PROJECTS

School Uniforms
(Ongoing)
Although primary education is free in Kenya, students must have a uniform in order to attend school. This can be particularly challenging for families that are already severely compromised by poverty. At times, it is the deciding factor as to whether or not their child can attend school.

Providing school uniforms to the orphans attending Mercy Children's Centre schools is an ongoing commitment for us. Beyond regular 'wear-and-tear', students newly admitted to the Bumala and Kawangware schools every January are also in need of uniforms.

To learn more about the importance of school uniforms, read the article below (which also appeared in our March 2009 newsletter).

Article:

Isn’t a School Uniform a Waste of Money?

One thing that stood out for me during my first visit to Kenya was how all the children attending school wore a uniform. Not knowing much about the education system in Kenya, I felt that a request by Mercy Children Centre for uniforms went against my better judgement, especially at $50 per uniform for a growing student population. I wondered, "If these children are living in poverty, why do they need a uniform? Might donor money go to better use on something of greater necessity?" My curiosity got the best of me and one day I asked Charles, the director of Mercy Children Centre, what it meant for the children to wear a uniform. I was glad I asked, for I was quite enlightened by his response.

Students of Mercy Children Centre
(June 2008)

This grandmother has to choose
which among her grandchildren
can attend school.
(February 2009)

Charles informed me that although education in Kenya is free up to Class 7, children cannot attend school unless they possess a uniform and purchase their own texts. This was a surprise to me and it sensitized me to how such a requirement could quickly render basic education inaccessible to many families living in poverty—some living on less than $2 a day. I couldn't fathom the decision a family might be faced with, realizing that the purchase of a uniform so their child could attend school would likely be at the expense of some other necessity. In some cases, I learned that families had to choose which among their several children they could afford to send school.

I also learned about the importance of school identity. All schools in Kenya require uniforms, allowing students to proudly show their colours at special events, for example. Conversely, a child misbehaving in public could cast a small shadow on the school’s reputation—now easily identifiable by the uniform colours. Uniforms serve yet another function: enabling the quick identification of a child who may be in peril. Charles explained that a child that is injured or even abducted for labour purposes (which is all too common in areas of poverty) can be identified more quickly by the community and referenced back to the school due to the child's uniform. This is a practical intervention at a time when the school may be the only advocate for the child when their care taker is buried deep in the thick maze of rural pathways kilometres away from the school.

However, the reason in support of uniforms that got my attention the most was one that, in my naivety, I had not anticipated. Simply put, some children cannot afford clothes. This is when I learned that the majority of students attending Mercy Children Centre wear their uniform outside of school on weekends, as they have no other clothes. This was pause for thought…

I now understand the importance of school uniforms. I also believe that $50 to clothe a child for a year—and which makes them eligible to attend school—is truly a great deal. During this most recent visit, I saw many missing buttons, rips, stretched seams and faded fabric. As Charles invited me to dole out new uniforms to 40 lucky children, I felt a sense of pride. My misplaced suspicion around "misspent money" quickly dissipated.

Top left: Cristelle giving out uniforms;
Bottom right: Forty students proudly sporting their new
uniforms thanks to our donors.
(February 2009)

As each child was named, the room burst into applause. Each student made their way to the front of the room where I stooped down to give them their uniform. Then they discretely found a corner in the classroom to change into their new threads! The uniform ceremony only solidified for me that without you, our donors, many of these children would not be clothed. But it is more than clothing—it is about access to education, pride, belongingness, safety and, most importantly, knowing that someone cares. So I wish to thank all those who donated money for uniforms this year. And I hope you are inspired to continue contributing to the children's self-regard and dignity.

Written by:
Cristelle Audet
Co-managing Director
One Child's Village

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