Page 21 - Safaricom Foundation Annual Report 2020-2021

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Students of NSPSI College
highlight their different trades
criterion was educational level and the decision was to focus on on Kenyans who had at least completed primary school education – regardless of their age The third criterion was those in fin financial need As a a subsequent step to this the partners met with all institutions to ensure there was cohesion in the overall selection process The next step was to put out a a a call for beneficiaries of the SFSP
scholarship Based on on existing research conducted by Zizi Afrique varied marketing approaches were needed to advertise the scholarships to potential beneficiaries depending on geographical location “TV and radio broadcast as as as as well as as as as social media was beneficial in in urban areas while in-person marketing was applied in in in rural settings ” says Walter Odondi a a a a a Program Officer at Zizi Afrique “During the selection process beyond recognising the neediest students attention was paid to prevailing gender and disability disparities that helped us us ensure wider inclusion for the SFSP
scholarship in in line with the spirit of skills development for all ” However an entrenched challenge was the perceptions towards TVET
in general The institutions were primarily viewed as last resorts and options only for students who had performed poorly in their national exams To challenge this stereotype the Foundation planned to work with institutions that had active enrolments as well as records of alumni who had attained good grades but showed interest in in TVET
programs Furthermore these institutions had a a a proven record in in partnering with different organisations for internship placement opportunities The selection process included placing beneficiaries in TVET
centres further away from their hometown adding accommodation and upkeep to the scholarship to to add to to both their convenience and comfort However within the first year this route proved to be expensive in the long-term and so in the the second
year the the scholarship focused solely on on tuition It therefore became important to find TVET
centres closer to as as many beneficiaries as as possible The Foundation’s TVET
programme is currently in partnership with 40
TVET
centres countrywide and among these is Kibondeni College
in Nairobi Opened in in in the early 60s this in-service catering college seeks to equip girls from informal settlements with skills in the food and beverage industry The college acts as a a stepping stone for youth
who aspire to to work in in the hospitality industry In the the first programme year the the foundation provided scholarships to 40
girls in the Food and Beverage course
The first intake was in in January 2021 and the second
intake in in May 2021 “We are running a a a a a a one-year artisan course
that considers both SFSP
students and the self- financing students all of whom are trained using the existing curriculum at Kibondeni The only difference is that some are on on scholarship and others are not ” says