Helping Mandongoi primary and secondary children find their way to school 

 

Jason Mundu, as a member of Mandongoi 91-92 self-help group, you have just received one of the 10 prizes the Institut Cerba awarded this year to internal candidates. Can you tell us about your association’s mission and the role you play in it?  
 

Our support group brings together 7 former students from the 1991-92 class of Mandongoi Primary School, located in the semi-desert region of Kitui County in Kenya. We all have one thing in common: we all managed to complete our studies and establish ourselves professionally. That is why we decided to get together to help meet the needs of the current generation of children growing up in this poor community. And so in 2019, we created the Mandongoi 91-92 association, of which I am the president.  

 

 

What kind of activities does the association carry out? 

 

Our objective is to support the children’s education, which in our community often takes second place. 

To do this, we offer rewards to the children and offer them bonuses for achieving sufficiently high grades. We also combat girls' absenteeism by providing them with sanitary pads. In the name of equity, we support the boys by providing them with underwear (boxer shorts) and vests. 

We encourage the continuance of children’s education through to the end of secondary school by financing the necessary equipment and the various associated costs (fees, uniforms, shoes, etc.). We support students who wish to continue their studies at university by facilitating their access to student loans. 

Finally, because their presence is essential for children’s schooling, we also give additional motivation to the teachers by showing our appreciation with gifts.  
 

 

 

Thanks to those who supported us along the way, we are now in a position to in turn help the next generation gain their own education.

Jason Mundu

Cerba Lancet Africa Country General Manager, Kenya

Why did you choose to commit yourself to this cause specifically?

 

I myself come from a disadvantaged family that was unable to finance for my studies and so getting a university degree was not straight forward. I am very grateful to those who have supported me along the way. I am happy that I am now in a position where I can give something back, so that children coming after me can get an education, which is the basis for building their own future.  

 

What prompted you to respond to the Institut Cerba's call for projects?  

 

The call for projects came in the middle of the Covid-19 epidemic. At this time, the activities of the Mandongoi 91-92 team were severely affected because some of the association’s members had no regular income. Our own personal incomes are one of the main source of funding. I was therefore concerned that we would not have enough money to meet our commitments to the children. So I didn't hesitate to apply for the Institut Cerba’s support.  

 

Any last message you would like to pass on?  

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of Mandongoi 91-92 for their unwavering commitment; it is through this that we are able to respect the engagements made to the pupils, students and teachers. 

I would also like to thank the Institut Cerba and the Cerba HealthCare group, especially Mr. Stéphane Carré, CEO of Cerba Lancet Africa, and Ms. Mwende Musunga, CEO of Pathologists Lancet Kenya, for making us aware of the call for projects and thereby enabling us to seize this opportunity.