A Migori-based Transporter Sacco has been transforming the lives of the less privileged children in the community by sponsoring them with bursaries to access high school education.
The Chairperson of the Masara Transporter Sacco Kelvin Ouma said that they decided to give a helping hand to the orphans and bright students from needy backgrounds from Masara Ward-Suna West Sub County to help address the triple effects of early marriage, early pregnancy and new HIV infections among the youth.
The Sacco has been providing bursaries to needy students from the Masara community with the hope that their education dreams would be realised. This first term, Sacco has provided Sh2,000 bursary cheques to more than 20 students.
Masara town, located in Suna West Sub County is known for its rich mining activities and with money circulation, a lot of social evils like prostitution, early pregnancies, early marriages, child labour and new HIV have been on the rise, especially among the youths.
“We decided to come up with a kitty that will help our young bright girls and boys from vulnerable and poor backgrounds to join high school for their own bright and promising future,” said Ouma.
The chairperson called upon the community members and well-wishers in the area to provide a helping hand to the less fortunate children in the society to access education to reduce triple threat effects that have taken root in the area.
He said that Sacco would keep supplementing the little they have to boost other forms of bursaries and scholarships given by national and county governments, CDFs and other organisations and institutions like the Wings to Fly programme to help boost the education standards in the county.
Ouma said that the Sacco aims to continue sponsoring the 20 students with bursaries every term for their four-year stay to prevent any school dropout cases.
Lydia Adhiambo, a form one student from Masara Secondary School said that the bursary would help reduce her fee balance.
She thanked Sacco for changing her life affirming that she would pursue her education dreams to be somebody in society.
Lilian Akelo, one of the parents who benefited from the Sacco bursary urged other Saccos, organisations and able well-wishers in the area to come to the rescue of the girl child, protect and provide a helping hand for their education.
“It pains me as a mother seeing a minor engaging in prostitution because of lack of school fees,” bewailed Akelo.
By Geoffrey Makokha
