KSP in the USA
Our mission is to help eradicate poverty and inequality in a sustainable way by providing education and training programs for children and women.
Evelyne’s Story
Evelyne Keomian, Founder of The KSP
Growing up impoverished in Côte d'Ivoire (CIV), Evelyne Keomian was deprived of education and slipped into schools in a culture where only boys were educated. Determined to break the cycle of poverty through education, she founded the Karat School Project (KSP) in CIV to empower the next generation of leaders.
After immigrating to the US, she noticed families living in vehicles around Silicon Valley who faced barriers she once endured. Refusing to be a bystander, Evelyne expanded the KSP to educate and empower families to become financially independent.
Challenging the education system to help kids without a permanent address to register for school, Evelyne prioritized addressing poverty and barriers to education in her home country, and in her new community.
Trailer for Splicer Films’s award-winning documentary, Fear Not, about Evelyne’s quest to break the cycle of poverty through education for her communities in Côte d'Ivoire and Silicon Valley.
Want to learn more about who we are?
KSP Programs for RV Dwellers in the USA
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Edu-kits
It’s hard to succeed in school if you go to sleep hungry and cold, have no place to do homework, can’t reliably access technology, and are painfully aware of the gap between you and your classmates. To support children in the RV community, we provide food and gas cards, household supplies, and materials that are essential for education. We build long-term relationships with the families and connect them to relevant programs in the community.
When obstacles arise, we step in to make a difference, whether it’s resolving power and network connectivity issues, providing a computer for college, or helping a student obtain supplies for after-school activities.
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Vamos Afuera
Vamos Afuera introduces children to the wonders of nature at local parks and nature reserves. Most of the RV children live in extremely tight quarters and don’t have safe places outside where they can play and explore. For some of the children, the camps are a first-ever experience of the beauty and diversity of the natural world. They learn about local ecology and enjoy the freedom of being outside in nature.
Conducted in partnership with Environmental Volunteers, the program covers transportation, hands-on learning, lunch, and snacks and is free for all participants.
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Youth Empowerment Story Summit (YESS)
YESS introduces RV youth to inspiring community leaders who have overcome challenges by building on their life histories and identities. This day-long workshop encourages the youth to embrace who they are and raise their voices in self-advocacy.
Many of the RV youth grapple with shame and low self-esteem from their living conditions and finances. At YESS, they get to tell their own stories through creative expression and have in-depth conversations with peers, community leaders, and representatives from KSP partner organizations. This coming year, we hope to reinforce the value of the summit by providing avenues for follow-up throughout the year.
What is Edu-Kit distribution?
Edu-kit is an initiative started by The Karat School Project due to COVID-19. The main aim of the project is to distribute materials to low-income students who do not have access to educational, technological, and personal necessities.
At the beginning of the COVID crisis, many Bay Area children were falling behind educationally because they lacked Internet access, educational materials, and other support that are essential for remote learning. Though some services existed for homeless populations, families living in (mostly rented) Recreational Vehicles (RVs) in our community had been especially hard hit. These families, many with school-aged children, live in tight quarters with no space for children to work, and they struggle with food insecurity on a daily basis.
Now that the pandemic has evolved, so has our mission to support RV families and their children. With the support from donors like you, we continue to provide essential supplies like gas cards, food, and clothing. We've expanded our reach to run education camps for the children when school is no longer in session. And we run annual holiday events like Thanksgiving Dinner and Winter Clothing drives. We even advocate for the families with city officials when their safe parking spaces are threatened.
Help us provide safety, security and education to RV families as they transition to more permanent housing here in the SF Bay Area by making a one-time or recurring donation today!
Want to Get Involved?
Sign up to volunteer with us or donate to one of our many programs!