Many children who lose their parent(s) withdraw from school because they struggle to afford school fees and uniforms. Older- particularly girl-children may be forced to drop out of school to take over domestic responsibilities, including looking after their siblings. Hundreds stop going to school to work long hours, often under hazardous conditions. Others experience violence or abuse from parents, guardians or fellow students, or find their schools targets of armed attack. Families do not send girls to school, force them out of school to marry or girls are denied an education when they become pregnant. Many are kept from getting a secondary education and tertiary because they cannot afford school fees. Even when in school, hundreds of children receive a poor-quality education that leaves them lacking essential skills and knowledge. Education is both the means as well as the end to a better life; means, because it empowers an individual to earn his/her livelihood and the end because it increases one’s awareness on a range of issues – from healthcare to appropriate social behaviour to understanding one’s rights, and in the process evolve as a better citizen. KAWODEP makes this possible through carefully designed programmes for change, for respect and for life to the less fortunate children and adolescent girls by:

• Improving access and quality Early Childhood Development for children.
• Improving literacy and numeracy skills among children.
• Linking the OVC with the other likeminded partners for scholarship.
• Distributing sanitarypads for girls, levies /fees, school uniforms and other materials to allow them to continue to attend school.
• Providing skills developoment for wealth creation. KAWODEP established a community resource centre at Mikei shopping centre, Macalder/Kanyarwanda wardof Migori County.
• Providing IT skills, computer services and tailoring training to various youths and women entrepreneurs. The resource centre act as a school for young women hence provides a back to school formula for the community members.Today 400 OVC and many more children are in school due to the project.