Run down and unsupported primary school in Central Kenya seeks volunteer teachers, assistants and groups.
 

The school is located on the central part of Kenya on the highlands of Mt Kenya. It is about 160km from Nairobi which is about 2hours drive. The area is lush and green with very beautiful scenic views. The school is   public which means it is partly funded by the government and the community. The parents and the community are a part of developing the school, and in the case of this school there is a lot of poverty so they are barely making ends meet. The school has a population of 456 children with only 12 teachers to support these children. The classes are from standard 1 to standard 8, which is per the Kenyan education system. Due to lack of teachers the classes are big and have up to 80 children in a class. This has made it very difficult to teach the kids thus the performance of the school is not of high standards. Each grade therefore has one class each, with class 7 and 8 having two each. The school also has a small support staff which works with the teachers. It also boosts a small staff room and an office for administration purposes. They also have a head teacher who is the main administrator of the school, so volunteer teachers in Kenya are most welcome at anytime.

Despite the destitution, the school stands in the middle of an all year round green and beautiful part of the country. Other than being home to Africa’s second highest peak (Mt. Kenya) it is also the epicenter of Kenya’s ecology and history revolving round fight for independence from the British colonial rule.
The province’s weather ranges from warm sunny days to chilly and misty ones.

Actual Placement Photos. Volunteer teaching in Kenya.

Teach in Kenya with Inspire Volunteering and impact lives that really do need your help.

The school being in a poor environment has a lot of problems to just keep it afloat. This is due to large population of pupils and the poverty in this area. This would include:-

a)      WATER. The school has basically no reliable source of water. They have been having problems with large water bills which have been caused by underground leakage and as a result they are not able to pay the huge bills. As a result the children have to fetch water from a nearby stream which is time wasting.

b)      TOILETS. The school requires complete new blocks of toilets. The existing latrines are all dilapidated and also very few. As a result the children have to queue which is time wasting and very unhygienic.

c)      CLASSROOMS. Most of the classes are dilapidated. They lack windows and doors. The walls and floors are made of earth and stone which is not well done. Due to the harsh weather conditions the children suffer from many ailments associated with dust and cold weather.

d)      TEACHERS The school has 12 teachers against 15 classes. Out of the 12, two are retiring. The school is so understaffed that the quality of education has gone very low. The school is also unable to employ new qualified teachers due to lack of funds. In recent times, education for primary school in Kenya has become free and as result many children went to school and the government is not able to fulfill the demand of teachers in the whole country. The community in this school is so poor so they too are unable to pay for extra teachers as is done in other areas of Kenya.

e)      BOOKS AND STATIONERY.The parents are also not able to support the children with enough books because most of them are poor farmers. The school on the other hand is only able to give them what they call basic as they get very little money from the government. Most of the text books are shared among the children so they lack any effectiveness. The books are old and worn and homework is impossible because they have to be shared.

WORK OF A VOLUNTEER

a)      School starts at 8am to 4pm. So the volunteer should report to school at this time. ( Walking distance from your accommodation)

b)      Parade or assembly is done this time, before the children start their day. This enables the whole school to come together to discuss the events of the day.

c)      Classes begin after, which would include subjects like English, math, history (mostly African history), geography, science (this is universal) and Physical education (gym class).

d)      The volunteer can also create more activities with the children like playing ball games, art and craft, athletics, etc. If you have something to offer, that's a help.

e)        There is also basic motivation for the children where they can teach or encourage the children on cultures of their own countries. This is proven to be a great motivator because it will teach the kids to be ambitious.

f)      Painting, basic construction in case of big groups, would also be of great help to this school.

Anyone wishing to work in such an environment, keen on children and wiling to work in classes doing a range of activities you think can benefit these children. Volunteers who take lap tops with educational software can run their own classes, those good at sports can teach P.E. If you can help in anyway the school will be most welcome. So if your keen to just help out and interact in such a place you need not be a qualified teacher to take this on. The children are warm and receptive and don't ever see westerners. So expect one hell of a welcome!

This placement comes with superior accommodation only. The house you will stay at is in a secure location complete with staff and cooks who will attend to your needs. Your room is en-suite and you have use of the patio and vast tropical gardens to relax in your spare time. Transport is also covered for your daily trips to the school if its wet and you cant walk. This placement would also suit more mature and professional volunteers as well as gappers, couples or groups.

The school is an ideal placement for those looking for places to initiate projects that would strike a positive and immediate effect to a needy person’s life for long period of time. Its a great opportunity to have an impact on children who really have no hope. The school is totally unsupported except via Inspire as of now. We are very keen to get some volunteers out to help at this place.
One must be prepared to face hash realities of life, with regard to the levels of need and sufferings. In return the children will give you a rewarding and memorable time you will never forget. The area is safe and simply stunning and our host family accommodation is better than any volunteer company can offer. For those willing to be flexible and who really want to make a difference but value your own comforts, this is for you. 2 weeks or a month teaching in kenya would be one of the highlights of your life.

The school is situated 45 minutes away from Nyeri town, where it is possible to find all things modern – from Internet to pubs and five star safari clubs. This part of the country has a beautiful topography that is well covered by tall and green trees that gives a perfect setting for bird watching, or evening walks. For the adventurous, Mt Kenya is only an hour away, thus an attempt to climb to any of its three peaks would be a fulfilling move. Besides that, most of us would visit Meru reserve that is famous for Joy and George Adamson's hand rearing and releasing of animals. The famous lioness 'Elsa', whom most of us know from the film 'Born Free' The area is rain forested so game spotting is hard and an easier alternative is Aberdare  a few hours away, or Samburu where you are likely to spot the elusive Leopard.

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