Affecto Foundation is fighting poverty through education. It offers an opportunity to students from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds, who perform well in their primary school-leaving examinations, to pursue and nurture their dreams. We believe that changing and influencing an improvement in their own and their family’s future.

The ripple effect of educating and empowering students every year is lifting families and communities out of poverty. However, access to quality education requires a substantial amount in fees for tuition, uniform, transport costs and books. In contrast, the students’ families often struggle to make a living and afford a day’s meal. Affecto supports gifted students – called Affecto Stars – from families struggling to afford the costs of education to enable students to have a greater chance to improve the lives of their families and community at large and encourage students to be transformative agents in their community.

Global research shows that with every extra year in school, someone’s income and health increases. The Space for Stars is about establishing the Affecto Leadership and Innovation Centre. The first step for space for stars is securing land to be able to build the centre. All donations made will go towards obtaining land for the project. The ripple effect of educating and empowering students every year cannot be underestimated. Students will make a change for their families and communities once they graduated.

The Space for Stars is about establishing the Affecto Leadership and Innovation Centre. In comparison, current costs are 165,000 Ksh (or €1,269) per student per year.

The first step for space for stars is securing land to be able to build the centre. All donations made will go towards securing land for the project. Soon after we shall have fencing done all around. Then the project begins.

To be able to buy the land we’ll need a total of Ksh7,000,000 (or €53,833).

Affecto had to change plans, because the target amount to secure land to build their own school wasn’t achieved by far. The amount goal was too optimistic for iMPACT direct’s starting status. So they will raise funds locally for the land and building – something they are really good at – and use these donations for the student’s school fees.

Lives improved

Changes we observe in the students we support include:

• Self belief- Our beneficiaries are increasingly appreciating who they are and positively embracing their diversity.
• Determination- With enhanced engagements, acquired skills, they are showing more focus in their desire to change their poverty story.
• Happier community- They are used to pity. Either with themselves or from outsiders. Now they are wearing their badge of challenges with pride and courage.

The long term impact of educating this group of young, intelligent, talented and ambitious students will empower them to break out of their poverty stricken backgrounds.

Affecto will also have created a generation of selfless society who will see the benefits of pulling their resources together to help the less fortunate in their societies.

Affecto decided to use the €297 of donations through iMPACT direct to top up the school fees fund for our 86 students whom we fully sponsor their education in the various schools across the country.

Follow up

Although it’s too early to already talk about our impact – as we focus on long-term results; improving the loves of the students and their families by education – we monitor our impact as follows:

• The number of students enrolling to our ‘Watoto Wasome’ program each year from all 47 counties in Kenya.
• The number of students in Watoto Wasome program successfully transitioning into the job market.
• The number of students in Watoto Wasome program becoming selfsustainable through self-employment.
• The number of students absorbed in government or organization key in driving policies that are instrumental in alleviating poverty in the country.