- Why should I sponsor a child in Kenya when so many children in the US could use support?
Poverty is a global issue and sponsoring a child in need from any country is a worthy cause and personal decision.
Here are some things about FoNR to consider:
- When you sponsor a child in Africa, you help an entire family out of poverty. With financial support and personal encouragement, students have the opportunity to transform not only their life but the lives of an entire family.
- FoNR focuses on children living in the slums of Nairobi – we are providing what may be the only opportunity for these children to pull themselves and potentially their families out of poverty, and find a job in the formal economy.
- FoNR is tightly run. We have a minimal staff in the US and a volunteer Board of Directors, which keeps overhead costs to a minimum, so your gift goes a long way in Kenya.
- Friends of Ngong Road’s all-in cost to support each child for one year is about $200/month while the sponsorship is only $100/month. Our additional fundraising efforts throughout the year help us raise the additional $100/month per student required for holistic support.
- What are the results of your program on the students’ lives?
At FoNR there are tangible results that make our organization stand out amongst other non-profit organizations:- 93% of our students complete primary school compared to the Kenya average of 77%
- 86% complete secondary school compared to 42% in Kenya (83% in the US)
- 84% of students who start a post-secondary program graduate
- 96% Of our students who completed a post-secondary program are either employed or in internship that we believed will lead to employment. This compares 62.6% employment in Kenya and an estimated only 13.35% employment for young people in Kenya.
- What makes FoNR different from other nonprofits?
FoNR is different from other charitable organizations because you get to connect one-on-one with your student and know specifically who your donation is helping. You get to be a part of your student’s life and educational journey as well as have the opportunity to meet them in Kenya if you wish.
- What are the primary reasons you have such great results?
- We partnered with experts such as Dr. Isabela Stefla from Tulane University to understand the answer to this question more deeply. She conducted interviews with approximately 50 students and members of staff in Kenya. She identified some of the key aspects of our success:
- This program surrounds students with a community that both keeps them accountable and provides the necessary support.
- This program provides support above and beyond school fees. For example, when children are hungry, they don’t do well in school, so we feed them. They are also enrolled in numerous age-appropriate social and personal development programs. You can read more here: https://ngongroad.org/program/
- We teach them life skills to develop self-awareness, an understanding of the careers available, and solid interviewing skills.
- We partnered with experts such as Dr. Isabela Stefla from Tulane University to understand the answer to this question more deeply. She conducted interviews with approximately 50 students and members of staff in Kenya. She identified some of the key aspects of our success:
- How are children chosen to be in the program?
- The students in our program need to meet certain requirements. They are chosen through a selection process, including test scores, recommendations, and in-home visits. More information at https://ngongroad.org/program/admission-criteria/
- Will I be this child’s only sponsor?
- Yes. A student you sponsor will only be matched with you (and your family). Once you are matched with a student, their profile will no longer be visible on the website.
- Yes. A student you sponsor will only be matched with you (and your family). Once you are matched with a student, their profile will no longer be visible on the website.
- How will I know if I’m helping this child?
- One of our highest priorities is to facilitate a relationship between sponsor and student. Through our Sponsor/Student portal, you will receive assessments from our local case managers, school grades, and letters from your student. You can send quick notes back to the student and even record and receive brief videos. Communicating with each other is a wonderful way to get to know your student, hear how they are doing, and provide ongoing encouragement.
- One of our highest priorities is to facilitate a relationship between sponsor and student. Through our Sponsor/Student portal, you will receive assessments from our local case managers, school grades, and letters from your student. You can send quick notes back to the student and even record and receive brief videos. Communicating with each other is a wonderful way to get to know your student, hear how they are doing, and provide ongoing encouragement.
- How long does my sponsorship last?
- We recruit students to the program at about age 10, and they are in school for 10-12 years. We ask that, if you are able, you continue with them through the entire process. That said, we understand circumstances can change, and if you need to stop your sponsorship, we will do our best to identify a new sponsor for them.
- The child stays in the program regardless of their sponsorship status. Fortunately, most sponsors choose to remain in the program with their students until graduation; the length of that time depends on the student’s grade when the sponsorship relationship begins. When a student is finished with the program, we encourage sponsors to help transform another student’s life.
- If you feel 10-12 years of sponsorship is not something you can commit to, you can still make a monthly donation to our Scholarship Fund which allows donors to have a direct impact on students by paying for the education fees of students who don’t have sponsors.
- How can I involve my family in sponsorship?
- We encourage the whole family to be involved in the student’s progress. Each member of the family is encouraged to write (or send a video) to the student. Note, we do not split sponsorship fees, or have multiple logins to the portal, so family members will need to share portal access.
- Sponsorship is also a great way to give the gift of education to a younger family member. Often parents or grandparents will pay for the sponsorship of a student and have their child correspond with the sponsored student. This is an excellent way to engage the next generation of givers and form an understanding of the global community.
- Does FoNR own or manage the schools?
- FoNR does not own or manage the school; we partner with schools that have a demonstrated track record of academic success. In high school, students are assigned to specific single-gender boarding schools by the government based on their performance in exams. Read more here: https://ngongroad.org/program/education/
- Are there other ways to help besides sponsorship?
Absolutely!- If 10-12 years of sponsorship isn’t the right fit for your life, but you want a monthly donation to go directly to students’ education, you can still make a smaller monthly donation or one-time gift to our Scholarship Fund which allows you to have a direct impact on students by paying for the education fees of those who don’t have sponsors.
- Sponsorship contributions cover almost 40% of our annual operating costs but additional funds are needed to help cover student support costs: