We are currently working with communities in Kenya and in Canada, to organize and fundraise for the building of Oleleshwa Primary School* in Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya. Our hope is to begin construction of the second classroom in the fall of 2011.

The school will consist of four permanent classrooms, one staff room, one library, six pit latrines, a kitchen and dining hall, and a water reservoir.  In addition to curriculum, the children will be provided with one meal per day, and receive vital health information on such topics as safe sanitation practices, healthy sexual development, nutrition and basic illness-prevention measures. 

Two graduates of Architectural Science from Ryerson University are volunteering their time and expertise to help us ensure the building design is environmentally sustainable.

The Oleleshwa Primary School project came about through an unexpected meeting between an Ontario school teacher, and the residents of the Kenyan village of Ewaso Ngiro. Members of the community discussed the lack of access to education, and the devastating consequences this has on their children - the girls in particular, and on their community as a whole. They went on to explain that the nearest public school is located 50km from the village, and in addition to the far distance, is inaccessible due to the cost of mandatory school uniforms and learning materials.

Several meetings, and two return trips later, building plans for a primary school were underway.

Living conditions in the Ewaso Ngiro region are harsh. Some of the challenges it faces include lack of access to clean water, no electricity, deforestation, soil erosion, food shortage, and a predominance of single-headed households.  Daily life is particularly difficult for girls. From a very young age, they are vulnerable to early marriage and pregnancy, and the cultural practices and health-related consequences these may bring:  female circumcision, HIV/AIDS, and maternal or child mortality. Responsible for such demanding chores as gathering firewood or charcoal, and walking long distances to fetch water, attending school is a remote, if not impossible dream.

Residents of Ewaso Ngiro believe that access to education is critical, to ensure that both girls and boys can reach their full potential, become self-sufficient, have opportunities in the future and improve the living standards of the Maasai community.

The community has donated 30 acres of land, and legally transferred the property to be held, in trust, in the name of Oleleshwa Primary School to ensure the lot is used for the purposes of education, in perpetuity. They have further demonstrated their commitment, with the completion of the compound fence, in June, 2009, as required by Kenyan law. In anticipation of the schools construction, two volunteers report daily to teach early literacy skills to 50 primary children in a makeshift classroom. Community members have also promised to raise monies to supplement the teachers’ salaries once the school is operational, to ensure quality and retention of staff. It is their hope that the school will one day accommodate all grade levels, and even a boarding school for secondary students.