“I used to be treated like an animal but once I put on a uniform I was just a student.” - Milele Student 2017

While school in Kenya is technically “free” there are added costs that hinder many students from attending school. These fees include school uniforms, books, and exams that make attendance difficult and oftentimes impossible for families to support their child to attend school due to the added fees.

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Many of the children at Milele left home for the streets because of poverty and an inability to continue their education. Many come to the streets to find food and small jobs where they might earn money.

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When school aged children are not in uniform it is a clear sign that they do not attend school. Since uniforms are required throughout the country, attending school is a sign that children are currently learning and symbolizes a “better future.” For street youth, it’s obvious because of their clothing that they are not attending school.  

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School is a symbol of consistency and routine.

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Without school there is little consistency in the lives of street youth. For street kids, days are filled with wandering the streets, picking up small jobs, and often engaging in harmful activities. This leaves their present and future in uncertainty.

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A uniform and education provides dignity and confidence.

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Support from Team 180 provides for students so they can feel empowered and prepared as they have the routine and structure of schooling in their lives. This launches them into a future they can begin dreaming about.