It’s so exciting to get the annual letter from the child whose story you follow! But, as you read through his or her update you think, “Wait, what does THAT mean?”
Introducing the Sponsor’s Encyclopedia! Here’s a list of frequently asked questions to clarify what’s in your letter. Is something missing? Email me at [email protected] and let me know what questions you have!
- “My favorite sport is football”
- Although they do know American football, this actually means soccer.
- KCPE or KCSE
- These acronyms refer to exams taken at 8th grade or at the end of high school. The grade on this exam qualifies students for what high school, college, university, vocational school, or degree path they can choose. Therefore, it’s a VERY big deal with a lot of stress! It often takes 6-9 months before scores are returned, during which time Oasis students go through Life Skills training.
- CRE
- Christian Religious Education: this is required curriculum for all Kenyan schools.
- Prefect
- This is a student leadership role in high school or college.
- Chapati or Ugali
- Commonly listed as favorite foods, chapati is like a cross between a tortilla and pita bread, while ugali is similar to a thick porridge made of maize or cornmeal.
- Shamba
- A family garden: while staying with their guardians during school breaks, students will help with many chores including work on the “shamba” or garden.
- Loveology
- New in 2021, this book is part of the Life Skills training students complete while waiting on their test scores. Written by John Mark Comer, this covers God’s love and His plan for marriage and relationships.
- “Thank you for my scholarship”
- Scholarship is the term Oasis children know to refer to how donors provide for their needs. While “sponsorship” can create a sense of dependency or entitlement, “scholarship” helps Oasis students understand the role they play in doing their best with the opportunities they have.
- Family endearment terms
- You may see terms like mom, dad, auntie, uncle, daughter, or son, which can be some of the most confusing terms between cultures. Less of a nuclear family term in Kenya, these terms show respect or loose familiarity. Much like we may use the term Mr. or Mrs., Kenyans would use Mama or Baba (dad) for older adults and Auntie or Uncle for adults only slightly older than themselves. While the child you sponsor feels incredibly grateful for your donations, these terms do not show a relational connection as if they feel a part of your nuclear family.
- Something is blacked out in my letter?
- This happens when a child may sign a last name or may include an address like in a formal letter format. Rather than have the child rewrite the entire letter, we just mark out the personal information, which is always kept private for their protection and yours.
