Since its inception, the Ayiera initiative has made great strides in promoting and supporting education for poor and marginalized slum children. For many years, Ayiera Initiative has supported children and youths to get an education. Whether primary, secondary, TVET, college, or university, AI’s scholarship program, has enabled thousands of slum children and youths to get an education. What better way to beat poverty, than education?
Desire for Higher Education in slums
In 2021, AI realized the need to support higher education opportunities for Korogocho slum youths. Korogocho slum is also home to very many bright young people. This may come as a surprise because of the prejudices and negative perspectives people have of the slum, in addition, the living conditions within the slum make it nearly impossible to excel in education. On the contrary many young people continue to beat the odds, and excel despite the challenges they face. The biggest impediments, however, continue to be financial constraints that are directly attributed to the extreme poverty these young people have been raised through. While many receive admission to top Universities in Kenya, they are not able to sustain their studies. Because of this, some fail to join university while others defer their studies or completely drop out, shattering their dreams and hopes to further their studies.
University scholarships – A first for AI
Ayiera Initiative comes in to support such students, whose eagerness to get an education is unmatched, and those who despite challenges like poverty, and lack of tuition fees, have a strong desire to break the poverty cycle and rewrite their story, these are young people who, similar to AI, have the desire to change their society.
With immense support from both Gymnasium Siegburg Allestraße and Zükünft für Kinder in Slums, the University scholarship program has seen eight youths from Korogocho benefit through payment of tuition and accommodation fees. With this support, students also receive a laptop to facilitate research and study while at the University.
We support them, but they have to give back
Through this program, AI has also endeavored to raise a responsible generation who supports and promotes change. Therefore, besides receiving support, University scholarship beneficiaries must give back by volunteering in different activities. The University scholarship program has greatly supported and relieved young people, some of whom had completely given up on advancing their education.
AI has put in place selection criteria to make sure that only the most deserving youths benefit from this program, as we look forward to supporting more youths from Korogocho slums.
