Formal Education

School Lunch Program

Most government primary schools require families to pay an annual school fee, and although only about $35, many families cannot afford to pay. Consequently, children are denied schooling. The fee typically includes the cost of lunch for the entire year, which in many cases is the only meal a child may have in a day. Knock has been providing lunch to the 400 students at Mrupanga Primary School (Grades K-7) each year since August 2008 and in 2011 added the 450 students at Longuo Primary School to our program. The School Lunch Program incentivizes parents to send their children to school and pay the more affordable school fee that remains. The byproducts of the program have been increased enrollment, reduced levels of truancy and improvements in performance school wide.

Knock's goal is to continue providing lunch at Mrupanga and Longuo Schools and add new schools to the program as funds become available. Feeding a child lunch costs an average of $20 per student per year.

Pioneering Minds

Pioneering Minds is Knock’s educational scholarship program, through which we are offering over 40 scholarships, increasing the number of students sponsored each year. We are supporting students in a variety of primary and secondary schools as well as technical training programs in masonry, mechanics and electricity. Knock is so excited to be offering the opportunity of education to so many hard-working and deserving students.

Our goal for the upcoming years is to continue building the infrastructure for a secondary school scholarship program, offering applications to students throughout the country. One full ride, four-year, private secondary school scholarship costs an average of USD 7,000.

Pioneering Mind Spotlight:
Anna Mushi

We met Anna seven years ago as an extremely shy, young girl. She struggled in primary school, never able to perform well in the most basic tasks of reading and writing. We suspected she had suffered emotional trauma as a child, affecting her development. After completing Class 7, Knock sponsored her to attend the Gabriella Centre, a wonderful vocational training school for students with special needs. She truly excelled there, growing into a mature, confident, outspoken young woman, having been taught to make artisanal crafts in addition to other important life skills. She officially graduated from the program in 2014 and is now employed by the Gabriella Centre as an artist and shopkeeper. We cannot be any prouder of her accomplishments and the confident young woman she has become.