Furnishing Emanyinya Library

Emanyinya secured funding for a new library from the Kenya government's Total Transition from Primary to Secondary School program, but the money did not stretch to furnishing the library. We created this microproject earlier in 2018 to enable Emanyinya's international friends to support the school with furnishing the library with modern shelving units.

EPAfrica worked with Emanyinya Secondary School in 2014 and 2015, and have a strong ongoing relationship with the headteacher, Musa Obura, and deputy headteacher, Douglas Efedha. The Kakemega Summer Team returned to Emanyinya this summer to deliver funds to the school, and wanted to share this update on how the project was delivered in the school. 

15/08/18 - Preliminary visit

Emily and Catherine went to Emanyinya to communicate  that the fundraising project had been successful and set construction in motion. After meeting with Musa and Douglas to catch up and discuss the details of exactly what kind of shelving is needed, they go to get the final quotations from David, the school’s trusted fundi.

MDF boards, edge banding, glue, screws, nails and labour for a new set of shelving units totaled 19,450 KSH, or £151.53. 

21/08/2018

The materials are purchased; construction is due to start tomorrow (22nd of August).

25/08/2018

Update from Mwalimu Obura! So far, the one large shelf has been put up (see below). The other one is going up on Monday. We are planning to visit on Tuesday 28th to see the newly furnished library and help arrange all the books and furniture, as it is the beginning of term and teachers and students will be busy getting back into school routine!

30/08/2018

We visited the school on Tuesday 28th and saw the completed shelves! Works had only just finished, though, so the library hadn’t been cleaned and set up yet.

Musa and Douglas have completed the work in record time, coming into school almost every day of the school holidays to supervise the carpenters.

We found out that, in addition to the already full-time librarian, Emanyinya has taken on a trainee on attachment to help out with the library.

Here are some photos that the school management sent in today showing the library in full use!

We hope you've enjoyed this update from Kakemega showing how your donations have been put to great use, and look forward to keeping in the loop with more progress from Summer 2018 soon.