You know that education transforms lives, but, what does it really take to educate a Kenya Keys student? Spoiler: it’s a lot more than tuition.

Don’t get me wrong, covering tuition and fees is essential. A year of school fees can be more than a rural Kenyan family makes in a year. Without their faithful sponsors, Kenya Keys students would, tragically, join 85% of their peers who can’t afford high school. And, you may be surprised by everything high school sponsorship covers: tuition, extra fees, food for the school year, and boarding in school dorms.

Physical Necessities - Sadly, many of our students wouldn’t get very far if we just wrote a check to the school and left it at that. What about the students whose families cannot pay the shillings for transportation to boarding school, let alone the uniforms and school supplies required? What about the girls who miss days of school every month for lack of feminine hygiene supplies? Those are the kinds of needs our Kenyan staff resolve daily. And, the needs are growing; in the wake of the pandemic and the historic drought hitting the country, destitute parents are asking Kenya Keys to provide more of the physical necessities for their students.

Medical Necessities - Then there are the students who say it’s getting hard to see the blackboard. Yep, myopia happens in Kenya. So does asthma, severe cramping, the random bacterial infection, and worse. Students struggle to know how to resolve medical issues, big and small, but Kenya Keys students have advocates that can help them access the medical care they need to keep learning.

Mental and Emotional Support - Anyone who has raised (or been) a child knows young people need a good deal of guidance on their way to adulthood. Imagine if that child is the first in their family to read, attend high school, apply to college, or attend school in the big city. The Kenya Keys offices is a place where students come to talk through their fears, their concerns, and their roadblocks. It’s also where mentors tutor students one-on-one during school breaks, where we gather parents and graduates to talk about next steps and what to expect, where our devoted staff sit with students to submit online college applications until one in the morning. No amount of tuition could substitute for the mental and emotional support our compassionate staff provide to students who are taking unprecedented strides.

Career Development - Of course, the end goal of all this education is gainful employment. In an impoverished, agrarian community, it’s hard to get started, so Kenya Keys helps high school graduates develop their resumes and gain experience through internships at the Chief’s office, in medical clinics, and at the local library, among others. The growing number of Kenya Keys alumni help our college students find internships, too, paying it forward.

Dedicated Staff - You may have noticed a theme: “Kenya Keys students have advocates”, “devoted staff”, “compassionate staff”. There’s no tuition, no uniforms, no medications, no conferences, and no internships without Joseph, Stephen, Clemence, Alex, Mwanaisha, and Titus, our dedicated staff in Kenya who make it happen. Stateside, Rinda, Brent, Mark, Amanda, Paula, and Christy keep sponsors in touch with their students, raise funds, and connect people anxious for a better world with an opportunity to make it happen. We love our staff members and can’t thank them enough for their tireless service on behalf of students.

You! - We couldn’t do any of this without you. Helping students through school and transforming lives takes a lot of effort by many people along the way, but, oh, it is so worth it! We are honored to be doing this work with you. Together we are unlocking potential and changing lives day after day. If you are a sponsor and want to do more, consider donating toward the other aspects of supporting your student. Every dollar helps. If you are not yet a supporter of Kenya Keys, well, this is a great day to unlock a student’s potential and be part of transforming lives!