Impertimus

Revolutionizing Education Financing: Impertimus’s Innovative Approach to Empower Economically Disadvantaged Students

admin — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 08:00:40 +0000

In Kenya, thousands of children from economically
disadvantaged households are deprived of education due to
financial barriers. Impertimus, a pioneering organization, is
transforming the education landscape by providing zero interest school fee loans to these students. By addressing the
core challenges of capital risk, affordability, and access, Impertimus is making education accessible to those who need
it the most.

Navigating Challenges: Redefining Possibilities

Impertimus understands the risks associated with lending to economically disadvantaged households. By implementing rigorous background checks, utilizing a novel credit scoring mechanism, and employing group access for loan dispersal, Impertimus has successfully reduced capital risk. This approach has led to an impressive 85% loan recovery rate, ensuring sustainable support for future generations.

To enhance affordability, Impertimus offers school fee loans at 0% interest, alleviating the burden on economically disadvantaged families. The organization charges only a standard loan service fee and a monthly group maintenance fee, significantly lower than the costs imposed by other financial providers. This groundbreaking approach ensures that education remains within reach for these households.

Bridging the Access Gap: Empowering Communities

Impertimus has revolutionized access to education finance through a combination of human and computer-assisted user engagement. Loan applications can be completed online or with the assistance of agents in the community, making it easy for different users to access the much-needed financial support. This user-centric approach empowers families to navigate the loan application process seamlessly, bringing education finance to the grassroots level.

A Community of Impact Investors: Joining Forces for Change

Impertimus’s innovative model of raising capital sets it apart from traditional approaches. The organization has established a community of local impact investors, comprising individuals and organizations who provide financial support through a crowdfunding model. These funds directly increase the loan capital, while a 10% management fee supports operational costs. This collaborative approach ensures a sustainable and scalable solution to education financing.

Addressing the Social Problem: Transforming Lives, One Student at a Time

Impertimus’s work addresses the pressing social problem of a large number of children being out of school in Kenya. With nearly 1.8 million children out of school and parents struggling to meet education expenses, Impertimus’s zero-interest school fee loans enable economically disadvantaged households to keep their children in secondary schools consistently. By reducing the number of days children spend at home waiting for unpaid school fee balances, Impertimus mitigates the risk of poor academic performance, early pregnancies, marriages, and substance abuse

Future Impact and Scalability: Shaping a Transformed Educational Landscape

Impertimus’s strategy for scaling impact involves forging strategic partnerships with local organizations, government bodies, and financial providers. Through these collaborations, Impertimus aims to expand its reach nationwide, finance more individuals, introduce new education finance products, and establish strong partnerships beyond Kenya’s borders. In five to ten years, Impertimus envisions a transformed education landscape, where more economically disadvantaged students have the opportunity to pursue their educational aspirations and build a brighter future.

Conclusion: Join the Movement for Change

Impertimus’s groundbreaking approach to education financing is revolutionizing lives and opening doors of opportunity. By minimizing risk, enhancing affordability, bridging access gaps, and engaging impact investors, Impertimus is driving lasting change. You can be part of this transformative journey too. Join Impertimus in their mission to empower economically disadvantaged students by becoming an impact investor or spreading the word about their innovative solutions. Together, we can unlock the true potential of education and create a brighter future for all. Visit Impertimus’s website to learn more and join the movement today.

Why is the Education Revolving Fund Repayable?

admin — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:22:18 +0000

What is the Education Revolving Fund

It is a sustainable Tuition fund pool that is accessible to parents throughout the education lifetime of the child in secondary school offered by Impertimus. The parents access the funds as a #zerointerest school fees loan paid to school at the beginning of term or academy year keeping children in school, covering 80% of the tuition cost with a repayment period of 6 months. Upon repayment the parent can access it again to cover the subsequent academic years of the child. This enable access, retention and school completion.

Why is the Education Revolving Fund repayable?

1. Parents mostly receive donation or well-wisher contribution to cover school fees for academic term or a year for their children. However, parents are left stranded, struggling to cover the next term or academy year education costs if they don’t receive another donation or contribution. The Education Revolving Fund being repayable, ensures that the parent can access it again for subsequent term or academy year ensuring a child stay in school.

Most parents pay school fees in installments despite their financial challenges to keep their children in school according to their irregular income flow. However, school administration require full school fees paid at the beginning of the term, leaving most of their children #outofschool for 3 to 14 days interrupting their learning process and academic pursuit. The Education Revolving Fund is there to bridge this gap, helping the parent meet school fees cost at the beginning of the term, ensuring a #childstaysinschool and paying it back according to his or her income flow. The Education Revolving Fund enhances the ability of parent to meet the education cost and keeping children in school.

The Education Revolving Fund is a collaborationbetween donors and parents.

It #appreciates, #encourage and helps parents carry out their obligation of educating their children with ease each academic term or year.

The fund #appreciates and make the donation and contribution from donors and well-wisher #sustainable not just to meet one term or academic year but creates #multiple impact as it is recycled when the parent pays back and access it again to meet the education cost through the education journey of 4 years of his or her children who are in secondary school.

The Education Revolving Fund has a #partialscholarshipcomponent to support children in school as well as enhancing further the #parentsability to #meettheeducationcost by reducing the amount a parent pays back to the Education Revolving Fund keeping children in school.

Through the Education Revolving Fund, Impertimus makes it easy for people like you to #find, #support and contribute to children and their families by providing fund to meet the education cost. As a donor, you get the possibility to #allowyourmoney to create #socialimpact and do good in the lives of the children.

Our end goal is; a child joins school, #staysinschool and reach their full #potential.

Education Revolving Fund Parent Testimonial-Cicilia Zawadi

admin — Sun, 14 May 2023 14:56:23 +0000

Cecilia Wesonga, a mitumba trader in Kilifi town was able to retain her daughter in secondary school after obtaining an education loan from Impertimus Education Investment. The mother of two says she had completely lost hope of keeping her daughter in school after her small business of retailing second hand clothes came to a standstill thanks to the Covid 19 restriction measures that were in force nationwide. The Covid-19 pandemic containment measures were eased, however, a great damage to the business had already occurred. It was during this time of uncertainty when her daughter Peninah was to go back to school in Butula girls high school, in Busia County. She says it was a struggle between taking her daughter to school and reviving her business as well as meeting other basic needs.

“It was during this time when I approached Impertimus education investment. The director Beatrice Kache was more than glad to listen my case, and she took me through their vetting process where I qualified for a loan.”

Cecilia Wesonga says she received her first loan of Ksh. 10,000 almost immediately which she used to pay for school fees for her daughter.

“If it were not for that loan, and other subsequent loans from Impertimus Education Investment, my daughter would not have been in school. I am more than glad as she now completed her Kenya certificate of secondary school education (KCSE), and she is waiting for her university placement. I am not worried because Impertimus Education investment can still offer education loans to help cater for some of her university bills”,she says.

Impertimus Education Investment has been instrumental in assuring retention of students in school by offering education loans to parents who face hardship in paying full school fees for an academic term for their children, as it might be required by the institutions.

Beatrice Kache who is a co-founder and the organization’s director said the organization was started to bridge the gap left by school bursaries from the government and sponsorships which do not last throughout the education journey of the student.

“The available support to parents in educating their children are full scholarship for top students, bursaries and well-wisher’s contributions. These are not inclusive since they do not support all students and also they hardly cover all the education cost. Impertimus exist to cover this gap by providing an inclusive community driven financial option for parents to educate their children by repurposing savings in Chamas done for business,” she said.

Impertimus works closely with individual well-wishers, contribution and donor groups to support parents keep their children in school for whole academic journey.

In its first five years of operation, Impertimus education investment has been working in a mutual partnership with parents by advising an early savings scheme which see parents pay school fees for their children with much easy.

The Education Revolving Fund

admin — Sun, 14 May 2023 07:12:24 +0000

The Education Revolving Fund under Imperrtimus is a sustainable Tuition fund pool that is accessible to parents throughout the education lifetime of the child in secondary school offered by Impertimus. The parents access the funds as a #zerointerest school fees loan paid to school at the beginning of term or academy year keeping children in school, covering 80% of the tuition cost with a repayment period of 6 months. Upon repayment the parent can access it again to cover the subsequent academic years of the child. This enable access, retention and school completion.

Our education revolving fund is a collaboration between parents, children and people who want to help them in a sustainable way.

The collaboration happens in two steps.

The vetting of parents and children. This helps for the parents to know the total education cost he /she is required to meet in educating his or her children in the secondary school journey as well as plan on how to start saving towards the education cost of the children who will be transiting from primary to secondary school.

From this the parent is able forecast the education cost and how to meet it. The parent is fully aware of the responsibility her or he has.

In meeting the education cost, most parents pay school fees in installments but school administration requires full term fees at the start of the term resulting to children sent home because of unpaid school fees.

Children spend 3 to 14 days out of school waiting for the installment of payment that the parent will get hold of to pay and return to school.

The education Revolving fund comes in to help the parents meet the cost at the begin of the term.

The second step of the collaboration, the Education Revolving fund funded by people who wants to see children stay in school this enables parents to access the fund as zero interest school fee loan to pay school fees at the beginning of the term resulting in a child staying in school. The parent can pay back in installments and access it for the next term or academic year to keep the child in school.

By funding the Education Revolving Fund as:

Friends of Impertimus a passionate and dedicated group of monthly givers on a mission to keep children in school by contributing Ksh 500(5 USD) and above to the fund.

Fund Champion -committed individuals who want to create a legacy impact by contributing Ksh 10,000(100 USD) and above towards school fees of 1 or more children.

Fund Partner – a group, organization and company who want to create community impact by contributing ksh 50,000(500 USD) and above in funds, in kind or CSR program.

You are helping a parent meet the education cost with ease. This ensure that a child join school, stay in school and achieve their dreams

Key Questions that guides Impertimus Vision.

admin — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:37:57 +0000

As we celebrate 5 years since the inception of Impertimus, our story of change has always been based on the following Key Questions.

How do we help parents educate their children with ease?
How do we ensure #100%transition of children from primary school to secondary school?
What things do children for transition? Books, uniform, school fees and other items. How much do they cost? Are parents #preparedfinanciallyto meet these costs?

For #schoolretention, how much does a household need to retain their children throughout their academic journey of 4 years in secondary school? Keeping in mind most of parents Impertimus works with have 2 or 3 children in secondary school. How much they need per academic year or term to ensure children do not spend time home because of unpaid school fees? What do children need in order to stay in school to achieve their dreams?

What support is available to help parents educate their children? The available options are #fullscholarshipfor top students, #bursaries and #wellwisher’s contributions. Are the above solutions #inclusive? Do they support all students regardless of their marks? Do they cover all the education cost?

Impertimus exist to cover this gap by providing an #inclusivecommunitydriven #financialoption for parents to educate the children.

Impertimus is #repurposing savings in Chama done for business to #education for parents to save for transition cost.

Impertimus is #repurposing well-wisher contribution and donations, group contributions to support education for just one term to a #revolvingfund available to help the parent keep their children in school for whole academic journey.

Yes, our solution has evolved over time since we started but the above questions keep guiding Impertimus’ vision.

Using the Reader and Maker apps in 3 libraries in Kilifi in 2023

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 05:50:33 +0000

Out of last year implementation of piloting African storybook apps reader and maker app with children, teachers and libraries, we were able to reach 200 children and 30 books publish on the African storybook maker app. We worked with children in KNLS Kilifi branch and Silala and Mwaemba primary schools in Ganze under Move the Goalpost field schools.

For Kilifi library we did hold reading and writing sessions on Saturdays since most of the children are available during weekends on Saturday in the afternoon and a 3-day writing and reading sessions during the school holiday. This year we are targeting to reach 150 children by holding reading and writing sessions during half term and school holidays to reach good number of children and consistence in the library.

As for the schools under MTG education program, this year we will work with the 3 last schools reaching 150 children. The schools include Makuhenga primary school, Bahati primary school and Matsangoni Primary school.

This year we are including Dzitsoni community library in the Piloting of ASB tools in Kilifi county. Dzitsoni serve 5 schools whose children access the library resources on regular basis. With the help of the librarian in charge Mr Ngala, we will reach the following school; Dzitsoni Primary school, Kisoeni Primary school, Bungu primary school, Dunguni primary school and Mtondani primary school.

This year we are looking forward for enjoyable reading and writing sessions and showcasing interesting stories that children will create.

International Literacy Day in Kilifi County.

admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2023 11:41:18 +0000

Kilifi, a town in Kilifi County, Kenya, is selected as a learning city by UNESCO. Learning cities are selected to promote the lifelong learning strategy aimed at increasing access to education and information system for people of the County. One of the duties of the learning city in 2023, is to host the International Education Day on January 24 th under the theme to “invest in people, prioritize education.”

The Kilifi County Executive Commissioner (CEC) for Education and ICT, Ms. Clara Chonga, invited Impertimus Education Investment to partner in hosting this event due to the notable role in promoting literacy in Kilifi county. The Kenya National Library Service, Kilifi Library Branch, Impertimus and Kilifi Department of Education and ICT, together held the International Education Day in Kararacha Primary School.

The event started under a tree in the school compound where 500 children and their teachers together

with the team from Kilifi department of Education and ICT were in attendance.

The team from Kilifi

Library and Impertimus engaged the children in constructing and spelling words, and reading aloud using the school tablets and the ASb Lenovo ones from the library.

During the event, we showed the children and teachers how to download and use the ASb Reader

and Maker Apps, and use them to read ASb storybooks and create their own stories offline. We had

uploaded 766 ASb storybooks onto 25 of the school tablets. The children had the opportunity to read in groups from the school tablets. We encouraged the children to read aloud for others to listen.

The Kilifi County Executive Commissioner (CEC) for Education and ICT, Ms. Chonga is very passionate about literacy and improving the education standards of Kilifi County. As an avid reader herself, she looks forward to having reading clubs in primary schools, a reading hour slotted in the timetable for children to read books, newspapers, journals and magazines which will improve their literacy levels. Some of the activities she wants to implement include children reading one book per week which translates to 13 books per term. The reading sessions will help children in the spelling and other literacy activities. Her biggest desire is to see the Kilifi County education narrative changing, particularly, for girls who often discontinue school, from one with high school dropout rate and low educational achievements to one that promotes and records high literacy levels. Her dream is to transform the reading culture from ECD centers to public primary school to be of acceptable standards. She strongly believes that education is the greatest equalizer and accessing reading opportunities in public schools will change the future of the children in Kilifi County.

As of Impertimus as literacy champion in Kilifi, we look forward to work with Ms. Chonga in changing the narrative of Kilifi County.

African Storybook Maker app

admin — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 09:48:04 +0000

African Storybook Maker app

Writing stories using the maker app.

The African Storybook Maker app gives your children and you the opportunity to write stories for other African children to read. The app is available in Google Play for android and Apple store for iPhone. Follow the guide below to learn how you or your child can write and publish open source books for other children to read.

African Storybook Reader app

admin — Thu, 19 May 2022 09:18:22 +0000

How to us African Storybook Reader app

Do you know African Storybook stories are free to download, use and even print for use?

You can get exciting and interesting stories on your smart phone for your children or learners to read. The African Storybook Reader app is available in Google Play for android and Apple store for iPhone.

Follow the guide below to use it for your children at home or in school.

Piloting African Storybooks Tools in Kilifi.

admin — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 10:15:08 +0000

African Storybook Org is a multilingual literacy initiative that publish openly licensed stories for children in African languages. it has a website, where children and educators can read, create, download or adopt storybooks. African storybook encourages the use of a digital library of openly licensed storybooks for African children. The books can be accessed on its website https://www.africanstorybook.org and on its reader app. It also encourages people to use African Storybook Maker app to creating their own picture storybooks as well as translating and adapting existing ones into local languages.

Teachers and librarians can also support children to write and publish their own picture storybooks using the ASb Maker App and read them on the ASb website.

This year 2022, as Impertimus we have the privilege to pilot the use of the ASb Reader and Maker Apps with children in the Kenya National Library (Knls) Kilifi Branch and Moving the Goalposts (MTG) Library in Kilifi County, Kenya.

The Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) Kilifi Community library was initiated by the community in 2001. This library service the population in Kilifi north population. it is very busy on weekends and school holidays as more children come to the library. It is fully equipped with books, computers and staff.

Kilifi Community library and Impertimus have partnered to train children and their families in Kilifi County on how to use the African storybook tools to access books at home, improve their reading and writing skills as well as advocating for parents’ involvement in their children literacy development.

Piloting the use of African Storybook tools in KNLS Kilifi community library targets children from the nearest primary schools. Every Saturday from 2.30 PM to 4 PM we will be having reading and writing sessions using the African storybook reader app and maker app.

Moving the Goalposts runs mobile library program since 2017 to support girls and young women in rural areas to access reading materials and resources with an intention of improving the reading culture among the targeted beneficiaries through informed and targeted intervention programs. Under mobile library program, Moving The Goalpost works with the 5 MTG football hosts fields; Mwakuhenga, Bahati, Matsangoni, Silala and Mwaeba with the objective of improving the reading culture of MTG girls and women. MTG provide story books, revision, and life skills materials to the 5 identified schools to benefit the MTG school-going registered girls in those schools.

Piloting the use of ASB tools under the MTG mobile library program will advance the goal of benefiting the MTG school-going girls in the schools with access to reading materials and also develop writing skills that will help them in their learning as they use the African storybook reader and maker app.

Piloting the use of ASB tools that is the reader and maker to children in Kilifi gives the opportunity for children to have access to reading materials and also develop writing skills that will help them in their learning.

We aim to reach and hold reading sessions using the Reader App with at least 100 children and Support the formation of at least 10 groups of five children at each library to write and publish their own stories using the Story Maker App.