Canada-Mathare Education Trust (CMETrust) was born from discussions between community leaders in Mathare and one of the co-founders, Victoria Sheppard. When the time came for Victoria to return to Canada, she asked her friends in Mathare what she could do from home to continue supporting Mathare’s youth. Titus, Benedict, and Charles, who would go on to co-found the organization with Victoria, responded that they had always wanted to start a foundation to provide secondary school scholarships to students from Mathare. Secondary school is not free in Kenya, and most families in Mathare cannot afford to pay the tuition. However, education is a key step in breaking the cycle of poverty. It empowers young people to change their lives and their communities. CMETrust became an officially registered Canadian charity in December 2006. Since the very beginning, this partnership between Kenyan and Canadian friends was motivated by a shared vision of a stronger Mathare built through increased access to education. They have expanded their programs based on feedback from parents, scholars, and community members to include professional development activities for the scholars during their school breaks, an alumni association, and support for post-secondary studies. We emphasize the importance of giving back, and we are proud that our alumni are active in community associations and primary schools throughout Mathare.
You can learn more about Mathare here and the importance of education here.
Over the past ten years, CMETrust has witnessed young people with slim hopes of pursuing secondary education not only completing secondary school but also moving on to university and graduating with big dreams. They hope that you’ll join them as they continue to support change for young people and for the community of Mathare.
https://www.cmetrust.org/