CES Canada
Fights Poverty in Kenya
CES Canada is a small NGO
working in rural Kenya. Its goal is to alleviate poverty through the provision
of education, water, health and nutrition. CES believes that lack
of education is a key element when addressing the core roots of poverty. The path to economic freedom lies in the ability of people
to be educated and to make choices and investments within their
means. A top down government regulatory approach has been
proven wanting in countries that cannot or will not provide quality
education for all. The way out of the quagmire of poverty is from the
bottom up, in small villages, communities and urban centers across each county
where education and health are given equal priority with large scale
national economic development strategies in place.
Before asking how poverty eradication is best
pursued, the question of what poverty means is critical. Poverty is more than a
lack of income. According to the United Nations, the accepted benchmark for
income alone is $1.25/day. However,
simply increasing income above $1.25/day will not create long term
sustainability. People living in poverty are vulnerable. They need more than an
infusion of funding.
Effective poverty eradication strategies need
to recognize the interconnections between various aspects of poverty. Poverty is
made up of factors that together deprive people of their rights and freedoms.
Malnutrition, poor sanitation, lack of clean water and no electricity are daily
reminders of what people in rural Kenya face. These realities reflect the
realities of poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards,
environmental degradation, gender discrimination, violence and lack of access
to justice.
The HIV/Aids pandemic has produced the phenomena of “children raising children” and “grandmothers raising children.” There are 1.2 million orphaned children under the age of 19 years living in Kenya; most cannot pay the school fees necessary to attend school. CES Canada’s scholarship program includes paying tuition and providing basic healthcare and nutrition for 300 secondary school students. Daily feeding programs, improved sanitation through Wash In Schools Program (UNICEF), access to clean water, PAD feminine hygiene education and provision of treated anti-malaria mosquito nets help each student to become brighter, better learners – all this for under $1/day.
CES Canada is involved in a “seven-fold”
strategy where needy orphaned students receive scholarships and support in
their education. This means that on average one CES graduate will help seven
others to achieve their education. Families and communities are strengthened as
these Kenyan youth find ways to rise above the grinding poverty they face.
