A letter from the Kakuma Youth Research Group to Form 4 Leavers.

Dear Form 4 Leavers,

We hope it helps you think about the choices you have after completing secondary school.

Make multiple plans. Come up with several ways of succeeding, even if you have a low score on KCSE. You never know the future. Never lose hope!

Working is important. Working will help you generate income. This job should be related to your career so that you can prepare for further study, gain work experience in your profession, and learn relevant skills. This can help you have an advantage. If you cannot find a related job, take any available job that can improve your standard of living.

As you work, save some of your money to invest in your education. Another way to generate income is through borrowing loans to start your own business (with organizations such as Lokado). Save the profit to invest in your education. After you complete your studies, you can repay the loan.

Work and train at the same time. You can work for some organizations, and at the same time they will support your education, such as the diploma training offered to primary teachers by LWF. There are quite a number of ways by which a person can continue studying without the help of a scholarship. There are many free courses offered by organizations in Kakuma. (Look at our table!) Opportunities are available for host community and refugees.

Build a bridge. If you don’t meet the requirements to begin a degree program (C+ or above), then you should build a bridge to university by starting with a certificate (D-, D plain, D+) or diploma (C-,C plain) course. Most certificates require several months- one year of study. Most diploma programs take 1-3 years. Degree programs take at least 4 years.

Seek admission to college or university from the public or private sector, when you have money and qualifications. Remember to think of yourself if you have enough in your account to pay for your studies. Also look for partial scholarships where you receive some tuition and contribute some of your own money. You can look for private support as you also to invest in your education.

Research colleges and universities. Visit the school and try to find out about its history. Is the school registered? Look up the website to read more information. Talk to current students and graduates before making your decision.Online learning can help us a lot to pursue further studies for free or reduced tuition. Remember that some classes charge for documents such as certificates of completion, but often you can learn for free. Some courses to explore:

• Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online
• EdX offers access to high-quality education for everyone, everywhere
• University of the People is a non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online, American university
• InZone pioneers innovative approaches to multilingual communication and higher education in communities affected by conflict and crisis. 

If you have scored an E, is there a chance for you? Yes. It is your decision if you want to retake form 4 and try to improve your KCSE score. This is necessary if you plan to continue through university studies. It is very hard to repeat form 4 in Kakuma schools because of the high student population, so this means you will have to pay tuition. You can work while you repeat KCSE. A better grade will allow you to attend a public or private college and push your learning forward. If you are comfortable with an E or repeating is not an option for you, take advantage of the free opportunities available around the camp.

Don’t sit idle. Don’t waste time. There are many opportunities. You just need to open your eyes. Don’t wait for others to do everything for you. Engage yourself in available jobs and trainings. These can change your life in one way or the other. Make yourself to be busy all the time. You know if you sit idle, you may become involved with bad company like drug abuse, robbery, or stealing.

Sincerely,
Kakuma youth