LIKONI LIBRARY FUNDRAISER

Friends,

Hatua is partnering with various stakeholders from Likoni to furnish and equip a library for students and the general public at the Youth Empowerment Centre. The building was built and finished using CDF (Constituency Development Fund) four years ago. However, its services never took shape since it was not equipped with the necessary infrastructure for it to function as a library and be of benefit to the Likoni community.

To get it running, it requires about 14,000 dollars (1.2 million kshs) for phase one. Phase one includes installing running water in the toilets, purchasing chairs, tables,computers, installing shelves, catalogue cards, buying books, paying staff among other costs.

The empty Library building at the Youth Empowerment Centre


A committee to mobilize the required resources was set up in 2010 and have organised a fundraiser at the Likoni CDF hall on 5th February 2011. All the necessary stake holders (teachers, parents, administrative leaders, local business people) have been invited to realise this dream of having a functional public library in Likoni.

This morning, we are excited to announce that the Likoni constituency MP Honourable Mwalimu Masoud Mwahima accepted our invitation to be the guest of honour on the day of the fundraising! After carefully listening to a pitch by members of the committee, he responded 'I will be with you working on this cause 101%!'. This is a big step for us because it will give this cause the support and attention it deserves as it will be a long term investment for this community.

To donate to the cause online, click here.

Thank you for supporting Hatua!

NEW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!

On Sunday, Jan. 23^rd 2011, Hatua Likoni welcomed 18 new students to our scholarship program in a ceremony held at Likoni’s Youth Empowerment Center. This brings the total number of students sponsored in primary and secondary students by Hatua Likoni to 70.

The welcoming ceremony was attended by our new students, their parents and guardians, and returning scholarship students. Our scholarship program coordinator, Kwame Mwakio, started off with an introduction to our programs and the goal of the Likoni Scholarship Fund, which is to provide education to Likoni’s most gifted young students to ensure that Likoni will benefit from their future input as engines of the local economy and civil society. Next, one of our form four (senior) students talked to his new peers about the importance of education and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity accorded to them by Hatua by working hard in school.

The Director Gabbi and Kwame the coordinator addressing the guests

Next on the agenda Kwame explained our expectations of all members of our scholarship program, and read the pledge we ask all students and guardians to sign, which states that students will work hard to maintain their grades and will behave well in and out of school, that parents will support the education of their students and cooperate with the scholarship program, and that, if students and parents uphold their pledges, Hatua will maintain its support of each student throughout secondary school. The day ended with each student being awarded a certificate of acceptance into the Likoni Scholarship Fund.


Kwame and Gabbi with one of the new students

We thank our students and guardians for their participation and are thrilled to welcome 18 promising new members into our Hatua family!

Click here to see more photos of the event.

BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING!

Every beginning of the year, Hatua purchases new sets of uniforms, books and shoes for the existing students and the new ones admitted to the program.

Hatua staff at 'bata' shoe shop

This year was no different, and on the weekend, our team hit the town for the 'back to school shopping'. We purchased 108 school uniforms, 19 P.E (Physical Education) kits and 74 pairs of shoes for our students.

Kwame the program coordinator buying school uniform

Likoni Scholarship Fund

Friends,

We are excited to announce that we will be shortlisting our final 15 students that qualify for our High School scholarships this week!

As you know, Hatua Likoni offers scholarships every year to needy bright students within Likoni. We plan on bringing the number of our students to 70 in 2011 by adding 15 more students that completed their Primary School Education in 2010 to the program.

Hatua staff visited the homes of 40 applicants in December 2010 to interview them and their parents and to get a general picture of the conditions they live in. After the interviews, the students were required to submit their KCPE results to Hatua in order to enable our selection process. The criteria used to short list the students is academic performance throughput their final year in Primary school, economic status and willingness to co-operate with Hatua ' culture' among others.


Stay tuned for the list of our new students! Kindly visit http://www.hatualikoni.org/hatua/ for more information on Hatua' s activities.

Thank you for supporting Hatua.