The Divine Mercy Elimu Fund of Sts. John and Sylvia Parish was launched in 2023 after developing and approving a policy and implementation framework. With the program’s opening for the 2023-2024 academic year, a total of 76 applications were received from all the outstations in the parish. Following an elaborate, thorough and transparent vetting process, a total of Kshs. 193,000 was recommended for award to 32 (21 male and 11 female) needy learners and students representing 25 secondary schools, 3 junior schools, 3 primary schools, and 1 college, respectively.
All beneficiaries have subsequently collected their cheques drawn in their respective institutions’ names. Evidently, there were many needy and deserving cases in the parish. However, the number of beneficiaries and amount disbursed this year was greatly delimited by the bursary amount originally available from the 2023 Lenten campaign (Kshs. 146,000).
Against the above background, the Education Committee wishes to thank the Parish Priest, Father Ben, for first agreeing to top up the bursary amount. This ensured that many more needy cases, especially incoming form one student, were also supported. Secondly, we also convey gratitude to Fr. Ben for the speedy writing of the cheques that ensured that all the beneficiaries returned to school with their respective cheques.
We also wish to recognize and thank St. Claire SCC for contributing Kshs. 10,000 towards supporting the education kitty. Indeed, this amount greatly helped a late form four applicant and one of the victims of the demolitions at Kimalat outstation to continue with his studies at Machakos School. We wish to urge, as well as challenge, all other jumuiyas to emulate this laudable gesture as they craft their 2024 strategic plans.
Clearly, the immediate challenge is in the need to raise more resources to ensure that all needy learners and students within the parish are helped. It is also our plan to provide long-term scholarships to a few needy and bright students in the parish to realise greater impact of the education support program. Finally, the Education Committee is working with the PPC to develop a strategy to raise funds to boost the education kitty. We pray and hope that we can count on the support of all parishioners in this noble endeavor even as we thank them most sincerely for their benevolence and kind assistance in the past.