Sponsor FAQ
How often will I hear from my student?
You will receive a letter from your student as well as their end-of-term grades three times a year.
How do I write my sponsored child?
We encourage all sponsors to respond to their student's letters that they will receive three times a year. A simple one-page letter is ideal. Share about yourself, your family, and your interests. Feel free to include a few photos or a postcard to help your student get to know you better. You can email us a letter (info@educationforallchildren.org) or mail it to EFAC, 11 Heather Drive, Rye, NH 03870. Please include your student's full name and school. We will send out a reminder notice about sending in letters for students a few weeks prior to the deadline.
Can I send an e-mail to my sponsored student?
Unfortunately, EFAC scholars cannot correspond via email right now.
What should I write about?
- Describe your family (e.g., where they live, their interests, type of work they do, pets).
- Explain special holiday and family customs.
- Talk about important events—weddings, graduation, trips, new jobs, holidays, etc.
- Write about your neighborhood, your climate, the terrain where you live.
- Let them know you are thinking about them and are wishing them the best.
- And feel free to ask them questions and learn about their lives and culture and customs.
How often should I write?
Three times a year. Expect to hear from your student in April, August, and December and we will send donor letters to Kenya in May, September, and January. We will email you a few weeks in advance of mailing out letters to give you enough time to send a letter in.
Can I include my address, e-mail address or phone number in my letter?
Please do not include your personal address or phone information in your letters. We prefer that all communication flows through EFAC so students do not seek additional funds from their sponsors.
I'm writing as part of a group. Can we send separate letters or do we need to send one letter to our student from the group?
Groups can write a letter to their student together or group members can write to the student on their own. But, we do tell students who are sponsored by a group to write one letter in response to the group so they don't feel like to they have to write several letters each term.
Can I send money or a small gift to my student?
Once a year, EFAC representatives travel from the States to Kenya
and on this trip, they can carry cards and small gifts (stickers, note pad,
small photo album) to the students. An email will be sent to all sponsors
to let them know when the trip is scheduled and where gifts should
be sent. Sponsors may also give money to the Student Account which
is managed by our partner schools for a student's needs such as medical,
transport, calculators, etc.
Can I visit my sponsored student?
Yes! Every year, EFAC sponsors a trip to Kenya to visit EFAC scholars
and go on Safari. Please contact
us if you are interested. We can also assist through our Kenyan partner,
On
Safari Kenya, in arranging private trips and visits to students
at their schools.
How does the Kenyan grading system compare to the grading system in the States?
The grading system in Kenya is much different than what we see in the US. In general
the Kenyan system of grading is lower than that of the States. Though every school
has its own grading scale, the basic scale is: A: 85-100; B: 70-84; C: 55-69; D: 40-54; E: 0-39.
Some schools also have a policy of not giving A's to first- and second-year students
because they don't want the students 'to relax.' While in high school, the students are
constantly preparing for the KCSE, the national secondary school exit exam, which will
determine university admissions. The schools want to motivate the students to always work
harder so they will do well on this exam. In the final analysis the universities never see
the grades because acceptance is based on the KCSE results.
What happens if my sponsored student is struggling in school?
Each term, EFAC is in touch with partner schools to identify students
who need remedial help, and those students attend extra academic sessions
during vacation.