained in an earlier blog post, this is a massive undertaking with huge pressure on students and their families/guardians. Only 1 in 7 KCSE candidates pass the exams.

Recognizing that the 19 STARS need printed “revision materials” to study successfully, STARS Children Africa has encouraged and funded our local partner to do that. Pastor Joshua and Humphrey, a high school teacher and STARS alumnus, have teamed up to get the 19 STARS printed “revision materials” for their subjects. Here’s what it takes: 

  • Using his knowledge of the education system, Humphrey identifies relevant “revision materials” available on the internet. He has currently downloaded over 150 documents, including past tests, subject matter reviews, and curriculum summaries, ranging from 3 to 20 pages.
  • Humphrey sends these “revisions materials” to Pastor Joshua via What’s App on his mobile phone.
  • Pastor Joshua curates the “revision materials” each of the STARs needs for his/her subjects, then prints them.
  • Pastor Joshua distributes customized “revision material” packets to each of the 19 STARS. To do so, he must travel to 16 different locations, which require him to drive and walk to their homes.   

STARS Children Africa is funding the costs of this initiative. This includes Humphrey’s and Pastor Joshua’s pay-as-you-go internet service to find and download thousands of “revision materials” pages, printing ink, paper, and gas.


What We Plan to Do Next to Help the STARS and Fulfill Our Mission 

The coronavirus will not stop us from educating and mentoring the STARS. In addition to the initiative described above, STARS Children Africa and Pastor Joshua are discussing what we might do next: 

  • We’ll monitor to see if schools will reopen on May 4th, which marks the start of the second term in Kenya.
  • If schools don’t open for the second term, we will continue to follow up with each of the STARS to assess each one’s well being and progress studying the subjects each is preparing for the KCSE. 
  • Humphrey will also remotely tutor the STARS in studying techniques for the KCSE, e.g. strategies for answering different types of questions, like multiple choice vs. True and False, how to write essays, and how to overcome fear. 
  • We are also exploring the option of temporarily hiring teachers, who cannot work, to tutor in approved socially distant settings.

As we mentioned in a previous post about what it’s like to go to high school in Kenya:

“This is the strongest high school class we’ve ever had in our 13 years. They will take Kenya’s national Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2020. We anticipate they will score well, many will go on to higher education and all will become strong servant-leaders in their communities.” 

With the STARS’ continued hard work, Pastor Joshua’s and Humphrey’s dedication, and your support, we are confident our STARS will overcome the coronavirus challenge and be ready for the KCSE exam in November.

Three Things I Want You to Know From My 2019 Kenya Trip (And Why They Matter)

Image of STARS Group at Equator

I recently returned from my 13th trip to Kenya.  I was in Miwani, Western Kenya. That’s where our local partner, the Miwani Community Based Organization (MCBO) led by Pastor Joshua Atieno Auka, and the high school STARS are based.  During my 10 days there, we conducted leadership development sessions with the STARS. I also met up with STARS alumni who came to be with me and mentor the current STARS (awesome!).  

STARS Children Africa has been operating in this part of Kenya for 14 years and sent 139 orphans to high school. With that in mind, here are three things I want to share with you from this trip.


Our 19 STARS Are Excelling

Carolyn, Meckphonza, Mary O., Mercy, Mary A., Jackline, Cynthia, Bonface, Samantha, Fredrick, Mobby, Mildred, Samson, Veg, Jenipher, Vivian, Dominic, Fredrick and Joseph are doing well academically.  As a group they have a B average, which is higher than previous STARS cohorts.

Perhaps even more important, each of them is growing in character and personal responsibility, which is required to maintain their high school scholarships. Many of them have stepped into leadership opportunities, e.g.:

  • Mary Atieno was elected governor of girls in her school.
  • Mary Owino was appointed secretary of her class.
  • Bonface organized study groups of his peers. 
  • Dominic was elected leader of his school’s Christian Union (CU).
  • Synthia was appointed the girls’ sports captain of her school.
  • Several STARS were selected to attend one-week leadership development camps.
  • Image of Mary Atieno practicing her speaking
    Mary Atieno practicing her speaking
  • Image of Steve with his hospital director and Ken at Masaba Hospital
    Steve with his hospital director and Ken at Masaba Hospital

While I was with them we worked on developing their leadership, public speaking and personal stories. We also discussed how to overcome personal challenges. Dominic, for example, was accused of stealing money belonging to the Christian Union he leads. He patiently proved he was innocent while going through the hard process of being misjudged and treated unfairly.

We also had some fun (e.g., gunny sack races… which I finished!) and took field trips to visit Steve (a STARS alumnus) at the hospital he works at, the Kenya Wildlife Impala Sanctuary, the National Kisumu Museum and the Equator . This was an education in itself. Only three STARS had ever been to the Equator, though it is only 30 miles from where they live.

WHY IT MATTERS: This is the strongest high school class we’ve ever had in our 13 years. They will take Kenya’s national Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2020. We anticipate they will score well, many will go on to higher education and all will become strong servant-leaders in their communities.


STARS Alumni Came to Mentor and Encourage the Current STARS

Steve, Gordon, Humphrey, Moises, Martha and Beldine spoke to the high school STARS – Humphrey traveled all night via two busses to do so! They encouraged the STARS to be patient, disciplined and focused, develop character, work hard and tell their personal stories.

These STARS Alumni are examples of our goal to “Educate One, Change Many”. They shared how they have applied the lessons they have learned in their lives, for their families and in their communities.

Gordon, now a national sales manager for a pharmaceutical company, shared how grateful he was for the life changing opportunity of a high school education, mentorship and role models. Gordon shared that he could not have envisioned having access to such an opportunity if his drunken father were still alive because of the negativity he was surrounded with. He encouraged each of the STARS to encourage others with their stories.

Steve, now a hospital pharmacist, encouraged current STARS with this advice: “This is an opportunity…please, take it seriously. Take your books seriously. Discipline #1. And character #2.” We visited him at the hospital on the field trip.

Image of Steve-sharing-his-message-with-the-STARS

Humphrey, now a high school teacher and official exam grader of geography in the national KCSE, shared the reality of being at this point in life and practical study tips for Form 4 (the last and most intense year of high school). “Be patient, you are students“ was his advice. He plans to return during April 2020 school break to help the STARS prepare for the KCSE exam.


WHY IT MATTERS: STARS alumni are living examples of the servant-leadership so needed in their communities. STARS Children Africa is having the generational impact we believed we were supposed to make.


STARS Children Africa’s Positive Impact Is Gaining Publicity

Orphans can have hope and a future. But they need to be in communities, which have servant leaders. In recognition of how needs are being met in supporting the STARS, three media outlets in Kisumu interviewed Pastor Joshua, the STARS and me.

The Star newspaper interviewed the STARS, Pastor Joshua and me resulting in this article.

TV Lolwe broadcast a 5 minute community news segment in Luo, the native language of the  region, of Pastor Joshua, Dominic and Mary Atieno with my portion in English. 

Three radio stations interviewed all of us also highlighting STARS in both Luo and English languages. 

  • Image of TV crew interviewing Pastor Joshua and STARS Founder Ken Prussner
    TV crew interviewing Pastor Joshua and Ken
  • Image of Jackline being interviewed for TV and newspaper
    Dominic being interviewed for TV and newspaper

As Charles, a STARS alumnus, commented on our last blog post, “Mentors, partners and sponsors have contributed to sustainable realistic transformation on their lives and society in general. This is real!”


WHY IT MATTERS: Consistency in the local community and tangible positive impact are hard to ignore. We pray the added publicity will bring more funds to give even more bright, needy orphans the life changing opportunity of a high school education with character mentorship.


Join us in helping positively transform in Kenya; fund a high school scholarship to change a STAR’s life and impact her community.  

Donate Now

What’s It Like for STARS to Go to School in Kenya?

Image of STARS Children Africa high school girls in Kenya waving

What picture forms in your mind when you hear “high school”?  Do you think of homeroom and lockers, eating with your friends in the cafeteria, attending multiple classes and waiting for the bus while it’s dark? Maybe school activities like drama club or attending football games comes to mind?  If you attended an American high school, you likely experienced some of those things.

What’s High School Like in Kenya?

High school in Kenya is quite different from the typical American public high school.

  • There are three terms in the school year instead of four quarters. The first term starts in January, which means the school year is nearing an end at the time this post was published.
  • Every high school charges something to go to school, though the government covers some costs. Annual tuition is about $400.
  • You have to wear a uniform (no exceptions!), and you have to pay for it 
  • The better high schools have students board at their institution where you have a fixed daily schedule, which includes when they get up, go to class, eat and have free time.
  • To graduate from high school and qualify to enter university, you have to pass the KCSE Exam (think of the GRE). Students are tested on a minimum of 7 subjects and their results are announced publicly. According to Advance Africa, only one in seven who take the KCSE exam pass with the minimum grade required for university. In contrast, 5 in 7 STARS  who finish high school pass the KCSE exam and qualify for university.

What’s High School Like for Our STARS?

The orphans who receive a STARS high school scholarship enter another world. Our STARS go to high school feeling hopeful and afraid. 

They are excited because the impossible dream of gaining a high school education and changing the trajectory of their life has become a reality. But they also worry whether they will be as good as other students,  if they will pass the KCSE, and, if they do pass, whether they can afford university.

Our STARS also have to adjust to a lot of new things. These are some of the things they will experience for the first time in their 13 years of life:

  • Having some new personal things, i.e. their shoes, uniform, books
  • Eating regular meals, which are included in school fees
  • Living away from their community since they board at high school
  • Learning how to study and being responsible for managing their time
  • Having opportunities to try an extra-curricular activity
  • The freedom to focus on academics since they are away from daily responsibilities like chores and caring for siblings or earning money by herding goats and gathering firewood 

Our Current STARS

The 19 students who form our current batch of high school STARS are doing great. Carolyn, Meckphonza, Mary O., Mercy, Mary A., Jackline, Cynthia, Bonface, Samantha, Fredrick, Mobby, Mildred, Samson, Veg, Jenipher, Vivian, Dominic, Fredrick and Joseph are all thriving with the support of our donors and mentorship of our local partner.

  • Image of STARS Children Africa high school students
  • Image of STARS Children Africa high school students in Kenya

They finished their last term with strong grades which were mostly B’s with many A’s and a few C’s. They are also demonstrating stellar character, which is an equal requirement with good grades to continue to receive their scholarship (learn more here under “How We Work”). 

Several of them have also been appointed to leadership positions in school.  See Mary A. below with our Kenyan partner – who is also her school sponsor. She was elected “Governor” for the girls at Naki High School.

Image of Mary A. with STARS Children Africa's Kenyan partner.

Help our STARS achieve their dream of a high school education

Donate Here

Celebrating Our Graduates: Overcomers, Trailblazers and Community Changers

Image of a girl graduating from college with a diploma.

May is a big month for students: thousands are graduating and thousands more are celebrating them. $5.32 billion will be spent in this endeavor them according to the National Research Federation.

Why do Americans spend so much to mark the milestone graduation?

Because it’s a really big deal. A high school or college graduations represent the cumulative achievement of many years of study, the investment of family members and mentors and is a rite of passage in life.

It’s a big deal to graduate. Especially for orphans who have had to overcome tremendous adversity to grasp the life-changing opportunity  of education

So STARS Children Africa is celebrating. With cheers, thanks and great pride, we celebrate our 2019 graduates:

Charles graduated from college with a diploma in Electrical and Power Engineering. As an older student, he encouraged and advised classmates, who were 4 years younger. Charles went to college later than his peers because he was headstrong and lacked focus after high school, trying many jobs but barely surviving. Eventually, he found his way “home”  to St. Luke’s, where he volunteered as a primary school teacher. Given his newfound focus and teachable spirit, he qualified for a STARS college scholarship.

Meldrine graduated from high school and has gone on to college to earn a Culinary Certificate. Persistent and compassionate, her goal is to serve newborns or older people with health and handicap issues.

Julius graduated with Meldrine and will pursue the study of medicine in college. Julius grew up at St. Lukes and is proven to be very responsible and hard working.

Patricia graduated from college with a diploma in Information and Communication Technology. She has one more year of study to earn a diploma in education. Though she grew up with little exposure to technology, she but has demonstrated a great aptitude for it!

Faith, a 2010 STARS alumna, graduated with Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Penn State University on a full scholarship. She earned her undergrad degree (also on a full scholarship) from Benedict College. She will be moving to Nevada on a postdoctoral fellowship focused on implementing and evaluating a waste management system to reduce medical and chemical waste.

“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye.”

Hellen Keller

We are proud of our graduates! We are excited to see what they do next and how they help others along the way.  

To learn more about our previous graduates, click here.

Updates!

Updates!

Now 10 graduates from higher education!

Educating one is changing many!

7 now in high school and college; more will join in 2016!

Ken to Kenya day after Thanksgiving!

Website is being updated!

 

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What’s Happening

  • How STARS Kept Education Going During COVID-19
  • The Coronavirus Challenge: How STARS Children Africa Is Responding
  • Three Things I Want You to Know From My 2019 Kenya Trip (And Why They Matter)
  • What’s It Like for STARS to Go to School in Kenya?
  • Five Highlights From My 2018 Visit to Kenya

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Rich, Ken and Caleb at Equator Line
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