Education

In many Sub-Saharan African countries, such as Kenya, primary education is almost free. However, secondary education is not even close to being free. To attend four-years of secondary school, usually ages 13 to 18, students must complete primary school and pass national exams. Cost of secondary education is very expensive for most. In Kenya, the average annual cost is about $500, or $42 a month. With less than $ 1.00 per day to live on ($365 for a year), $500 a year for secondary school is way too much for an orphaned teen.

STARS Children Africa steps in to meet this need by providing scholarships to orphans who have been accepted to secondary schools. Once we commit, we support each of the STARS for the four years of secondary education. And, they also commit to maintain a ‘C’ or higher grade average and to be mentored by our local partners. (For some STARS, mentoring is daily; for others it can only be during school term breaks. In Kenya, the school year opens in late January and closes at the end of November. It is divided into three terms of about 12 weeks.) Our funds pay for tuition, fees, and other school costs including room and board and are administered by our trusted local partners.

Character Development

“Integrity is the glue that hold our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.” (Billy Graham). Character formation and education together develop dynamic leaders. Disappointments and broken promises are common for the STARS. To help them overcome these challenges and develop leadership, we work with trusted local partners who are caring mentors and help the STARS to develop characters of integrity. Mentors tutor, counsel, guide and provide life skills to nurture STARS as they help overcome emotional issues of abuse, fear, and stigma (e.g., AIDS) STARS may have experienced.

STARS may attend a local school and can receive daily guidance from our local partners as they live in group homes, supported from other sources. STARS may attend distant schools and live with extended relatives or in a community members. These STARS commit to attend an intensive two- week “Character Camp” during each of the three school breaks. Whether STARS are mentored daily or in Character Camps, our local partners creatively use approaches such as one-on-one, groups, older helping younger ones and other adults to instruct and mentor them them.

Character Camp

It was indeed wonderful and the most exciting time I have ever had with the students.” Pastor Joshua wrote in August. “They … repented … They accepted your forgiveness and my forgiveness.” What was going on at the two week Character Camp for the STARS that directly benefited 20 of them during their August school break?

The focus was on the key character traits of honesty and integrity. Pastor Joshua and his wife, Abigael, led the sessions and modeled their application, critical for the STARS orphaned through traumatic life experiences and who often lack role models. Such Camps instill Christian-based principles through lessons and mentoring. This Camp’s outcome was 20 changed hearts and 20 refreshed attitudes for the final trimester.

Read, in Pastor Joshua’s own word how Character Camp renewed the STARS.

“Greetings with love from Miwani Kenya.

My tongue is tight with words. I lack words to narrate the joy I have received from the STARS presence with us. They are in summary very transformed… Tomorrow and on Wednesday, they will go back and I will miss them a lot.

Fredrick – Things changed in my life and I was able to live in peace with all my neighbours.

George – I have gained a remarkable confidence in my life and I can now speak with no fear.

Derrick – Joy unspeakable is full in my heart, bitterness with people gone….

Jared – I could be greeted well at home after telling my testimonies. I used to very violent.

Modi – All my young brothers became my friends. It was hobby for me to beat them whenever I wanted because I wanted to exercise my powers. I asked for forgiveness.

Mackenon – When I entered home I prayed and my grandmother was surprised what happened. I never pray when I get home.

Elvas – This peace I have can’t be explained and I don’t feel comfortable with sin anymore.

Nancy – I feel like I am released from sickness; I could walk without knowing that I was sick. Now I am healed….

The list could go on….”

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Our Local Partners

STARS Children Africa’s local partners are respected community leaders who have established reputations for caring for orphans. Each one creates family-type relationships based on Biblical values. Frequently, the STARS will call them their ‘fathers and mothers’ and the mentors reciprocate calling the STARS their sons and daughters. In Kenya, one local partner is based about 20 miles from Kisumu, Kenya’s third largest city, in poor but potentially wealthy rice and sugar cane lands, with STARS in 26 secondary schools. Another local partner with STARS in four secondary schools is in two locations: Kenya’s fourth largest city of Nakuru in the Rift Valley and the small town of Makindu, about two hours south of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

The team of Pastor Joshua and his wife, Abigael, based in Miwani mentor over 50 STARS. Read their story in “An Orphan Serving Orphans”

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An Orphan Serving Orphans – Pastor Joshua Atieno

I am an orphan, but I am the son of the most high God. I am from the most western province of Kenya around beautiful Lake Victoria, but it is the poorest. Yet, I believe that I am one of His leaders to serve His sons and daughters.

At age 5, my drug addicted parents divorce. My father marries 10 widows before dieing and my mother remarries, but she takes neither my sister nor me with her. We live with my grandmother, but she dies when I am only 10 and my sister is 12. Pressured, my sister marries as the fourth wife of a much older man.

My headmaster knows my situation. He takes me in for a year to finish Primary 8 and to qualify for secondary school. However, he cannot afford to send his own children and me to secondary school because of the cost of secondary school fees.

I find my Mom. I am amazed that she hugs me and says to stay with her. As her son from a prior marriage, our culture says that her husband does not have to accept me; he may try to kill me. However, my new stepfather tells me that he is a Christian and to stay with them.

I happily move in and Mom sacrifices to pay for my school fees. About two years peacefully pass. However, on December 7, 1980, as I am finishing my second year at secondary school, Mom passes away. I cry out questioning God; I feel that I have lost everything.

I approach the priest who buries my Mom about my situation. He gives me a letter to take to the Anglican Headquarters; they agree to pay my school fees for one year. I also receive funds from the Rotary Club that is enough to pay school fees and to rent a place in Kisumu City for two years to complete secondary school.

After secondary school, I pass exams to teach primary school, but I desire to learn and earn more. I enter teacher’s training college but feel very lonely. Friends suggest that I marry, but I do not even know how to approach a woman.

My solace is the college chapel to pray to God to give me a wife. At the same time, my wife, Abigael, also prays to God for her husband. One day, I write her a simple note, “You are such a great woman. Blessed is the man who will marry you.” I call her to follow up, but she does not like my approach. She suspiciously asks, “Are you serious?” I am afraid, but I insist that I am very serious. I am so glad when she accepts my proposal and we marry! We teach in the same school and God blesses us with a child every year for the first five years.

God also shows me that we are to care for orphans and Abigael readily agrees. God gives us two orphans and then two more in our small, crowded home. God shows me a vision of the inside of an airplane going to America to study. Soon, an evangelist comes and tells me about Zion Bible College in Rhode Island, USA.

I receive a scholarship to study there and I book an air ticket. Initially, I do not receive the visa and I feel very discouraged, but the same night God shows that I should gather more documents and appeal the denial. I succeed and depart. However, my studies at Zion Bible College last for only a year as funds dried up. Then, God opens a way to transfer to study at Eastern College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In Kenya, Abigael cares for both our family and our ministry to orphans and widows with funds that I send. We both are faithful to each other; she in Kenya for six years as I study in America. Each of us hears rumors that the other remarries. By God’s grace, we persevere. Many women cannot do it; Abigael is truly a gift of God! We now see how the challenges prepared us for our current ministries.

God provided money to build a church and an orphanage. In November 2005, I pray for God to provide funds to send our orphanage’s five older children to secondary school. If I was unable to send them to school, the world would mock me.

To this day, I do not know how God moved Brother Ken of STARS Children Africa to find me and to sponsor the five children. Ken also asks if I know of more qualified worthy children to sponsor to go to secondary school. Aware of many desperate cases, I say that there are 50 more of them. I am amazed that Ken agrees and at God’s faithfulness. I prayed for only five children, and yet God provided 10 times more, 50 children to go to secondary schools.

Sponsoring over 50 teens in 26 different secondary schools students gave recognition to St. Luke’s Ministry, including from the local Member of Parliament. Head Masters (Principals) say that the STARS influenced one of them to sponsor an orphan in his school. We are told that no other church sponsors as many students. They not only come from the majority tribe of Luo, but also from the tribes of Kisii and Kalenjin.

My wife, Abigael, and I were mentoring several orphans such as Derrick Omondi and Velma Atieno who came to St. Luke’s with no hope. Now, we mentor 55 to develop their character, especially two weeks of each of the three major school holidays.

I strongly believe that these STARS and more will become future ministers, presidents, members of Parliament, and chiefs. In ten to twenty years, with help of people like Ken and STARS Children Africa to raise up educated leaders with Biblical character, I believe that Kenya will become one of the “stars” in Africa.

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