SEPTEMBER 2023

It is not long now until the Kenyan national exams, the KCSE (Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education) and the KCPE (Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education), so at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy it is full steam ahead in order to ensure that the children are as well prepared as possible. Cornerstone Preparatory Academy was opened in 2013 to help break the chains of generational poverty by providing an innovative, research-based education in the Great Rift Valley. We want to a see a generation of children educated, equipped and empowered who will grow to shape their future and become the agents of necessary change in their country. Reflecting this, the school's motto is "Change Starts Within". One of those agents of change, who has already begun to change to trajectory of his family now and for future generations, is John. In January 2016, Cornerstone Preparatory Academy began accepting students from the wider community. Poverty assessments were carried out and those families that were identified as being most need and with children not in school were offered places. John was one of the original 40 community-based students who joined Cornerstone Preparatory Academy. He has always been a diligent and hardworking student and as a result he excelled in his education and last year performed well on his KCSE. This has allowed him the opportunity to begin pursuing a Diploma in Sports Administration and Management at Kenyatta University in Nairobi. He plans to go on to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science. John has two younger brothers at CPA who are following in his footsteps and who are both doing well. When ministry staff took John to university, along with John’s father and sister, the family expressed gratitude and said that John was changing the future for his family as he is the first to continue on to a higher education. They were so grateful that they even gifted them a pumpkin from their shamba (garden)! This is why we are here; to see people like John get the opportunity to write their own story, to change their narrative and to go on to be a success. At the beginning of the book of Isaiah it tells us to "take up the cause of the fatherless" (Isa 1:17) and in the book of Galatians, Paul reminds us to "remember the poor" (Gal 2:10) and it is a privilege to be able to partner with you and serve as part of the team at Naomi's Village to just that.