Look Smart Uniform Project

Hatua Likoni students learn leadership and management skills by running their own community service projects.

This year Hatua Likoni’s form 4 graduates have embarked on a uniform donation project to see that 20 lower primary students from each Likoni public primary schools receives a new school uniform.
Uniforms have been donated by SOMB or ‘Shirt Off My Back’, a clothes company that was founded on a simple model: one sold, one donated. For every item bought, SOMB provides a uniform to a child in Africa.
Likoni Scholarship Fund Students visited every public primary school in Likoni to select students in need of new uniforms

These new uniforms are now being made and will be distributed next week

Grand Opening a Success!

On Saturday, February 5th 2012, Likoni's first public library came to life. This is exactly one year after the Harambee(fundraiser) to fund the construction of the library. The Likoni area has seen dismal results in the national examinations over the years due to lack of a good, education friendly atmosphere. In 2010 average end of primary school exam results, which determine if a student is accepted to high school, dropped below 200 throughout Likoni's public primary schools. These results are Well below the pass mark of 250, and among the lowest in Kenya.

Hatua's library is a much needed addition to Likoni's education resources. With students learning in overcrowded classrooms, and then have to go home to crowded homes with no electricity, the library provides a quiet sanctuary for them to study for exams and complete assignments, read books and learn new things.

Hatua's Library is also unique in that it is open to the public 7 days a week: weekdays 9:00am- 8:00pm, weekends 10:00am-5:00pm. We are already getting regular visits from the young students. Many come in and ask, "Bei gani kusoma hapa?- How much does it cost to study here?" and the answer is quite simple, it's absolutely free to use our library, whereas all Kenya National Libraries charge enterance fees. Those who want to become borrowing members are also pleased since they are not asked to pay a monthly fee, but rather a one time fee of Ksh.500 to be a registered life time member and to be able to borrow a book for up to two weeks. Those who prefer can register with Ksh. 1,000 and borrow two books at a time.

We would like to thank all those who have supported us in this endevour, including Likoni CDF, The Ministry of Youth Affairs, SDL Foundation, American Friends of Kenya, Kenya Education Trust, Foundation for Sustainable Development, Post Bank, Cooperative Bank and Sauti ya Akina Mama. We look forward to continuing to work together to improve education standards and access in Likoni.

Hatua's Library is a triumph for Likoni residents and one we are very proud of. At the same time there is more to do! Our library needs more shelves, curriculum based books and Kiswahili story books to complete our collection. To make a donation click here. www.HatuaLikoni.org/donate

The Likoni Youth Empowerment Center and Library Grand Opening.

Thanks to many community stakeholders, CDF and the education fraternity, Likoni has now acquired its first modern community Library. The grand opening ceremony of the Likoni Community Library is scheduled to take place on Saturday 4th, February, 2012 from 9:30am to 12:00pm. We are excited to witness such a momentous occasion as our Likoni community takes one more step towards enlightenment!

New LSF Interns at Hatua Likoni

It was all smiles as our latest lot of form four candidates finished their last paper of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E.) and rejoined the rest of us in life after high school. After four years of countless assignments and study sessions, these students can at last breathe a sigh of relief and take some time to regroup.
Not wanting to remain idle, our LSF graduates interned at Hatua Likoni - in the library department- for a period of one month. They helped with the accessioning, stamping, classification, adhering spine labels and cataloging of nearly 5000 books. These book are now ready to be put up in the library shelves and will be put to use by January 2012.
The high school leavers are also sharpening their computer skills by making good use of the computers made available by Hatua Likoni, that were acquired in November with the intention of encouraging the Likoni community to expose themselves to the digitized world.

Hatua Visit Twaayf Children Center

Hatua's L.S.F scholarship recipient will be visiting Twaayf Children Center on 20th August 2011. Hatua's staff and the beneficiary will spend the whole day at the children center where they will help clean the facility.
This home hosts twenty two under privileged kids; and on this day participants will be cooking and get the chance to share a renowned coastal dish known as pilau.
There after the party will be taken down to the beach.
Lots of fun to be had with the children from the center.
LSF on behalf of Hatua Likoni will be donating food worth ksh 39,380.
fotos to come after the visit

Junior Acheivers Sit down

Recently programs director Kwame Mwakio and a representative from the junior achievers office in Mombasa had a sit down in which an intense exchange of ideas took place. Lewis from JA had come in for a small workshop to speak to residents of the community about company program. Company program is a flagship of JA and Lewis first outlined it carefully for Kwame before the workshop.
Usually JA deals with high school students but company program is branching out of school to educate youth on financial literacy and get them started in the entrepreneurial and finance game.
The seminar was informative and formal as was to be expected, most of the questions and comments came from Hatua Likoni staff representatives present illustrating their tendency toward being so highly informed. One question was about how far JA would go to support a company program sponsorship recipient past the competition itself. To which Lewis assured us that JA will be there for any youth who shows sufficient zeal and seriousness in business.

Books & Computers donations

Programs Director Kwame Mwakio traveled with Juma Kassim to the capital city Nairobi to collect a book donation from AFK and a donation 10 computers from the Kenya Education Fund. This comprised of about 83 boxes, and according to Mr. Mwakio it was a hectic endeavor. The capital is more hustle and bustle than Likoni, and Kwame says he spent a couple of sleepless nights trying to get everything together to travel home. According to Kwame the little pickup was "full of boxes" filled to the brim with the communities' much sort after resources. These books and computers will go toward building the foundation of the empowerment library, more books mean more information translating into more knowledge. More computers will give the the youth and members of the community an avenue leading to the information super highway. At the end of it all, according to Kwame it was all worth the hassle!