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NKASIOKI SCHOOL, KENYA:  UPDATES  AND ADDITIONAL PROJECTS 

2021 Update:  All schools in Kenya closed in March 2020 due to COVID then opened and closed based on the status of the virus. While this remote community has been somewhat protected from the virus itself, the parents' incomes have been severely impacted.  Additionally, because of the ongoing drought the older boys were sent to neighboring Tanzania to care for their animals which are the lifeblood of the community. This brought down the enrollment in the upper primary school grades.

 

Food assistance:  Gary's Fund  provided funding for the entire year of 2021 to supply a snack and meal daily for the 60 pre-school/kindergarten students at a cost of $25 per child for the year. When school was closed the food was delivered to the children's families. The food was purchased locally and included maize, beans and oil which are the staples for this community. The food delivery was greatly welcomed and appreciated and was received by the new head teacher and one of the school's original teachers and founders, Wilson. See delivery photos on this page.

 

New land granted to the school:  In 2021 the Kenyan government officially granted 17 acres of land to the school and registered it under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
 

2020 Update:

We are delighted to report that Nkasioki has continued to grow and thrive since the construction of our original classroom building 13 years ago.  Today 211 students, 8 teachers and nine classes (plus two kindergartens) make this a full-fledged primary school serving the community.

 

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2019 Update:

Today over 180 students are enrolled at Nkasioki School, now a thriving government school which is considered to be a showpiece for the region.

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2018 Update:

More than a decade after the completion of our first classroom, Nkasioki School is now a full-fledged, successful primary school with approximately 150 students.  These children are being taught by 4 government provided teachers and 2 community provided teachers. Wilson, the head teacher, has been with the school since its inception. Gary's Fund provided the funding for his teacher certification training in 2007.

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2017 Update: Upon completion of the county classroom building in 2016 Gary's Fund provided the funding for 60 locally made desks to be used at the school.  Each desk seats 2 students and they were made for a total cost of only $1,500. The Kenyan government became aware of Nkasioki School's success and in 2016 installed a solar power unit on the roof of one of our classroom buildings with the intention of providing the students with electronic tablets.  In 2017 the students were provided with these tablets which are now in use and charged via the solar power unit.  

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2016 Update: After several false starts the county government funded and constructed a new classroom building for Nkasioki School and provided funds for teachers' housing accommodations in the community.  By completing this building the county finally honored an agreement it made in 2014 with our Kenyan partner, Africa Exchange and the school community to match the two-classroom building funded and completed by Gary's Fund in 2015.  According to our partner, "the classroom situation is much improved. There is one classroom for every grade with room for additional pupils in the upper grades." 

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2015 Update:  Our second two-classroom school house was completed at Nkasioki School and students moved into the new classrooms.  

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2014 - THE NEED FOR ADDTIONAL CLASSROOMS:

 

In the spring of 2014 Gary's Fund learned that The Nkasioki School's population had grown from an original enrollment of 55 pre-school and kindergarten children in 2007 to 186 students from pre-school through grade five.

 

Overcrowding in the existing structures was a serious problem. Many eligible students in the community were unable to attend due to space limitations.  Gary's Fund offered to help by funding the construction of additional classroom space.

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THE PLAN:

That summer an agreement was reached between the community, the local government, and our partner, Africa Exchange, to increase the number of classrooms at the school and employ additional teachers  to address the increase in enrollment and allow for expansion.

 

As part of this agreement, Gary's Fund agreed to fund one, two-classroom building to be constructed by Africa Exchange, and the county agreed to fund and construct an additional classroom and provide the salaries for the additional teachers.

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Thanks to a generous donation from Dorothy and Clay Perkins, in 2014 we provided a donation of $16,500 to construct a steel-framed, two-classroom structure and water containment system.

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ACHIEVING OUR GOALS FOR A
GRATEFUL COMMUNITY:

 

The original goal for the school back in 2006 was that it should be fully managed and operated by the community it serves within two years of its completion. The highly motivated people of this region have been enormously successful in achieving this goal, registering  ]the school with the government, and continuing to support the school, its students and teachers.  The school's expansion into a primary school is an indicator of both the success of this project and the community's ongoing dedication to the education of its children. 

 

According to Sam Harrell of Africa Exchange, who personally supervised the project, "(t)he community is so appreciative of your assistance and we trust that your purposes will be fulfilled as these children are provided a chance for greater survival, growth, and maturity.”

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Please  click on  the picture galleries photos of this wonderful project.

To learn more about the Maasai people and the community where this school is located please go to the

Nkasioki Community Page.

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All photos provided by Africa Exchange.

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