Alumni Kenya

We work with Public Schools in Kenya. With the introduction of compulsory free primary education in 2003 and free day secondary school in 2018, the Kenyan Government and parents are still unable to fully cater to the complete knowledge of each child outside of tuition. Most public
schools' lack of access to psychosocial support, co-curricular activities, and learning facilities is currently overstretched.

Our work aims to reduce the scarcity of positive role models and limited exposure to upward-mobile successful adults by engaging alumni.

Research shows that nearly half of pupils from the poorest backgrounds don't know anyone in a job they would like to do, so when choosing careers, the majority end up making uninformed choices. Low academic motivation and achievement have been attributed significantly to this scarcity. Meeting former students helps to change this by boosting confidence and motivation and furthering the transformation of their lives. Students may not find relevance in the accomplishments of eminently successful persons whose experiences may be regarded as extraordinary and quite different from theirs. Evidence shows that they are more likely to receive messages better from those they recognize as similar to them.

Alumni Engagement in Public Primary school (ages 6-14 Years ) promote better insights into different career paths through alumni mentorship and career coaching, thus improving school-to-work transition.

A culture of alumni community building exists in Kenya but the practice is sporadic and professional support is virtually non-existent. Communities, therefore, exist as loose social networks rather than purpose-driven groups that can mobilize to support young Kenyans through the school-to-work transition.

We leverage this desire of alumni to give back and reconnect with their alma mater. We identify, train, and support alumni leaders in establishing alumni communities for their alma maters. We then provide them with the tools, networks, and opportunities for engagement with the schools.

Impact

More Alumni mobilized as a resource base to provide relatable role models, mentorship, career guidance, and sponsorship to students and inject financially
and governance capital in Public Schools.

Longterm

Strengthen the Public Education system by unlocking much-needed Social, Financial and Governance Capital.

Outcomes

• Improved Education Outcomes

• Students are supported with the school-work transitions.

• Schools access resources–Alumni Giving.

• We have improved accountability and governance in Schools.

Output

• Capacity Building existing alumni network.

• Umbrella Alumni Association Operationalized.

Activities

• Implementation of an alumni database
• Demonstrate the direct impact that alumni communities can have in supporting schools to work transitions, particularly amongst girls and less affluent groups.
• Supporting the creation of alumni networks.

We are level 3 on the NESTA Scale. We can demonstrate that schools that are supported by an engaged alumni community have better grades and higher transition to high schools.
Schools supported by alumni also have access to resources that their counterparts do not have access to.

Number of students accessing alumni-centred mentorship
and career services.

• Alumni networks active in the alumni management system.
• The number of schools supported in thriving alumni networks.
• Amount of donations channelled to the public education system from alumni giving.

To strengthen the Kenyan Public Education System through the direct and indirect involvement of alumni in their respective alma maters.

Every data point we have collected over the last decade demonstrates a ripe environment for mass alumni activity in Public Schools.

During the course of the LEAP Project, we hope to answer the following questions?

1. Is there an educational value to engaging public school alumni?

2. Can we demonstrate access to relatable role models impacts education outcomes and transitions.

Hosting a LEAP Fellow would enhance our scaling through Government Model. We will be in a position to make a case for mass alumni activity in Kenyan Schools.