When we began our work in Chipulukusu at the beginning of 2009, most of the children in our project had either dropped out of school or never enrolled.  Families in the community live in dire poverty, averaging less than one meal a day, and scrape by on what little produce or charcoal they can afford to buy and resell each day.  Girls are forced into early marriages, and prostitution is common as the residents try to escape the starvation and poverty.

When the children's caretakers (mothers, aunties, grandmas and other women) were asked what their greatest priority was as we began our work, they chose the education of their children over food or clean water.  By September 7, 2009, the first day of the school year, nearly all the school-aged children had been outfitted with uniforms, shoes, socks, backpacks and books.

We now need ongoing funds to pay school fees every three months, so that we can keep up momentum and enroll the younger children as they reach school-age.  Fees will also increase as more children enter high school and as the younger children turn six years old and are ready to enroll (needing uniforms, books, backpacks and pencils)..  Not only does education give children hope of a better life for themselves and their families, it also keeps them occupied productively during the day and helps educate them about the important issues of their communities, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS prevention.