Kids4Kenya will be traveling to Kisimenyi during the first two weeks of April 2012 in order to help African Promise with the completion of the school project.
We have raised almost $3,000 to distribute during the trip - this money will go towards the build out of two fully equipped classrooms at Kisimenyi, with capacity for up to 60 students.
Thanks to everyone who has helped us to accumulate these desperately needed funds!
There is much more still to be done, but with the continued support of the Kids4Kenya community, we will continue to enhance our mission and create educational opportunities where none would otherwise have existed.
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Work has now begun on several components of the overall project in Kasigau, across 6 villages. While the building work continuies apace in Kisimenyi, work in Jora, Rukanga, Makwasinyi, Kitegke and Bungule is continuing and encompasses specific projects such as:
The team in Kenya remain hard at work and fully committed to the completion of the full project
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March 10th 2011 - ground-breaking ceremony
On Thursday 10th March the Kisimenyi community (including pupils, parents, staff and the school management committee) as well as local government officials and dignatories came together to launch the project to rebuild Kisimenyi Primary School.
During a memorable, if exhausting day, for all involved ,the Kenyan national anthem was beautifully sung, a range of other songs, poems and dances were performed by pupils and the community, speeches were made and, finally, ground was broken on the site for the new school by a select groups of individuals behind the project.
March 10th to 17th June - preparatory work
Immediately following the ceremony, the project management team (including Founding Director Charles Coldman, Project Manager Denis Mwanyiro, Headmaster Amon Mwandoe and Engineer Tom Mwakireti) marked out the rough footings of the first phase of buildings. There then followed a lengthy period of preparation as the site was cleared and levelled, locally available materials such as sand, gravel and hardcore were delivered to site and over 32,000 bricks and 4,500 concrete blocks were individually hand-made. Time was also needed to recruit a team of builders and this was done in consultation with the community and head builder, Elude Mwachofe.
20th June 2011 - construction begins
Construction work got underway on the 20th June with the engineer coming to site to accurately mark out the foundations (as accurately as one can using traditional local techniques!). Foundation trenches for all the five buildings were then dug by hand using a large team of labourers, mainly young men.
Digging took a couple of weeks, and was followed by the mixing (again by hand) of tonnes of concrete for the buildings foundation footings. On top of this, three courses of concrete blocks were laid before the trenches were backfilled.
Work has reached different stages on each of the buildings as recent progress has been staggered.
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Work 'proper' has finally started at Kisimenyi after long delays due to the amount of time it has taken to get building aggregates on site and to complete preliminary work such as making 30,000 bricks. Updated project photos are available at - http://www.flickr.com/photos/africanpromise/sets/72157627061875574/ .
The latest photos (taken by African Promise on site project manager Denis just a few days ago) show that the foundation trenches for the first phase of builds have been dug. Concreting and wall building is now underway – so hopefully it won’t be too long until the buildings rise from the ground!
Elsewhere, African Promise has completed the walls for the eco-kitchen at Kiteghe - http://www.flickr.com/photos/africanpromise/sets/72157624215668943/ - and begun work on a staffroom/office block at Bungule - http://www.flickr.com/photos/africanpromise/sets/72157624215640075/
Also, the first batch of new style classroom furniture has been delivered to Jora (to class 1 & 8) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/africanpromise/5829255931/in/photostream -
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Kisimenyi Primary School... Kisimenyi Primary School is a few miles from our original cluster of schools.The headmaster, Amon, was transferred here from Jora Primary School at the start of 2010 and shortly afterwards invited us to visit. We were shocked by what we found. Though the village itself is very small, the school serves well over 550 pupils.However the facilities are wholly inadequate to serve this number of children.There are just nine tiny classrooms - all on the brink of collapse. A severe lack of latrines forces children to go in the bush and there is no water supply. Plans for the future Passing by Kisimenyi during a recent trip to Kenya our founder was asked by a child at the school, "When are you coming to our school?" We have answered the plea of that boy, the school and the wider village community with a promise to help them rebuild their school. Together we have put together an started work on an ambitious o rebuild an entirely new school at Kisimenyi, including:
twelve primary classrooms with furniture
furnished and stocked library
dedicated nursery school with playground and furniture
staffroom and office block
rainwater harvesting capabilities
modern sanitation facilities
energy-saving kitchen, and kitchen garden
Total projected cost = $240,000
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