Education & Skills Development
Education is a powerful ladder out of poverty – yet many children and youth in our target areas lack access to quality learning and skills. Aliyeik Initiative invests in education and skills development to enable the next generation to thrive. From early childhood education for orphans, to digital skills for youth, to mental health and life skills, our programs ensure that learning isn’t a privilege for a few, but a foundation for all.
Our education programs span formal schooling support, vocational training, and life skills coaching. We focus on marginalized groups – orphans, street children, school dropouts, and youth who missed out on opportunities. Key initiatives include:
- Community School & Literacy Programs: We run the Aliyeik Community Education Centre – a free primary school following Kenya’s curriculum, aimed at orphans and vulnerable children who cannot afford other schools. Currently operating in Marsabit, this school (often called Kipepeo Community Centre) provides a safe learning space for about 120 children, with volunteer teachers and caregivers ensuring a nurturing environment. We also conduct after-school reading programs in partnership with local public schools. Volunteers (local and international) help children improve their reading and English skills through one-on-one tutoring, library sessions, and reading clubs. By strengthening basic literacy, we give kids the tools to succeed academically and in life.
- Scholarships & Education Support: We believe bright children should not be held back by poverty. Through our Education Support Initiative, we sponsor school fees, uniforms, and supplies for orphans and vulnerable teens. So far, we have supported 16 students to continue their education through high school and into local polytechnics or colleges. These are young people who might otherwise have ended up on the streets – instead, they are now finishing Form Four or learning technical trades. In addition to financial support, we provide mentorship, guiding these youths on career choices and personal development.
- ICT & Digital Skills Training: Recognising the importance of technology in today’s world, Aliyeik Initiative offers free computer training to youths and women who could never afford a computer course. We established a small ICT centre in Marsabit town equipped with donated computers and internet access. Over the years, we have trained 5,000+ young people in basic computer packages (MS Office, internet use) and even some intermediate skills like graphic design and coding fundamentals. Trainees include recent school leavers, unemployed youths, and even primary school kids during school holidays. Many of our graduates have gone on to secure jobs as clerks, cyber café assistants, or started freelance work like typing and printing services. The ICT training not only improves employability, it also opens up the rural community to the wider world. We often see the amazement when a pastoralist youth sends their first email or connects to an online learning course. We are proud that at least 50% of our ICT trainees are young women, helping bridge the gender digital divide.
- Life Skills & Mental Health: Education isn’t just academic; it’s also about confidence, character, and coping skills. We integrate life skills and mental health awareness into all our youth programs. This includes workshops on communication, leadership, decision-making, and topics like reproductive health. We have partnered with mental health professionals to conduct counseling sessions and psychosocial support groups for youth, especially in Nairobi’s slums where depression and drug use can be prevalent. By providing a safe space to discuss stress, trauma, and mental wellbeing, we help young people build resilience and self-esteem. In Marsabit, we work with local counselors to address issues like trauma from conflict or loss due to drought. We’re also advocating to de-stigmatize mental health in the community – for example, training youth peer counselors who can support their friends and refer serious cases to professionals. Ensuring our participants have a “healthy mind” is a core part of our holistic approach.
- Marsabit Skills Centre (MSC): Looking to the future, we are in the process of constructing the Marsabit Skills Centre, a multipurpose community resource hub. This center will house a modern ICT lab, a library, classrooms for vocational courses (like carpentry, tailoring, and automotive mechanics), and a space for community forums. Although still under development, we have already begun some programs under the MSC banner by renting temporary halls: for instance, we launched a Youth Mentorship Bootcamp last year, where 40 young people learned employability skills (CV writing, interview practice), basic entrepreneurship, and received mental health coaching. The Skills Centre will significantly scale up such efforts. It will also serve as a hub for international volunteers who come to teach specialized skills – we’ve had volunteers from as far as Canada and Germany conduct short courses in photography and first aid through our partnership with organizations like VACK and Service Civil International. We anticipate the Marsabit Skills Centre will be fully operational by next year, greatly expanding local access to vocational education and information resources (including the area’s first public library).
Our education and skills programs have created pathways to opportunity for those who need it most. Children who had dropped out are back in class and excelling – for example, last year 3 of our sponsored students scored above 350 marks in their KCPE (primary exam) and secured admission to national secondary schools. The community school has improved literacy in its surrounding villages; teachers report that students who attended our reading clubs are more confident readers and perform better in English. Through ICT training, many youth have found jobs – we know of at least 200 alumni employed in various sectors where computer skills are required. Some have even started their own small enterprises like cyber cafés, offering services such as typing, printing, and MPesa transactions in remote trading centers. Every year, we see a growing interest in education among parents and youth as a result of our outreach. In a community where schooling was sometimes undervalued, more parents now seek to enroll their children, and youths approach us asking for the next computer class or life skills workshop. We have also observed positive social effects: our safe spaces and mentorship have kept many at-risk youth away from drugs and crime. Mental health awareness has led to the formation of support groups where young people discuss their challenges instead of suffering in silence. The upcoming Marsabit Skills Centre has already drawn excitement – local leaders anticipate it will become a cornerstone for talent development in the county. Overall, by unlocking the potential of each learner, we are witnessing ripple effects: educated, skilled youth are becoming role models and change agents in their communities.
Joseph, a 19-year-old from Marsabit, was unsure of his future after finishing Form 4. Jobs are scarce and he lacked the connections or money to go for further studies. He heard about Aliyeik’s free computer classes and enrolled. Joseph had never touched a computer before. “The first time I used a mouse, I was shaking!” he recalls with a laugh. But he soon gained confidence, learning typing, Word, Excel, and even a bit of coding. Our team noticed Joseph’s keen interest and arranged an internship for him at a local government office as an IT assistant. Joseph performed excellently – so much that the office hired him on contract after the internship. Now he earns a salary that supports him and his widowed mother. “Computer skills changed my life,” Joseph says. “I can feed my family and I’m not idle at home. I also teach my younger sister what I learned, so she can be ahead.” Joseph’s story is a powerful reminder that given a chance to learn, youth from even the most remote areas can shine. It fuels our commitment to keep expanding skills training so that many more “Josephs” get the opportunities they deserve.