School build - Educational excellence for the Maasai.
The Osiligi Obaya School is now finished - well almost. On a five acre plot in a broad valley, the blue roof can be seen for miles around - blue being the Maasai colour for generosity. What has surprised us is just how proud the Maasai are of their new school. "We are now like other areas" or "we thank all the people from the UK for this great opportunity". Interestingly, land prices have started to rise in the area, in expectation of the school's greatness.
For phase one, we have built:
A 6 classroom school (initially 1 will be used as a staff room and office)
Toilet blocks
Kitchen
Dining room / assembly hall
Pit latrines
4 Teachers' houses
We anticipated starting the school with 2 classes, nursery and pre-unit. So many children arrived that now we have 3 - baby class, nursery and pre-unit. The youngest is 4 and the oldest about 7 (the Maasai usually do not know their exact birthdate). Each year a further class will be added. We need sponsors to help with school fees. If you are interested see the sponsor page.
We have run out of money to complete phase 1, so the dining room will not be finished until funds permit. If you would like to contribute please link here.
We have incorporated a number of 'green' technologies into the school. Long term, we want the school to consume nothing apart from food, and to produce no waste. Green technologies are almost unheard of in Kenya, so this school will produce 25 children every year who have been brought up on sustainable living.
The technologies include:
A 50,000L rain water catchment tank. We want to add 2 more as funds permit.
Solar electricity. Solar makes great sense in a place with constant sun.
Energy efficient cooking stoves.
Water re-use from the septic tank onto the vegetable garden.
With additional funds, we wish to add:
Solar hot water.
Bio-gas generation for the kitchen stoves.
Composting toilets.
Additional rain water harvesting and storage.
In phase 2 (2014) we will add 6 further classrooms and boarding houses ready for the school year in 2015.
How will this school help the Maasai?
This, our most financially demanding project, will be the first Kenyan Maasai primary school to offer boarding. Many children in the Maasai 'interior' live too far from school to attend classes. Although they will walk long distances to school it goes dark early, limiting their journey. Boarding will only be for older children aged 9 to 17. Many children don’t complete primary school until they are 17 or even older.
There are other schools locally but they are of poor quality with no running water or electricity. They all have the usual Kenyan problems of overcrowding, lack of equipment and in many cases, unqualified teachers.
Long term benefits
The benefits to the school children of a high quality education are self evident, however, the real benefits of the school are long term for the community. Currently, there are almost no Maasai professionals as the quality of primary education has been too poor to allow access to good secondary schools and hence universities. The long term benefit of the school will be the new generation of well educated children who eventually come back to help their community as engineers, doctors and teachers.
School uses
Adult illiteracy and poor numeracy is high in the community. Apart from teaching children during the day, the Maasai have asked for the school to be available for adult education in the evening.
Education for the poor.
Due to low life expectancy, there are many orphans in the area. Because of the cost, most do not attend school. The charity's child sponsor scheme will be extended to offer school places to many of these orphans. Once they are old enough, many of these orphans are likely to become school boarders.
Please consider helping us to complete the school project by sending a donation.
Exceptional teachers wanted.
For January 2013, we will require one more teacher. If you think you have the qualities required for a modern high performing school, please see here for more information.
Click here for information on the Kenyan education system
