Below this first paragraph, is the original project which was completed in record time. So quickly in fact, that I decided to expand it a bit and try to fund some of the more successful students in their university fee payments for this next year. So, anything we receive further will go to that end with $10,000 being the upper limit of what should suffice!

My name is David Bernard-Stevens. As many of you now know so well, for 12 years now, my wife Ruth and I have joined with people from around the world to raise funds to pay secondary school fees for children whose families have nothing. Without help, they would not be able to attend school, as all secondary schools in Kenya are fee based. Sadly, because of Kenya's high poverty rate, literally millions of children are not able to receive an education. Ruth and I, along with all of you, have done our best to put a small dent in that number over the past decade or so.

Because my health is beginning to fail, it is time for me to end this program after this final fundraising attempt. We have not failed in our attempt to raise the needed funds before and we do not intend to fail now!! :-)

To review, here's how it works. People can donate via a credit card to the GoFundMe platform we are using. All donated funds are swept weekly into my personal account in Lincoln, Nebraska. Ruth and I will then travel to the city of Eldoret to access those funds weekly in Kenyan schillings where we will immediately deposit such funds into the school accounts that the students in our program are in. The bank gives us a receipt with the school's name, the name of the student, and a statement that their fees have been paid.

Just prior to going to the first day of school for the new school year (January 2026), we will give each student the receipt for their tuition payment. They will present that to their school upon arriving as proof of their payment. Of course, Ruth and I make a copy of each receipt in case a problem arises at the school.

We have 40 students remaining to fund in this final funding project. The average full year tuition rate for Kenyan secondary schools is around $450.

Since all schools here will begin in early January of 2026, we have only a few months to make this happen. I can assure you that you have all made a huge difference in the lives of these students over the years... many being the first of their family to graduate secondary school, and others being the first of their family to attend university!

But let me be clear. Things are not well in Kenya, so if they are unable to pay for their tuition, they will be sent home and their futures will be very bleak.

So here we go! Ruth and I wish to thank all of you around the world who have done so much to help the students we have chosen to help here in Kenya! And may we send another thank you to those of you who will join us one last time to make something good happen in the world!