Why Paying School Fees Alone Does Not End Poverty - And What Actually Works
- Deborah Brown Magaya (Executive Director)
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
A question I was asked recently in the United States is: “How can I just pay for a child’s education without all the other things like crisis support, business, or administration?”
It is a good question.
Education is powerful. It changes opportunities. It opens doors. We have seen firsthand how staying in school can alter the trajectory of a child’s life. But over the years at Kulea Villages, we have learned something important: Paying school fees alone does not solve poverty. We tried it. It may work for one child, but on a broader scale, the success rate is low.
The Reality Behind the School Uniform
Imagine a child whose school fees are covered. She has a uniform, she has books, and she attends classes. But at home:
There is still no reliable food.
Her caregiver (aunt, grandmother...) has no real income,
Rent is overdue, and they are facing eviction.
Medical needs have gone untreated.
Education matters — but a child cannot thrive academically while living in constant instability. Worry and hunger prevent concentration at school. Without addressing the crises at home, we are not truly improving the child’s life. Children are not raised independently of their families.
Poverty is a Family Issue
In East Africa, children are deeply connected to extended family systems. When a mother dies or becomes ill, an aunt, grandmother, or older sibling often steps in to take responsibility for raising that child. We call this person the caregiver. If that caregiver has no income, no business skills, and no margin for emergencies, the entire household remains extremely vulnerable — even if school fees are covered.
Over time, we saw something troubling: When sponsorship focused only on the child, the family remained in crisis. When the family remained in crisis, the child remained at risk.
So we began asking a harder question: What would it take to stabilize the whole household?
From Sponsorship to Sustainability
Today, when a child enrolls in our programs, we are not only asking: “Is your child in school?”
We are also asking the caregiver a series of questions, like these:
How do you earn income?
How much did you earn last week?
How many meals per day does your family eat?
What type of food does the family eat?
Is there a bed for family members to sleep in?
Our staff members discuss whether the caregiver is capable of running a small business and, if so, which skills we may help her develop. We wait to discuss business with her until we intervene in the present and most urgent crises, such as no food in the house, no beds, urgent medical needs, etc.
Shifting our focus to family sustainability has changed everything, and we believe it better reflects God's heart for restoring families. Instead of long-term dependence on Kulea Villages for aid, we began working toward self-sufficiency. Instead of asking how long we should sponsor a child, we began asking how soon the family could stand on its own. We pray for every family we serve. God calls us to act wisely and holistically - addressing the barriers that keep families in poverty.
The Difference Empowerment Makes
When a caregiver runs a small business and learns how to save:
School fees are no longer a crisis each term,
Three meals per day are more likely,
Medical needs are addressed sooner,
A child is better able to concentrate and learn.
High stress is reduced.
Education then becomes what it was meant to be — an opportunity. Most importantly, the child sees something powerful: "My mother (or aunt or grandmother) can provide." The caregiver brings new dignity and strength that changes a household.
It May Cost More Short Term But...
Helping a family stabilize requires more effort than just paying school fees. It requires: building trust, training, mentoring, monitoring, an patience. Most importantly, it requires an exit plan from ongoing support, a plan set from the very beginning. The result is not a child and family dependent on aid, but a family equipped. It is a family strengthened and a child who is free to be a child.
This is how the cycle of generational poverty is broken! This is how Kulea Villages builds sustainability.
About Deborah
Deborah Brown Magaya is the Founder and Executive Director of Kulea Villages. A former teacher and school administrator, she founded Kulea Villages in 2009 after God called her to serve vulnerable children and families in East Africa. Deborah is passionate about keeping children with their families whenever possible and considers it a privilege to witness God's faithfulness through the lives transformed by Kulea Villages.
Kulea Villages
Kulea Villages is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in partnership with Kulea Villages entities in Tanzania and Kenya. Rather than dramatic rescues, their child protection model focuses on stabilizing families through a process that typically lasts 1-2 years, prioritizing education, nutrition, and family income generation through a business. Join our email list for new blog alerts. We appreciate your support.