Support Quality Schooling of 250 Kids in Nguluni

Dear friends and partners,

It's another time to share project updates on the classroom project this far.

Much has been achieved over the period since we began the new classroom block.

 The goal for this year's project was to increase the learning space by 2000 square feet.

Since January 2019 800 square feet of classrooms have been added and are currently in use by Pre-primary one and pre- primary two children.

1200 more square feet should be ready by the end of the year.

For this to happen the following works must be completed:-

1. Putting in partition doors to divide the space into three classrooms (costing $2900)

2. Putting in window panes (costing $350)

3. Tiling the floor (costing $1200)

4. Painting the walls (costing $450)

5. Fixtures ($350)

The total cost to completion of the 5 class and student hall is approximately $5,250.

Through GlobalGiving the project has since June 2019 received $432.71 towards the building project.

With your continued support  at the same level of giving we can paint as soon as the next disbursement. My appeal is to consider inviting friends and family so we can raise enough to complete painting and window pane fixing.

The classes have been appreciated by the students and many children are inspired to come to their colourful classes. Even teacher morale has been boosted through the addition of the new classes.

Thank you for the sacrifices you make to and have made to bring the project to its current state. Together we will build, not just classrooms bit better lives for the 145 children served by Acrrs of Mercy every month.

Thank you!

Links:

• Community School-Classroom Building Updates September 2019
• Community School: Classroom Building Update September 2019

Dear friends and partners,

It’s my joy to report on some of the progress we are making in pursuing our goals for 2019.

In April 2019, during staff training and coaching sessions, a way forward on improving teacher performance and improve students’ involvement in education was reached.

Teachers agreed that the following three goals should be pursued: -

1. Student mentorship to motivate students and support them during their time at school
2. Improve the level of Parental Involvement in their children’s learning
3. Improving students’ fluency in reading and comprehension

The decision to have these priority goals was necessitated from attendance analysis from first term. This Attendance Data taken from all classes revealed that average school-wide attendance at Acres of Mercy Learning Centre was 79%, down from 85% from the previous year (2018). The team agreed on a goal to improve attendance for the following term. To enable attendance and improve learning outcomes, two other areas were identified as critical. These other goals are aimed at supporting students both at school and at home.

As we work on the above improvement goals, a lot of progress has been made on our general goals for 2019.

1. School enrolment: This has grown from 124 in February 2019 to 134 in June. We are on target to achieve 150 enrolment by the end of the year. This should be bolstered when we complete three new classes by end of October.
2. Classroom Building- We have two complete classes now and three classes have been plastered and now only need to be fitted with windows, doors, tiles and painted a project that will cost about $ 3500.
3. Reading Culture- Between February 2019 and June 2019 over 869 books have been borrowed and read. This is more than last years 2^nd and 3^rd term put together (598). Our goal is to have every child reading a book a day and every preschooler having a book being read to them every day.
4. Skills, talent development: - Students continued developing various skills, namely through our Clubs. Active clubs include the Chess Club that has given students 26 hours of training from February 2019. The club has 2 boards and a membership of 16 players between 8 and 15 years. Students continue to learn problem solving skills, foresight, and strategy through this club activity. Scouting and Environmental Club have also engaged its students throughout the whole term and have a membership of about 24 students.
5. Student Mentorship- We engaged a teacher in the full-time role of Student Support Officer to drive our student mentorship program. We will review the next quarter’s attendance records to determine the progress made since this intervention was initiated. The full-time support position requires $150 per month to be successful, and involves weekly home visits and phone calls to students who are falling behind in their attendance and engagement at school.
6. Parental Participation- Teachers agreed to engage with parents at class level while the management finds ways to engage with the parents at a school and community level. At our first meeting in the second term in may we had 42 parents out of 58 parents attended the meeting. (72%). We hope to improve this figure to 85% by the end of the year. A challenge is to get parents voluntarily following up with their students on learning goals. Only 23% of parents school-wide currently do this. Our parental engagement strategies are targeted at improving this situation.
7. Fundraising- As at June 2019 of the monies raised, 5.3% were from partners on GlobalGiving. We know that by working together we will find ways to raise this to 20% by the end of the year as we increase monies raised to directly support our children’s programs from $ 1700, currently to $5000 by the end of the year.

As our partners, I would like to make an appeal to you: - Be our ambassador this year, invite friends, find unique ways to give, donate a birthday, give a gift card especially as we celebrate this year’s Father’s Day.

To all our partners who are Fathers, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY.

Thank you all for your continued support to Acres of Mercy’s work with the children.

Dear Friends and partners,

It has been a good start to the year 2019 for us Acres of Mercy. A few key highlights: -

1. At the end of the year when schools closed in October 2018, we had a total enrollment of 118 students, 58% (68%) were boys and 42% (50) were girls. There was an increase in boys’ enrolment while girls’ enrolment remained constant.
2. On 30^th February 2019 we had an enrollment at the school of 123. Of these 54% (66) were boys and 46% (57) were girls.
3. Of the 6 classes targeted for completion in 2019, we have completed 95% of Pre-primary 1, 80% of Pre-primary 2 and 50% of Grades 1-3. We will be starting on the foundation of the sixth class by July 2019.

As earlier stated in our last report, we wanted a different 2019, Here is a reminder of our key goals for the school and brief status updates.

1. Complete the construction of 6 classes; 5 are generally three-quarters done, and have been roofed. 1 class has been tiled, painted and had glass windows installed. The construction of 1 will start from foundation level.
2. Complete girls’ ablution block
3. Complete a Learning Makerspace for the school
4. Install outdoor playing equipment for pre-school children.
5. Enroll at least 150 children by the end of the year 2019
6. Have students participate in cognitive games like Chess to build their critical thinking and logic skills. A chess club is already in place and students have gone through over 20 hours of basic chess training. The school club has an active membership of 15 students as at end of February 2019.
7. Continue giving reading and comprehension skills. Between January and February 2019 over 100 story books have been borrowed from the school library and remediation classes are ongoing for children without foundational reading skills beginning at phonetical knowledge and skills.
8. Ensure children are attending school regularly and are learning
9. Improve parental participation in the school life of the children under their care. Since January 2019, we have had 2 parents’ meetings with a parental attendance of 50%
10. Together increase the support to the children from $2554 to $5000 by end of 2019.

On behalf of the Board, the staff and the children of Acres of Mercy we thank you for your continued support. Let’s make 2019 the best year yet as we seek to get more partners and friends involved in transforming the lives of children.

Dear Friends and partners,

It has been a good year for the most part at Acres of Mercy. A few key highlights: -

1. On 30^th January 2018 we had an enrollment at the school of 106. Of these 53% (56) were boys and 47% (50) were girls.
2. At the end of the year when schools closed in October 2018, we had a total enrollment of 118 students, 58% (68%) were boys and 42% (50) were girls. There was an increase in boys’ enrolment while girls’ enrolment remained constant.
3. Average school attendance for Boys throughout the year was 83.8% while Girls’ average attendance was 92.3%
4. 21 students completed their Primary level education at our school (Acres of Mercy Learning Centre). We expect a 100% transition into post primary education.
5. Our reading culture keeps on improving. Books borrowed and read from the library was 479 for the two months between August 27^th and October 27^th 2018, a 120% increase from the book borrowed in a 3-month second term.
6. We had a total teaching staff of an average teacher pupil ratio of 1:10 throughout the year.
7. We completed the roofing of 5 new classes.
8. School support from GlobalGiving disbursed over 2018 year was $2554 as at December 18^th 2018.

In 2019, Our key goals for the school include:

1. Complete the construction of 6 classes; 5 are half way done, and have been roofed. construction of the 1 will start from foundation level.
2. Complete girls’ ablution block
3. Complete a Learning Makerspace for the school
4. Install outdoor playing equipment for pre-school children.
5. Enroll at least 150 children by the end of the year
6. Have students participate in cognitive games like Chess to build their critical thinking and logic skills.
7. Continue giving reading and comprehension skills
8. Ensure children are attending school regularly and are learning
9. Improve parental participation in the school life of the children under their care.
10. Together increase the support to the children from $2554 to $5000 by end of 2019.

On behalf of the Board, the staff and the children of Acres of Mercy we thank you for your awesome support in 2018. We also wish you the best of Christmas Holiday season.

We look forward to a greater and better partnership in 2019

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Links:

• A Blog about the school and its work

Dear friends,

September is here...

Here in Nguluni, Kenya it is hot and dusty though the peace felt as you gaze at the cerulean blue skies trumps the heat. The hope of our mission keeps us focused. We must deliver to these dear children their passports into the future, on time.

It is four weeks now since we re-opened school to a new term, and three months since we last touched base. Since then a lot has happened. Before I delve into the report find some time to read the words from the poem September, The First Day of School.

I think this poem speaks of us, of you and I and the parents and guardians as we work, live and give hope to the children we serve so faithfully every day. I hope it resonates with you and trust that you will be encouraged to continue making a difference.

And making a difference we are! Recall, in our last report where I reported that we had started a 10 minute story book reading time for children between Pre-Primary One (PP1) to Grade 3. At the end of the second term in July we gave the children an Oral Fluency test which showed an average improvement in reading fluency rates by 28%. (Correct Words Per Minute).

When we started the term we set a target with the Pre-school teachers to read 60 books to the children by end of term. So far we are at 41 books read, we have reached the 68% mark with one month to go. This means the children will be hearing more vocabulary through the stories they will be hearing than ever before experienced. Our goal is to continue growing their contact with English and build their love for reading.

The total books borrowed for 2nd Term (3 months) was 217 Books

The total books borrowed in the last one month stands at 291 books. At this rate the students would be reading over 500 books at the end of this term, even with our CupBoard Library as we have. (Picture)

This shows a big growth in the Students Reading Culture.

The impact is being evidenced in students' confidence in speaking in English. 

Our teachers are also teaching more in English rather than in Kiswahili. Observations show students' responses show an improving level in listening comprehension as they respond to their teachers.

Before school closes on October 26th for the December break we trust to have in place an AfterSchool Program to help children get their hands on a good foundation...Together we are making the above impact possible.

Our Future Plan is to complete the space needed for a Literacy Centre within the school.

We have an ongoing building project and would request you as our partner to consider increasing the coming months either individually or by inviting friends and family to take part in any way possible including sharing ideas, best practices and web resources.

Thank you for making it happen, again!

I celebrate you all...