Christ Gift Academy
(CGA) began in 1997 as a primary school for orphans in Mbita, Kenya. The community around Mbita, has been largely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic with 1 out of every 3 people infected. With such a large number of adults having died, it’s left behind a generation of orphans in the area. CGA provides many of these orphans with a solid Christian education while also assisting the students with their physical, social, spiritual and academic needs.
Primary SchoolChrist’s Gift Academy is a day school for Pre-K through 8th Grade. The students do not live at school but in the community with relatives or guardians. The Kenyan-led CGA Leadership Team believes that in a rural setting, children receive the best long-term care living in a family setting rather than an orphanage.
CGA is a private school teaching the Kenyan academic curriculum while supplementing additional Christian teaching and principles that shape their character. Teachers are required to uphold high morals and values. Each classroom is no larger than 30 students to ensure every child receives quality attention. As 80% of the students who attend CGA are orphans, student fees and school administration costs are paid through monthly child sponsors.
Secondary EducationWhen a student successfully completes 8th Grade and passes their National Exam, they graduate from CGA and their sponsorship continues as they join secondary school. Any given year, there are approximately 100 CGA Alumni attending various secondary schools around the country. CGA is still “home” for these students. When they return to Mbita during school breaks (3 times a year), they meet for 4 days at “Reunion”. This is an opportunity for the CGA staff to check-in on the students, inquire on their academic success and assist with any personal or medical challenges. Reunion is also a time to provide encouragement, teach additional life skills and challenge them in their spiritual journey.
University ScholarshipsIn 2013, the CGA board approved the launch of a Post-Secondary Scholarship to provide qualified students the opportunity to receive further education after high school. This scholarship is only available to CGA Alumni who’ve received exemplary grades on their National Exams. Different from the secondary school sponsorship, the post-secondary program is a scholarship in which students must complete an application process, including an interview by an outside panel. Students are selected based on their academic achievement, leadership, character, financial need, spiritual understanding and potential to succeed. Post-Secondary education opens the door for CGA students to achieve their highest potential and, in turn, help support their family and community in the future. Many applicants for the scholarship have dreams of giving back to CGA through sponsoring a child’s education just as it was done for them.
Christ's Gift Academy is a registered 501(c)(3) in the U.S.