Build a school in a deprived area of Mombasa

We have become victims of our own success. We have well trained teachers in a purpose built well equipped school. Our children are in classes of no more then thirty (classes can be up to 100 in Kenya). With the new education system and curriculum recently introduced  we are obliged to have a number of graduates on the staff. Because of changes,  particularly in the secondary sector, the government is looking for suitable candidates for the jobs that have been created in their national schools. They are offering more than we as a charity can afford, particularly a pension scheme and higher salaries. Our teachers, because of excellent staff training, were better prepared for the new curriculum than many. Because of this we lost four graduates to the government before the beginning of the school year in January, with only a month's notice. Our headteacher Irene managed to find replacements for the beginning of term and they were given temporary contracts. Rita, our Founding Trustee went to Kenya in January and was able to carry out retrospective interviews with Irene, Joshua our school manager and appropriate members of the senior management team. Things seem to be progressing well so far.

Maureen, a volunteer who went to Kenya with Rita in January, worked particularly on music with staff. Amos our deputy headteacher had said that all the staff found the new music curriculum boring. Rita said how could music be boring in Kenya, a country where everyone sings and dances! Maureen changed the way staff felt by showing them that the curriculum could be taught in an interesting way and even bought a keyboard for the school. We already had plenty of percussion instruments and a class set of recorders. She brought the curriculum to life and we hear that it is no longer "boring".  

We heard very good news about two of our children, Layla and Adam, for whom we found sponsors for further secondary education. They each gained a place at seperate high grade national schools and are doing very well, so much so that Adam has come first or second in a group of over two hundred students in every exam since he arrived. In her last exams Layla was 8th out of over 200.

Thank you donors. As I have written many times nothing could be achieved without the generosity of our donors. If you are new to us please consider giving us your support. The smallest of donations helps to change a life for the better. Every donation is put to good use. We believe that Adam, Layla and their families now have a chance of a much brighter future, as do many more of the children and families Mustard Seed has been able to help.