Optiven Foundation receives 3 visitors. Daniel Solai , Agnes Solai and their daughter Leah Solai.
They reside in Kajiado County, Seuli Village. They have four Children, first born is in form 3 at Kijabe girls high School, Second born is in form 2 also at Kijabe girls, third born in class four and their last born in class one at a primary school in the neighborhood.This day they visit us because of Leah Solai, who is currently at home because she is in need of school fees. We get curious to know why they need our help and this is the reason.
Them, being a pastoralist community, the Maasai’s, they rely on livestock to get their livelihoods. There has been no rains for three subsequent periods and this has led to drought periods and obvious losses in yields in both crop and livestock production.
Currently, they have to sell a goat and purchase hay to feed the livestock which is becoming expensive and unsustainable for them. They are not able to get good market for their livestock since they are weak and thus being bought at a throw away price. The productivity levels of the livestock has also gone down and this has affected their cash flows a reason they have not been able to raise enough money to pay school fees for Leah.
Leah Solai is a very bright girl. She scored 394 out of 500 marks in her KCPE examination. She was enrolled at Kijabe girls and in her Form 1 3rd term; she had attained a mean grade of B+. She wants to join the University of Nairobi and pursue Electrical Engineering. Her favorite subjects are Mathematics and Physics. While talking to her, she was shedding tears when she imagined that she has missed some lessons. She is a girl who has her dreams clearly set and only lack of school fees is keeping her from achieving them.
As Optiven Foundation, we were able to write her a Cheque of Ksh. 10,000 to enable her go back to school. She promised to continue working smart to get a mean grade of A. She was bold enough to request us to visit her in school and see how much she is working hard which we agreed that we will plan.
Leah, is one more case of a bright girl who needs support. Having been disadvantaged by the economic conditions, she should not be out of school but we can join hands and keep her in school. And this is a call to anyone out there willing to be a blessing to Leah to liaise with us and we will link them up and Leah will be on her way to becoming the Engineer she wants to be.
