A Rotary club in Kenya wants an American Rotary club to assist in a humanitarian project. A Nambale Middle School (pre-K to 8) in an impoverished region of NW Kenya is committed to women’s and girls’ education and safety, through knowledge and survival.
A Rotary ‘partnership’ can furnish desks, school supplies and other equipment for the incoming 8th grade class. Success in the 8th grade determines whether a child will continue on to higher education.
The funding and support will buy, among other things, computers for students and training for the staff. The aim is to provide a good education for a marginalized population consisting of orphaned children who otherwise would be forced into the streets, child labor or prostitution.
The objective is to raise the community to sustainability through the education of the most vulnerable population and empower females to take care of themselves and their children.
Presently, the school provides assistance and support to the community though adult education, library sharing, sports events, free medical screening, education on modern farming techniques and public service.
Therefore, helping the school benefits the entire community reaching further than its 300 students.
This Nambale school has become a beacon of hope to its community and test scores are proving that academic excellence can be achieved regardless of its marginalized population.
This is breaking the social stigma that children, girls in particular, have no important place in society. Because Rotary focuses on basic education and literacy, the school’s commitment to the care and empowerment of children and in particular girls to stay in school is aligned with Rotary’s commitment to eradicate gender inequality and build sustainable communities.
The Nambale community at large is poor and marginalized. Private schools are out of reach to its general population and public schools are not equipped with the tools to succeed in passing children through to high school and higher education.
Without this pivotal eighth grade class, the access to high school and higher education would not be available thereby sealing their fate to live in poverty and to become a burden to the community. Allowing these children a competitive education will allow them to continue on to higher education and go on to be masters of their own destiny.
Before Rotarians considered this project they visited the school, interviewed staff, students and local community leaders and established that there was a genuine need. There was an overwhelming consensus that the education of these marginalized children, and girls in particular, was crucial to the sustainability of the community.
They determined that computers and computer training will assist not only the students and teachers but promote education and literacy to adult students as well.
The school uses its limited resources to provide services to the entire community. The mission of the school is not just to educate poor children, but also to be a vehicle to empower the entire community to sustainability and self-sufficiency. Adding desks and beds, training and supplies will allow the school to continue the growth process and reach greater numbers.
The Rotary money and support will ensure that this vision will be carried out.
In order to accomplish a partnership with the school, Orange, Connecticut and Milford Rotarys joined forces and enlisted the support of Westport, Stratford, and Devon. They planned fundraising activities to fund the project, they hosted the school’s founder to come and speak to our clubs, they built a partnership with Nairobi Rotary Club and are securing the funding for the project. Milford Rotary is planning a trip to the school for monitoring and good will. This is the kind of good work Rotary does in the world.