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Alumni Spotlight – Fred Mwangangi

May 15, 2026By 0 comment

My name is Fred Mwangangi James, and I have been a proud beneficiary of Kids League Kenya since my childhood in 2005. Growing up in a humble background with many daily struggles, I thank God that my education journey was never hindered. Kids League was always there, ensuring that every need was taken care of.

I performed well in my KCPE exams and was admitted to Shimo La Tewa High School for my secondary education. Because school fees were no longer a challenge, I was able to fully focus on my studies. Although life at home remained difficult, my strong and supportive parents encouraged me to keep going and inspired me to work even harder. In 2015, I successfully completed my KCSE exams.

In 2016, I joined Kisii University to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management. Life at campus was tough, but Kids League continued to support me by providing pocket money every semester. This support allowed me to concentrate on my studies, and in September 2021, I graduated with Second Class Honours (Upper Division).

After graduation, I spent some time seeking job opportunities. In June 2024, Kids League once again came through for me by providing an internship opportunity in partnership with OCF, which led to my placement at Unity Homes in the Supply Chain Department. Through hard work and God’s grace, I was retained as an employee, and I am still working there to date.

I am not yet where I want to be, but I believe in hard work and perseverance. Challenges will always be there, but they shape us and help us grow.

I sincerely thank Kids League Kenya for standing with me and many other young beneficiaries. May God continue to bless this organisation. Special thanks to Madam Julie Nderitu, who has been my guide and motivator. Her words “keep pushing and never stop praying” have inspired me to stay strong and focused.

Thank you, Kids League Kenya, for making me who I am today.

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Discussing 4 changes to Kenyan education in 2023

January 21, 2023By

There have been a number of changes to Kenyan education announced. In September 2022 President Ruto created the CBC Evaluation Task Force. A working group with a remit to review and propose an evolution on the CBC (Competency Based Curriculum), we knew education changes were on the horizon.

A working group set to be active for 6 months, and with a progress report in to the President every 2 months, clearly the change horizon was not to be a distant dot.

Coming into effect now, this committee of 49 change makers has asked for patience from their stakeholders as logistics and infrastructure catch up with the changes inbound.

Kenyan education changes are here

On 1st December 2022 President Ruto announced changes to those pupils in Grade 7 and Grade 8.

As we know education in Kenya is based on years in school, and not age. The personal circumstances of a child can easily mean a delayed start to their education.

Clearly this education stage is a key focus for Kids League Kenya Secondary education scholarships.

There’s a number of changes to Kenyan education we’re navigating as the institutions adapt to the instructions they have received.

1. Junior Secondary School (JSS) changes

The Presidential Working Party on Education Reform presented President Ruto with interim report detailing that Junior Secondary Schools will now be ‘domiciled’ in Primary Schools.

This means that where previously students would leave Primary to go a different Secondary school, they will now remain at the Primary School institutions for a further two years.

These Grade 7 and Grade 8 pupils forming Junior Secondary Schools will return to school on 30th January 2023.

What does this mean for Kids League Kenya?

We work with four local schools in Kongowea, and changes to the JSS means that they have to capacity for two additional school grades.

This capacity includes enough classrooms, playground space, library, the human resources, and of course enough teachers.

Of our partner schools Pentrose does not meet the criteria for Grade 7 and 8 to continue with them. These students will have to move to alternative schools, such as Kongowea Primary, which was recently upgraded.

2. Year end Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA)

The year-end exams taken in Grade 6 were previously the important step in placement in Junior Secondary School (JSS).

Communicated by President Ruto on 1st December 2022, the KPSEA will now be used to “monitor learning progress and offer feedback to education sector players on areas that require intervention”.

What does this mean for Kids League Kenya?

The KPSEA comes into effect from the end of the academic year 2023. This is replacing the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and is an important data point for us in our selection of students to join the Kids League Kenya Scholarship programme. This score gave us a base line of the academic potential of the students we are considering supporting in the future.

While this consistent exam milestone exists, we will continue to require this information as part of our pupil selection process.

3. Changes to Public Secondary School fees

Education CS Ezekiel Machogu has announced that school fees for 2023 have been capped at KSH 53,554 for national schools and KSH 40,555 for county schools.

It has been communicated that Grade 7 and Grade 8 will not be required to pay fees, remaining as Junior Secondary School at the (former) Primary Schools.

What does this mean for Kids League Kenya?

We welcome the opportunity for students to remain within the education system, close to home without having to pay, for 2 more years.

However once through Grade 8, the students will still embark on their Secondary School education, often away from home, with the associated fees. We will be there to support as many of the students that meet our scholarship criteria, as possible.

4. New Uniforms

One of the impacts of introducing the Junior Secondary School (JSS) element into existing local Primary Schools is the uniforms. For Grade 1 to 6 the uniforms will remain the same, but there will new uniforms required for Grade 7 and 8 to differentiate them.

We understand that the Government will pay KSH 15,000 for Grade 7 and Grade 8 uniforms, so that the parents will not have to pay.


What does this mean for Kids League Kenya?

We understand that a child’s uniform can be one of the most expensive outlays for a family living in poverty, so we welcome this intervention. This Government intervention allow students to attend their Junior Secondary School step wearing their new uniform with pride.

The changes being made to the Kenyan education system is ongoing and we will continue to update our community as we come to understand the impact of these changes.

Clearly these changes can cause uncertainty for students, challenges for the teachers and schools. Any donations to support our students are greatly appreciated.

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Kenya school calendar download and excitement builds as student interviews begin

January 16, 2023By

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology have announced the Kenya school term dates and school holidays for the coming year.

Our secondary school students will return to school on 23rd January to begin term 1, which will end on 21st April for school holidays. This is a 13 week term with a half term break from 16th March to 19th March.

There is a two week holiday before Term 2 begins on 8th May and runs for 14 weeks until 11th August.

Term 3 begins 28th August and is a shorter 9 week term running until 27th October.

Following term 3 we have the KCPE (and KCSE exams, with marking during December, results due 15th December.

Click to view Kenya School dates 2023 Calendar

Covid Closures Catch up

The start of 2023 year has been slightly different to previous in terms of the return to school date being later, but after a tricky few years due to the Covid pandemic this later start has been well received by our team.

From the Covid closures of schools in 2020 to the ‘catch up’ schedule since then to try to cover the curriculum and get back on track (with no access to technology at home or educational facility solutions, the ‘home schooling’ seen in other parts of the world was not an option for our Kenyan schools and students).

Our students and teachers have also experienced reduced holidays and down time throughout 2021 and 2022 in order to try to get back the time lost during Covid. In addition in December 2022 students completed their year end exams which give them their all important results, and concluded an intensive year for all.

From our Trustee Jan (pictured with our Class of 2022 Scholars):
“We have welcomed the delay to the start of the term, enabling our students to have a well earned extended break over the festive period.

Now exam results are in, we are in the process of completing our interviews for our 2023 intake of students who will be starting their Kids League Kenya scholarship experience.”

2023 Interviews for Kids League Kenya Scholars underway

The selection process, including interviews and home visits, is always an involved one.

Our administrator and our trustees take their responsibility to our sponsors and supporters seriously.

Equally important is the drive to identify those students that meet our criteria, both academically and in their living and family circumstances, to enable them to have an opportunity to change their lives through education.

Primary education is free to students until a certain point in their development, when any cost becomes prohibitive for some families, Kids League Kenya step in to support the continued studies of those showing academic potential.

Find out more about our selection process and how we identify students to support.

Now is a great time to join the work of Kids League Kenya and pledge to Sponsor a Child.

Here’s the full calendar of Kenya school term dates for 2023

Download Kenya school calendar

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Surprise award recognition from Twinkl

August 31, 2021By

Recognition and feedback are so important, and when international educational resource Twinkle contacted us to award us a Sporting Heroes badge we were delighted.

Supporting and prioritising education is of course core to our purpose, so to receive acknowledgment from this global organisation is fantastic.

Twinkl is a well respected curriculum website, with global content and communities to support teachers, parents and institutions.

They also have resources specifically for Kenya available to support education.

Lockdown resources

Twinkl was particularly loved by home schoolers, of which there have been so many during the pandemic, but of course in our impoverished community in Mombasa with limited access to water and electricity, the covid-19 impact was even more difficult for education.

During the pandemic the schools were closed, and therefore education following the CBC curriculum ground to a near halt.

We introduced our internet corner in the office during the pandemic as a way to help students who had no access to online resources. But it was not this initiative that Twinkle recognised us for.

Sporting recognition

In early 2020 we announced our Sports In-development programme, but due to Covid we could not proceed with our plans to have any events to start to bring the benefits of sport to our community in Mombasa.

However, last month we were able to hold our first sport tournament. The event was held at the local stadium in the heart of the Kongowea, with over 90 children taking part. For the full details and photo gallery please visit our blog.

For our efforts Twinkl Awarded us their Sporting Heroes badge, which we have been delighted to receive.

Here’s a video about the Sports event we held.
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