BEADS for Education

Below is a must read story from a student, Yiapoyo Masikonte, enrolled in the BEADS program in Kenya. BEADS is a Segal Family Foundation partner organization led by Debbie Rooney. For more information visit: www.beadsforeducation.org

IF IT WERE NOT FOR BEADS

I am so glad of beads because of the far they have brought to me. When I got into the Beads organization, I was in class seven. I was in Olgulului Primary School. In that school pupils were not performing well and my dad was not able to take me to a good school because he had not enough money to take me to a performing school. So I stayed in that school until God sent Beads to rescue me from that world of not performing.

So beautiful Beads brought me to Top Ride Academy, which is the best performing school. After completing my primary education, I went to high school where I am sure that my dad couldn’t have been able to pay for me (secondary fee). My dad could have given me out to a husband because my older sisters have been married and they already had four children. My dad did this because he had not enough money to pay for our school fees. Now after my sister completed her primary education (8th grade), she was married, after someone paid her dowry. The dowry was cows which is a sign of wealth in our community. So my dad was happy because of that.

Primary education in our country, it is free so pupils will just read or learn until class eight then those who their parents couldn’t pay for their secondary education fee, they will be married (mostly girls and some boys marry). So I am sure if it were not for Beads my dad could have given me out to a husband for him to get more cows for selling. Surely if it was not for Beads, I could have been a mother of 3 children or more than three because I have a friend who completed primary education with me and now she is a mother of five kids and she is married to an old man of about 72 years and she is around 19 years old.

I do appreciate a lot Beads and grant my thanks Beads organization and my sponsor who is paying for my school fees. May god expand your boundaries as Beads organization and add more years for the Bead organization. And now I know I will complete my dream of going to college and help my family and community. Thanks Beads.

Testimonies like these express the achievement of BEADS in their work educating and empowering girls to become successful members of their families, communities and hopefully, the future leaders of Kenya. SFF is proud to call BEADS our partner.