Avolon is sponsoring 12 high-school students in Kenya this year to attend secondary school. Avolon has donated €7660 to Sponsor an African Scholar (SAAS), an Ireland-based charity that aims to enable disadvantaged children in Mombasa, to obtain secondary school education.

Avolon is sponsoring 12 high-school students in Kenya this year to attend secondary school. Avolon has donated €7660 to Sponsor an African Scholar (SAAS), an Ireland-based charity that aims to enable disadvantaged children in Mombasa, to obtain secondary school education.

Primary school education is free in Kenya, but secondary school, which lasts four years needs to be privately funded. In a country where the unemployment rate is 40 per cent, sponsoring Kenyan students can equip them with the skills required to to find work and provide for their families and fulfil their ambitions.

The donation covers the school fees for the students for the 2017 academic year.

The students live in a slum area on the North Coast of Mombasa called Kongowea. Many of their homes have no electricity or running water, so paying for an education is a luxury that their families cannot afford. The students typically do not come from families with a track record of education and are often the first generation in their family to attend secondary school.

Avolon believes that supporting the education of these students will give both the individuals and their families a brighter future.

With the support of SAAS, in addition to finishing secondary school several students have gone on to complete university courses and as a result serve as role models within their communities. For more information, please visit www.saas.ie