The efforts of the Area Advisory Councils in identifying the very needy of OVCs to be sponsored must be lauded. However, one of the main challenges remains the identification and selection of beneficiaries. With very many thousands of OVCs in Kenya ensuring that only the very needy of students are selected remains a challenge. The number of hopeful applicants is very high compared to the target beneficiaries e.g. Over 10,000 applications were received by the USAID Kenya Education Office for possible inclusion in the list of year 2009 beneficiaries. However, the obligated funds were only sufficient to offer scholarships to 3,300 beneficiaries leaving out over 7,000 applicants.
Applications continue to be received at the USAID offices as information reaches more and more of the target population.
Ensuring that all stakeholders in the scholarship are kept up to date and managing the flow of information smoothly remains a challenge. This is sometimes aggravated by the location of some of the institutions in very remote areas. However, constant effort is being made to ensure that all relevant information be it payment of school fees or other schooling related issues are communicated and addressed on a timely and regular basis.
The scholarship is currently scheduled to end in December 2013. The beneficiaries who are currently enrolled in the scholarship will be able to complete the level of education they are enrolled in. Unfortunately, the scholarship will not be able to see them transit to the next level of education and beneficiaries are advised and counselled to make arrangements for sponsorship from year 2013 onwards. While some beneficiaries will have completed their studies some will be transiting to colleges and universities and their expectations and hopes need to be properly managed to ensure that the very seed of hope that has been planted is not destroyed. |
