During the ended short holidays for pupils and students in the Republic of Kenya, the Department of Caritas in the Archdiocese of Kisumu organized a recollection for the Pioneer Beneficiaries of the Education Fund, dubbed ADOK E-Fund. The Recollection Master was Rev. Fr. Shadrack Malo, who doubles as the Diocesan Communications Director as well as the Chaplain for Caritas/CJPD within the Deanery of Kisumu.

It all started with a recollection during which the Beneficiaries were able to enjoy the mercy of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and ended with a Eucharistic Celebration. Later on we had a brief motivating input by Mr. Matthew Odhiambo.

During the Recollection, Fr. Shadrack used the example of the school set up to encourage the young people to enrol in the school of Christ in which Christ Himself is the Principal, and the students are the fellow Christians. Borrowing from the readings of the day, from Luke 11:15-26, Fr. Shadrack urged them to be vigilant since the demon cast out will always try to come back stronger. At the end of the Mass, he reminded the students that the whole idea behind ADOK E-Fund is about supporting someone you don’t know but doing so through someone you know.

Mr Mathew Odhiambo, on his part, stressed to the students the need to stay focused on their education. He insisted that it doesn’t so much matter the school to which one is called. What matters is the focus on education. He went on to tell the students that right from Form One in the secondary school, one is already a candidate. When one reaches Form Four, a student only registers to sit for the national examinations. It is therefore important to get it right from the very beginning.

Speaking in the same event, the Diocesan Director for Caritas/CJPD, Rev. Fr. Samuel Nyattaya thanked the students for their outstanding performance in the first term. He reiterated that good conduct and good academic performance are some of the key things to be considered for their continuity in the E-Fund.

ADOK E-Fund is a Program started by the Diocesan Department of CJPD/Caritas and targets young boys and girls who have successfully completed their primary education and are set to proceed to secondary school but due to their poor background, they lack the funds to do so. This is where the ADOK E-FUND comes to the rescue. In this Program, school fee is paid on a termly basis and is meant purposefully for the payment of fees. All the other required payments are to be taken care of by the guardian.

While representing the Archbishop, the Vicar General thanked the Department for being creative and innovative to strengthen local resource mobilization expressed during the Lenten Season. The Vicar General expressed his joy, looking at the performance of the students in the first term. He urged them to maintain those good academic standards. He then issued the pay-slips for the second term.