Every year, money set aside for school fees goes unused. Not because nobody needed it, but because families did not know it existed, applied late, or sent a form with a missing signature. Fee support is real, but it rewards the organised.
Start with what is closest. Ward and constituency bursary funds open at set times each year, usually around the start of a term, and county governments run their own. Many banks, churches, foundations and companies also offer scholarships for secondary and college students. A head teacher or guidance teacher usually knows which ones are open.
Get the paperwork ready before the window opens. Most applications ask for the same things: the student’s birth certificate, the parent or guardian’s ID, the latest report card, a fee statement from the school, and a short letter explaining the family’s situation. Keep copies of all of these in one envelope so you are never scrambling.
Write the letter plainly. Say who the student is, what they are studying, what the fees are, and what has changed at home. One honest page beats three pages of pleading.
Apply to more than one. Bursaries rarely cover the full amount, and several small awards can add up to a full year.
Our Take a Child to School program helps families in Kibera find open bursaries, fill in forms and follow up. If fees are the reason a child in your house is at home this term, write to info@kibrayouthnetwork.org.
