500 vulnerable students get Sh3 million scholarship for Grade 10

More than 500 vulnerable students in Rangwe constituency can now breathe a sigh of relief after a group of clan members moved to ensure they join Grade Ten.

This came after a group of members from Kowili clan in Kochia Ward collected Sh3 million to support the students' education.

The clan members, through a group dubbed Kowili Education Recovery, distributed the money to 570 students.

The majority of the beneficiaries are students who are joining Grade Ten while others are tertiary college and university students.

The support comes at a time when many students are stranded at home due to lack of school fees in Homa Bay County.

Kowili Education Recovery Chairman Kennedy Ogindo and Secretary Edward Odhiambo led the distribution of cheques to the students' parents at Ligisa Secondary School.

Ogindo said the initiative was started to enable children to ensure no student fails to join Grade Ten.

He revealed that they came up with the initiative after realising that many students were having challenges completing education due to lack of school fees.

"We have distributed the money in form of cheques to enable our children to acquire education," Ogindo said.

He said they came up with the initiative to reduce poverty in the area.

Ogindo argued that paying the school fees for the students will enable the students to become productive people in future.

"The only way through which we can empower our future society is by educating these children. Education will enable us to have a productive future generation," Ogindo said.

Kowili Education Recovery Secretary Edward Odhiambo said the initiative seeks to ensure no student misses to join Grade 10.

"Many students are currently complaining of THE inability to join Grade Ten due to lack of school fees in our county. But no child is going to fail to go to school due to lack of school fees," Odhiambo said.

He expressed hope that the initiative will transform livelihoods in the area.

The Secretary said they were committed to ensuring the sustainability of the initiative.

"This is the only way to transform our society. I urge those who have not joined this initiative to join and help us in mobilising resources," Odhiambo said. 

Parents expressed optimism that the initiative had relieved them.

"My child would not have gone to school due to lack of fees if this initiative was not there. I thank the people who started it," said Rose Atieno, a parent.