Every year, Lift the Lid hosts friendly writing competitions at each of our sponsored schools in Kenya and Tanzania: Lenana Girls’ High School, Mogonjet Secondary School, Keneni Stars Academy, and Happy Family Childrens’ Village. We propose a topic and provide writing guidelines from brainstorming to the final draft. The competition is an opportunity for the students to share stories about their lives and who they are, and to become more confident writers.

We look forward to reading their essays and giving writing tips and positive feedback on each one. It’s also a chance for students to win scholarships or special class outings, and some essays are shared with donors, posted on our website, and published in our Lift the Lid chapbooks.

As we’ve said before, learning to communicate one’s thoughts is an essential skill, and we attribute our students’ high national exam marks to Lift the Lid’s focus on organizing thoughts and expressing them in writing.

Here are photos of our students at Keneni Stars Academy working on their essays!

*WHEN YOU DONATE TO LTL, YOU SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT BUILD OUR STUDENTS’ SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE. 100% of all donations go to our schools and students. We show highly motivated, disadvantaged kids that we believe in them and assist them in achieving their education. You’ll find secure options for making a tax-deductible donation here, and we’ll send you a student’s essay. If you’re interested in sponsoring a student or getting involved with Lift the Lid, send an email to saragoff@saragoff.com. Thank you!