Good school infrastructure directly links into great academic results
The website SSVM Mentions ..
"Good school infrastructure means that students have access to the best possible resources and amenities, which can help them feel safe, secure, and valued. This will, in turn, reduce stress levels and improve their academic performance and enhance overall learning outcomes"
Similarly the World Bank says...
"Buildings, classrooms, laboratories, and equipment- education infrastructure - are crucial elements of learning environments in schools and universities. There is strong evidence that high-quality infrastructure facilitates better instruction, improves student outcomes, and reduces dropout rates, among other benefits."
At VF we say that the VF infrastructure is the heart bit of everything: the place of reference and calm, the place where growth and learning happen every day and friendships for life are built. It is the place where many meet at the weekend instead being on the streets, the place where ideas are born and the future is "work in progress". We know for sure that the superior and good quality facilities lower dropout rates, enable better instruction and enhance our students' results.
We are proceeding with the development of the current school in phases and depending on the funds available. There is still a lot to do hence we still need support. Can you share about our project with your contacts today and help us finalise the infrastructure we aim for?
All at VF, the teachers and students look very much forward to see the completion of the works.
Meanwhile here we share some of the latest pictures. Thank you for walking this journey with Volunteers Foundation.
Be in touch if further info is required,
Asante!
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The Volunteers Foundation Academy continues to flourish, with many new developments in the last few months, continuing on our mission of providing quality education and empowering our students for a better future.
Teaching excellence
"The ratio of students completing lower secondary school increased in Sub-Saharan Africa from 23 percent in 1990 to 42 percent in 2014 but remains low compared with a global ratio of 75 percent" (WorldBank) .
Central to our students reaching their full potential, is the quality of teaching, both academically and in enriching the students’ lives. In Kibera in particular, education is a pathway out of poverty and teachers play a pivotal role in inspiring, motivating and equipping students with the knowledge and skills to overcome the challenges they face. In line with teacher appreciation week celebrated globally in May, Volunteers Foundation recognise the hard work and dedication of our teachers and the impact they have on the lives of these children. This recognition took the form of Head Teacher commendations, supporting teachers with professional development and external recognition. We need to continue to invest in our teachers to ensure they can continue to give students the best chance to reach their full potential.
Learning opportunities
13 years old VF students recently participated in the Topical Talk Festival, organised by The Economist Foundation. This festival spanned over seven weeks and facilitated global discussions on news stories and current issues. Under the guidance of the class teacher and the festival team, the students delved deep into the subject of climate change and carbon footprint, learning about the effects of climate change at different levels, ranging from their own school and city, to the country and the world. We are immensely proud of their commitment and dedication to understanding these critical global issues.
We support students in accessing age-appropriate news sources, discussing news stories in a guided and supportive environment and encouraging open dialogue about current events. By nurturing their understanding of current events, we empower young students to become informed, responsible and engaged citizens.
New activities
As we commence the second term of the academic year, we have introduced new activities that have become embedded in our weekly timetable. Every morning, before beginning their lessons, all students and teachers at the Academy participate in some physical activities. This initiative promotes the importance of an active lifestyle and sets a positive mindset for the day.
Additionally, once a week have the opportunity to visit the local library where they can participate and develop enjoyment for reading, storytelling, and even participate in IT classes.
Becoming part of a brighter future
We are looking for more passionate individuals to join the Volunteers Foundation team. By participating, you can inspire and encourage our students, influencing positively "our" children education, social and cognitive development, as well as their overall wellbeing and their mental health.
Your contribution will not only enrich their educational journey but will also offer you a chance to make new friends, learn new skills, advance your career, and experience the surprising benefits of volunteering. Infact "Volunteering makes you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others. The more we give, the happier we feel." To learn more about the benefits of volunteering, please visit this link.
Through the support of our generous donors and volunteers, our students gain access to quality education that not only empowers them but also transforms their community.
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you,
the VF Team
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“I realized if you can change a classroom, you can change a community, and if you change enough communities, you can change the world.”
-Erin Gruwell, teacher, author and activist for social justice
We are excited that the developments to our school buildings are continuing.
We would like to express our gratitude to Ark Construction for managing the construction and labour, Betts Townsend Taylor for the planning approvals and project management and for the support of our generous donors. Their contribution has enabled these significant improvements to create a space that will inspire study and learning.
According to Education 2030 World Health Organisation and UNESCO report, every school should be a health-promoting school. No education system is effective unless it promotes the health and well-being of its students, staff and community.
The refurbishment of the school kitchen has been central to this idea, recreating the outside kitchen into an indoor kitchen allows for better levels of hygiene in the preparation of food and cleaning of dishes after meals.
Research from global education organizations have shown that a positive learning environment is crucial to the academic success of students.
Equity and quality in education: supporting disadvantaged students and schools report by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2012 reports:
There is clear evidence that the extremes of school environment – such as excessive noise or extreme heat – have negative effects on students and their learning, and that improving these elements can have significant benefits (Higgins et al., 2005). Unmaintained or abandoned physical spaces give students a message of a lack of ownership and, in a sense, a lack of morale; and students tend to act on this image of the school (Roeser, Urdan and Stephens, 2009; Eccles and Roeser, 2011).
The construction of external area is of high quality. The construction of kitchen roof terrace is of the highest quality possible.. Outside of meal times, the space now has a permanent roof cover allowing it to double up as a quiet place of study and reading and for small group meetings for teachers and students to further their studies.
With these new learning spaces, we have created a new dynamic and energy that will snowball to empower children to learn.
But we are not stopping there. We are now turning our attention to the planning and refurbishment of the first floor of classrooms. Together, with the ongoing support of our donors, we are committed to creating a learning space that will foster academic success and personal growth for all our students.
According to the Word Bank in 2018, globally, there is a 9% increase in hourly earnings for every extra year of schooling. For societies, it drives long-term economic growth, spurs innovation, strengthens institutions, and fosters social cohesion.
We are grateful for the continued support of our community, including parents, teachers, donors, building partners and of course students, together enabling us to undertake these important initiatives to enable our students to complete their studies with us and go on to further education and career opportunities.
Thank you from all at the children and us at Volunteers Foundation
In a world where a lot still needs to be done to reduce poverty, ensure equity and provide safe space for all, Volunteers Foundation provides, with your help, the physical space, in Kibera, Nairobi where the mind, body and soul can be nurtured. A space that fosters the blossoming of young minds.
THE PERFECT SCHOOL
Now, “with eyes shut try to imagine the perfect school. Ask the following questions: How would the pupils behave? How would the teachers take the lessons? How would the pupils and teachers feel at the end of the school day?”
Volunteers Foundation Academy, where from this January, 140 students aged 6 to 13 will be studying, is the small but functional and safe space in which positive reinforcement instead negative punishment is practiced, the space where plants and colours take the place of the dirt and grey shacks, the space where music has an important place as well as sport. The place where the small actions make a huge difference.
As such, the academic year starts with a lot of optimism. All the students in the program, not only those at VF Academy, make use of the space and look forward to seeing friends, learn and have fun. They look forward to making the most of this opportunity, to feel fit, happy, healthy and productive for this academic year.
There is so much to do between now and November and this year's students can expect a high quality and inspiring education. A safe place does not have to be a mansion but it can be a room, a house, or apartment that you can call your own. It can be a tree house on your roof; an apartment in your backyard or a donated space in a shelter.
For them we are preparing the school. In October, during the Volunteers Trip we advanced some of the compound works and the big and grey bordering walls changed look. They no longer are a dull monotonous colour, they are a colourful addition to the compound.
This week the classes will be painted with the help of our older students,
the compound cleaned and refreshed with the help of the parents and
the toilets replaced.
The garden will be taken care by our young students under supervision. This is what we do, together!
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
We started twelve years ago, it has been quite a journey and we continue on it. We are proud to say that all our 18 years old continue their education. They are part of that 3% of the population that goes to University and part of the 7% of the population that joins vocational trainings.
This is Volunteers Foundation and its Project Pamoja. Togetherness is what we need. "It unites us, gives us security, much-needed support and a sense of belonging, and encourages us to love one another."
To join Volunteers Foundation, the decision is simple. All you need is to share this page and help us continue changes lives for the better!
Learn more and share with friends about the program at www.volunteersfoundation.org and donate your time, talent or treasure today!
Until the next report,
Thank you and Happy New Year from the VF team
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We know that “when parents are involved in their children’s education, children are more engaged with their school work, stay in school longer, and
achieve better learning outcomes. This also translates into longer-term economic and social benefits” www.globalpartnership.org
The VA Academy staff are continuously in contact with the parents and guardians of our students to encourage their involvement. For this purpose, we have created spaces on the school grounds to facilitate class meetings and the essential and beneficial teacher-parent individual conversations.
IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR FACILITIES
For our students to thrive, we have completed the preparation and improved existing VA spaces including:
We can’t stress enough the importance of involving the parents and the local community in our activities and in the education of their children. Only with their full engagement and support we can achieve our mission of raising the standards of education in Kibera and give our students some real chances for a better future. To have some quiet, dedicated spaces to meet the parents become instrumental to the parents’ engagement.
END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR
Kenya has been through the national election process which concluded just a few days ago. The main side effect of any electoral campaign is the slowing down of all the public and administrative activities, with an impact on the registration and planning process for Volunteers Foundation Academy. From the information we received from the field, we are confident our applications will now continue with finalisation of the required processes and we will soon be able to start the building activities. Our project partners Betts Townsend and Taylor are diligently following up on the progress.
We are planning the next building activities to carry out. Obviously, we will have to balance the immediate requirements with the long-term redevelopment master plan to make sure everything we do now, while we raise the funds required, can be reused, and will not affect the final building layout.
One of the priorities highlighted in a recent local authority’s site survey, is to build some additional toilets to maintain the minimum students/facilities ratio. We are looking into this installation with our construction partners and planning the works in December, when school is closed for the end of year holiday.
Please share our stories with your friends and encourage them to get in touch so we can
explain the life-changing impact VF makes. Follow us on social media and join our events.
Imagine how we could scale up together. Help us complete Project Pamoja.
Be Project Pamoja!
Until the next report from the field,
Monica Dan, Founder @VF
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