2017 Kisa Scholars recruitment in Kilimanjaro was astonishing and a very busy time for the Kisa Mentors in the Kilimanjaro Office. It was a happy moment for the year two Kisa Scholars, since they got a chance to increase their Kisa family. New applicants couldn’t wait for the moment they were elected to be new Kisa Scholars. We are so happy that we have widened our Project. We increased the number of Scholars and schools from 398 recruited Kisa Scholars and 11 Partner Schools in 2016 to – 554 Kisa Scholars and 12 Partner Schools this year 2017.
During Year Two, Kisa Scholars pair with Kisa Mentors, and they do an introduction and facilitate Form Five. The introduction includes understanding both Africaid’s and the Kisa projects mission and vision. They also learn how they will benefit by joining the Kisa project, as well as how their life will change and bring positive impact to their societies through leadership skills they will acquire in Kisa lessons. In new schools, we usually have Mentors and Kisa Alumna that help us do this introduction, as well as motivate them and improve their confidence.
After the introduction, recruitment is followed by doing interviews and selecting new Kisa Scholars. The signing of Scholar commitment forms, photo and video release forms, and completing Scholars profile forms are the next steps. Folders, books, and pens are then provided to new Kisa Scholars and make their studies more fantastic.
As we have come across many young girls with passion and strong spirit to transform their lives and thus their communities, many applied for Kisa which led to having two Year One Kisa classes in one school. These include: Ashira Girls High Secondary School, Machame Girls High Secondary School, Weruweru Secondary School and Mawenzi Secondary School.
The new school is Kifaru Secondary School which is located in Mwanga District; girls around there face a lot of problems such as early marriages which often compromises a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting their schooling, limiting her opportunities and career, lack of awareness, and ignorance of health.
The Kisa project has seemed to be a solution in Kifaru Secondary School as all 43 Form Five girls have joined Kisa as Year One Scholars. These girls see themselves as a solution to their communities through Kisa Project Lessons. Namnyaki Stanley, one of the Kifaru School’s recruited Year One Scholars says that, “through Kisa, I can see better communities with zero early marriages, zero early pregnancies, increase of awareness to the young ladies, knowledge in personal health matters and an increase of strong leaders in their communities”.
We are very happy for our newly recruited Kisa Scholars. One of the Kilimanjaro Mentors said one of the best feelings as a Mentor is, “being part of someone’s growth and change through leadership training and life skills”.
