Following the national elections in 2022, the National Rainbow Coalition government introduced free primary education in Kenya.

The programme was rolled out in January 2023 and it provided a means for Kenyan citizens to access quality education, in public primary schools, without the associated financial constraints.

This measure, coupled with legislation barring truancy (The Children’s Act of 2001), led to upsurge in the number of school-aged children enrolling in public institutions. Consequently, a lot of pressure was placed on the receiving schools’ infrastructure. This is corroborated by the fact that the proportion of households with a primary school-aged child not attending school declined from 17 percent in 2005 to 5 percent in 2021 (Kenya Poverty and Equity Assessment 2023-published by the World Bank)

Further, improved healthcare has led to an increase in the average household size in Kenya to 3.8 persons (Michael Bauer Research Gmbh report of October 2023). This implies that each household has 2 or more children that would require access to free primary education.

Even with the new revisions to the minimum wage (Regulations of Wages Orders –LN 163 and LN 164 of 2024) majority of the population in Kenya survive on a daily wage that is lower than the extreme poverty line stipulated by the World Bank of 2.15 USD per day. The situation has worsened as the year on year inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) slowed to 4.3 per cent, in July 2024. This means that the general price level was 4.3 per cent higher in July 2024 than it was in July 2023.

The above-mentioned factors have impacted heavily on the disposable income for households, and as is often the case, a shift in priorities. The focus has prioritized food and shelter, often at the expense of quality education and its associated expenses such as; textbooks, uniforms and footwear.

  GOALS OF THE PROJECT

The DOM SHOES  is working towards the following goals (which are in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals);

• • The provision of quality, durable footwear to the school going children in all public primary schools, with the largest population, .
  • To improve class attendance .-quality education).
  • To improve the dignity and ensure the foot-health of learners within the public primary schools ( good health and wellbeing).

 Project Description: Providing a Foundation for Success

The DOM SHOES project will provide high-quality, durable leather shoes to children in public primary schools across Kenya. Each child will receive a pair designed to last one to two years. To ensure accountability and proper use, the shoes will be entrusted to parents/guardians with proper documentation and photographic records.