\jee-teh-geh-máy\ v [Swahili : sustain yourself] : empowering street children through education.
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School fees, now abolished at the elementary school level, are not the only barrier to success in school for a child from an impoverished family. Hunger, embarrassment about inadequate clothing and shoes, and a lack of books have caused many children to leave school prematurely. Jitegemee is committed to helping children overcome all the obstacles that interfere with success in school.
At a cost of roughly $100 per child per year, Jitegemee provides books, school uniforms, shoes, food, tuition/tutoring, exam fees and emergency medical care for former street children in elementary school. Many are performing at the top of their class.
At a cost of roughly $500 per child per year, Jitegemee provides board, school fees and tutoring for Jitegemee scholars who have earned admittance to the region.s first and second tier schools. In addition to secondary school students, Jitegemee also supports a number of homeless elementary-school-aged children in boarding schools.
Jitegemee also strives to provide the intangible support that keeps destitute children going to school in the most difficult of circumstances, including a sense of community, counseling and guidance, health education and medical care, tutoring for exams and educational field trips.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING Rationale
In January 2003, Kenya introduced free and compulsory education for children under 14, and schools throughout Kenya experienced a huge influx of young students. This policy change has been a welcome development for many young children. But it had a downside: many drop-in centers throughout Kenya that had served street children have closed, leaving no place for children over fourteen to eat lunch and spend their days. Many of these older children, too old for primary school, were left with no alternative but to return to the streets.
Recognizing that these children are falling through the cracks, Jitegemee has dramatically expanded our vocational program to serve more of these kids.
Jitegemee is determined to provide the support children need to become self-sufficient. We provide young people with hands-on work experience in trades of their choosing, as well as access to capital for tools, that are essential to self-sufficiency.
PHASE ONE:
During the first phase of the Jitegemee vocational program, our scholars complete a five-month pre-vocational rehabilitation program. Our students learn basic math and literacy, business education, communication skills, self esteem and .living values. health education. The curriculum emphasizes punctuality, honesty, cleanliness, and the importance of giving back to the community, with the goal of creating a cohesive community of responsible, able young people.
This phase ends with a weeklong workshop for both the youth and their guardians which introduces them to various trades, conducted by qualified tradespeople with the assistance of the Undugu Society, a well-respected organization with a successful vocational program based in Nairobi.
PHASE TWO:
During the next phase, each scholar works for over a year learning the trade he or she has chosen to pursue. As apprentices to local tradespeople . carpenters, welders, mechanics, tailors and hairdressers, to name just a few . the vocational students are involved in the actual practice of the trade and they learn the folkways that govern professional behavior. During this year, Jitegemee students continue to meet every day for a hearty lunch, as well as once a week with Jitegemee staff for continued business skills training, .living values. education and mutual support. Many year earn a commission on their labor during this year, and gain valuable experience serving customers.
Here's a recent slideshow with pictures of the vocational training and the students (opens in a new window).
PHASE THREE:
Once the internship is completed, Jitegemee provides experienced vocational trainees with the help that they need to go into business for themselves. Each student has access to a set of start-up tools, and as they begin to earn money from their trades, Jitegemee staff will assist them to save money to purchase their own tools. Vocational students know that they must be prepared to teach the skills they have mastered to the next generation of Jitegemee students.
CREATING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND PRIDE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
Children from all our programs come together daily at lunch time to eat, play, and assist each other. Jitegemee is housed in a compound near the center of Machakos town which has classrooms, offices, a kitchen and room for a library and a computer learning center. The children have helped outfit this space with chairs built by carpentry students. Some of the beautiful clothing made by students learning knitting and tailoring are on display. Jitegemee also hosts a parents group, which plans income-generating activities, such as cooperative farming or poultry production.
Jitegemee also builds a sense of community by hosting a Children's Day of awards and recognition once a year, and educational field trips to the National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi as well as overnight camping retreats to places like Mombasa, Nakuru and Naivasha that have introduced children to the natural wonders of Kenya.
411A HIGHLAND AVE. #171 SOMERVILLE, MA 02144, USA
BOX 1100, MACHAKOS, KENYA | Phone: 254-734-768-706
email: info at jitegemee.org