Every child we welcome into our Rafiki family has a future full of promise. We are here to do all we can to help them take hold of that promise. And one of the key ways we do that is to provide them with a quality education.
Some of our children have had very little to no education at all when they come to live with us. Others have received a consistent education. Some need to go to school in an environment that meets their unique learning needs. It’s a big and complex job to provide education that meets all the needs of our children, who range in age from toddlers to teens. But what makes it easier is the excitement our children have for learning.
That’s right – they’re excited about school! They LOVE everything about their education, and feel very lucky to be going to school. In a world where so many are denied, or unable to access, an education, our children are aware of how fortunate they are. They know that an education opens up a whole new world of opportunities and will help them escape the life of poverty that their parents and grandparents live. Many of our children come from remote regional areas and others from life on the street where they could never have dreamed of completing high school, let alone go on to receive vocational training or attend university.
International Day of Education 2022
On this International Day of Education, we’re reminded that many children around the world have minimal to no access to education. UNESCO says that globally, 250 million children don’t gain even the most basic literacy skills. Low literacy excludes young people from being able to fully participate in their communities and societies, and prevents them from access to jobs with higher wages. UNICEF says that poverty is a major barrier to education, “ with children from the poorest households almost five times more likely to be out of primary school.” Through our connection to the villages and communities our children are from, we see this all too clearly.
Jasiri Rafiki school
At Doyle Farm, we’ve built Jasiri Rafiki school for our younger children. This ensures they are able to learn in a safe, supportive environment with teachers who understand how trauma may affect their ability to participate in class.
Our teenagers go to a range of different boarding schools as well as high schools in town. We ensure we select the option that is best for their specific needs. And it makes holidays even sweeter, when the big girls and boys come home from boarding school to huge hugs from their Rafiki aunties.
Abe’s amazing achievement
Meanwhile, for the very first time, one of our Rafiki graduates has gone on to higher education! We are so proud of Abe, who has fought against the odds to make it into college where he’s studying for a Diploma in Business Administration. His goal is to gain the grades and credits he needs to enter university and study for a degree in IT. He’s living independently for the first time since he moved in with us as a young boy, and is struggling a little. He’s feeling lonely living by himself, and we’ll continue to support him through regular visits. He’s quiet and shy, but we hope he will make wonderful, supportive friends to see him through those lonely times and enjoy life just like any teenager.
Moving on to independent life
The eldest girls in our family will soon be finishing high school and preparing to take their first steps towards independent life. Exams are coming up and they’re studying very hard, hoping to achieve the grades they need for acceptance at university or for vocational training. While it’s our goal to reunify children with a loving family member and guide their return to the community when it’s safe to do so, this doesn’t always happen. It’s then that we become a forever family, and so we’ll be supporting our big girls through their first years of independent living. Just as any proud parent would do, we’ll help them find their feet in the big wide world, meet their needs and cheer them on every step of the way.
Sponsor a child today
The quality education we provide to each child who joins our family is made possible through your child sponsorship. As a large group of our eldest girls move on to independent life, we will continue to support them – because we are their only family. This will increase our need for more donors and child sponsors.
If you’re not already a child sponsor, would you like to help create a brighter future for one of our amazing children? We would love to welcome you to our Rafiki family. Learn more about child sponsorship and sign up today!
