It Takes a Village: How Strong Communities Help Protect and Promote Education
The Power of Education
Education is a powerful driver of personal, social, and economic growth and progress. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identify quality education as an empowerment tool to reduce inequalities, achieve gender equality, and promote health, sustainability, and social cohesion. At COCE, we believe that education is a powerful tool for transforming lives, which is why it remains the cornerstone of COCE’s mission, heart, and impact.
In Kenya, education is viewed as one of the few avenues available for people to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Despite this, the country faces a learning crisis, with disproportionately low enrollment and attendance rates and high dropout rates. In 2016, Kenya’s primary school entrance rate was nearly 100%, and the secondary school entrance rate was 70%, yet only 84% of students completed primary school and 57% completed secondary school. Across Sub‑Saharan Africa, an estimated 23 million adolescents leave school due to poverty, teenage pregnancy, and health challenges.
While dropout prevention remains essential to improving education outcomes in Kenya, re‑entry support is equally critical. For students experiencing chronic absenteeism, returning to school must be seen as a viable, supported, and stigma‑free option. COCE works to promote a community culture that encourages school re‑entry, welcomes learners back into the classroom, and promotes persistence in completing education as a shared community responsibility.
Protective Factors for Education and Re-entry
In Pediatrics International’s “Factors Influencing School Re‑Entry Among Adolescents in Kenya,” researchers conducted in‑depth interviews and observations with 9 adolescents and 140 adult stakeholders in Mbitia Sub‑County to understand the social, cultural, and structural factors shaping school re‑entry among adolescents experiencing chronic absenteeism in Sub‑Saharan Africa.
Within the study, the majority of protective factors regarding school re-entry are rooted in community. These protective factors include: community norms on the importance of school, mutual support networks among community members, linkage of community and school, and community members’ awareness and support of children within the community. Other protective factors include guardian’s positive image of education, support provided to guardian and absentee, individual support at school, and fear of punishment for absenteeism by family or community members.
The importance of Community and the Library for Sijowa
The conducted study highlights the complex realities faced by Kenyan youth and the need for community-driven approaches that promote returning to school as a viable option. COCE works alongside community members in Busia County, donors, students, volunteers, and staff to create meaningful, community-based solutions for the complex issues facing Kenyan schoolchildren.
The Library for Sijowa aims to provide a safe space to enrich, empower, and educate children from Sijowa and surrounding villages in Busia County, Kenya. Through programming and improving access to resources, it will serve as a central hub to help students and community members break barriers and achieve their dreams. But while the Library focuses on providing resources, that’s not its only purpose: it will serve as a community hub, strengthening community ties and involvement and promoting a culture of literacy that will empower students, adults, families, and communities for years to come.
Ways to Get Involved
Interested in contributing to meaningful work by supporting education and Kenyan youth? COCE Kenya may have a volunteer opportunity that aligns with your skills and interest. Please contact us at outreach@cocekenya.org to learn more and explore the ways you can get involved!
You can also join us as a continued changemaker in our efforts to support Kenyan children in their educational pursuits through one-time or monthly donations. Through ongoing generosity, our monthly donors help sustain COCE’s mission by providing consistent support for educational and health services that empower the Western Kenya community. Your support will have a direct and lasting impact on educational access in Busia County. To become a monthly donor, you can set up a recurring payment through PayPal or GlobalGiving. Donations can also be made through Zelle at info@cocekenya.org or by check: COCE Kenya, PO Box 14902, Houston, TX, 77221 USA