Back to School programme
Back to School provides uniform, shoes and equipment for orphaned and vulnerable children who otherwise would be unable to attend school. The children attend Life Skills Classes which help them grow in confidence, cope with past experiences, focus on their school work and look to the future with hope. Some E3 partners also provide sanitary pads to girls so they don’t have to miss school each month.
Many orphaned children drop out of school because of a lack of support and encouragement and insufficient money to afford uniforms and other school equipment. E3’s Back to School programme provides funding to each of our partners so they can enable children to return to school and have a chance of a better future.
Discover more about the difference Back to School makes in children’s lives and meet Gloria who graduated from university thanks to Back to School.
Thanks to Back to School, I can go to university.
Meet Paul who received E3 support through Centre for Christian Missions in Kitwe, Zambia. Paul lives with his mother and his father died some years ago. In 2017, he passed his exams to enter Grade 10, but his mother could not afford school fees and he faced the possibility of dropping out. E3 heard about his plight and supported him through Back to School for 3 years so he could finish secondary school.
Paul sent us a letter to say thank you:
“My heart is filled with gratitude. I did not know how to show that I was grateful to all my sponsors, but tried to focus on school work and by the grace of God I scored 12 points so I can go to university.”
Paul is now studying Nursing at university.
Enabling Back to School children to study further
As Back to School children come to the end of their schooling, E3 will enable them to go on to university or training so they can escape the cycle of poverty, achieve their career dreams and support their families. Most children who complete school in rural communities stay at home after high school because they do not have access to information about universities and colleges in the city and have no idea where to begin.
E3, in partnership with the University of KwaZulu Natal access programme, started an initiative to bring university lecturers to rural schools to explain applications, bursaries and why it is important to continue education. The first workshop at Ndabende Primary School in Mdutshini rural community was attended by 382 young people, including those who completed school a few years ago. We had four lecturers from two universities (University of KwaZulu-Natal and University of South Africa). The universities are happy to work with us on this in the coming years.
Support a child
E3 also supports children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, directly through local schools. This support is funded by the generosity of individuals who give £7 / $10 / R100 per month to enable a child to attend and complete school in one of our partner communities. Supporters receive regular updates about Back to School in that community.
If you would like to change a child’s future through education, find out more about supporting a child through E3’s Back to School giving programme.
The joy of receiving smart new uniform and shoes!