We’re excited to share an update on the development of our partnership project to reach even more young people, multiply the impact of our programmes and increase our sustainability.

Scalability

We have an ambitious vision for scaling our impact over the next 4 years (2023-26), focused on supporting technical vocational training institutions across Kenya to replicate our Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.

We will provide the TVET partner’s senior leadership team and teachers with free training and 6 months of peer mentorship to implement the added-value elements of the Seed of Hope programme which make it so impactful – including our counselling and life skills modules, and recommendations of practical support that could be offered such as food, childcare vouchers and packs of period products, depending on their budget. 

This will enable partner institutions to improve enrolment numbers and the training provision they are already offering by addressing barriers to education. This will increase educational outcomes and employment opportunities for young people in Kenya – and provides a more sustainable option than building and running more centres ourselves.

Development of the project by October 2023

Seed of Hope Programme Manager, Florence Olwenge, has been working with experts to formalise the Seed of Hope added-value curriculum which partners will be trained on. The process has progressed well and the curriculum’s first draft is currently under review of Ministry of Health officials for both the mental health and the reproductive health and rights components. Our Kenyan partner, Raising Futures Kenya NGO, aim to have this review completed by the end of October 2023.

“This curriculum is more than just a set of lessons; it’s a dynamic roadmap empowering our partners to deliver transformative solutions. Training others with this curriculum amplifies our impact ensuring a ripple effect of positive change across the community.” – Florence Olwenge, Seed of Hope Programme Manager

The first meeting with potential stakeholders took place at Seed of Hope Nairobi on 27th September 2023. This included a representation of 6 vocational training institutions and one NGO working with an umbrella of technical trainers in both the formal education and vocational education sector. From this initial meeting, Mary Mwangi and Florence Olwenge were able to present the model that Raising Futures Kenya NGO would like to implement to partner with the institutions – the group were very receptive and added very valuable thoughts and ideas on how we can make the scaling model even better. From this group, Mary and Florence will pick the first 3 institutions to pilot the programme with in the first quarter of 2024. The NGO partner will be a support system as they have also worked with the institutions in terms of impact measurement and extra training requirements.

Update: Completion of first pilot training cohort – May 2024

The first cohort of the Seed of Hope Partnership pilot training concluded on 26th April 2024. Trainees were presented with training manuals to guide them in their implementation. Participating institutions, including Olympic Vocational Training Centre and St. Charles Lwanga Vocational Training Centre, both located in Kibra, along with Smart Computer Training Center in Ngando, were fully equipped for implementation.

“However, our commitment extends beyond mere training sessions. We are dedicated to ensuring that the knowledge imparted through this program spreads in every corner of these institutions. To achieve this goal, we will work hand in hand with the trained staff to ensure they facilitate the knowledge among their colleagues, who will then impart it to the students. Looking ahead, we anticipate reconvening in June to gather feedback on the training manual and the covered topics. We remain open to suggestions for any additions or adjustments deemed necessary by the participants.” – Florence Olwenge