Education & Support for Vulnerable Children, Kenya

Dear Supporters, 

GVI and the GVI Charitable Trust have been working with Precious Vision Care Centre since 2009, the project began as a care centre offering a safe, sheltered place for local children to play, learn and have a nutritional meal during the day.  In 2010 we enabled the care centre to move to larger premises within the same village of Shauri-Yako, allowing the class sizes to grow as well as the inclusion of Kindergarten 1 through to Standard 5.  By 2012, Precious Vision Care Centre had classes up to Standard 7.

Towards the end of 2012 GVI along with the management of Precious Vision decided to re-register as a Primary School instead of a Care Centre.  This decision was reached as it is a requirement that a school is registered before children can sit their KCPE examinations in their own school, this obviously being the ideal scenario for these children.

The registration process began in September 2012 resulting in the school being renamed Nyota Ing’arayo Mombasa School in order to comply with Kenyan rules and protocols.  Ten months later all necessary paperwork had been completed and the school was officially registered for a two-year period.  This probationary period is in place to ensure that all schools in Kenya comply with rules and regulations for the safety and well-being of the students entrusted to their care.

Having completed their two-year period, it is now time for Nyota Ing’arayo to begin the second round of the registration process after which the school will be officially registered on a permanent basis.  The cost to the school for the registration fees alone will be 150,000 KSH, which is just over 1000 GBP.  However, in order to successfully meet the criteria needed to become a registered school Nyota Ing’arayo will inevitably incur additional charges.  Fundamentally, they must ensure that the building meets the standards set by the ministry of education and the public health authority, in order to do so some minor construction work must be carried out on the building. This includes some repainting work to classrooms and corridors, the repair or replacement of furniture – particularly chairs in the Kindergarten classes and some repair work to classroom roofs to help prevent leaks during the upcoming rainy season. 

The amount needed for repairs and furnishings is expected to reach 50,000 KSH, bringing the final total to 200,000 KSH or 1350 GBP.

By fulfilling these requirements Nyota Ing’arayo will be able to successfully register as an official school and consequently, end the two-year temporary registration that was put in place in 2012.  The continued support of previous GVI volunteers and staff along with the dedication of the school’s management has enabled Nyota Ing’arayo to continue providing a safe learning environment for the children in the local community.  This is now the final hurdle - to officially register Nyota Ing’arayo Mombasa School.  Let’s enable the community to continue providing the opportunity for some of Mombasa’s most under-privileged children to achieve their KCPE qualification and beyond.

Will you help us get Nyota Ing’arayo fully registered?

With Gratitude, 

GVI Charitable Trust

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Dear Supporters, 

We can't believe that Quarter 1 is over already! It feels like this year is just flying by. We are taking this opportunity to reflect on how we have been using your very generous donations this quarter and what it means

Teacher's Wages

Using donations for teachers' wages in Olives is of huge importance.  Teachers all over the world face many challenges associated with the job and in this area of Kenya, teachers are likely to receive unreliable and scarce wages.  It is essential that teachers are appreciated and valued for the immense impact they have on their students' lives, both through wellbeing and future prospects.  Reliable wages are usually dependent on strong funding.  Without a reliable wage, staff turnover increases (creating inconsistency for students), provision of teachers decreases and students' education gets negatively impacted.  Thanks to your kind donations, the teachers at Olives are paid on time every month. At Olives, teachers remain consistent from term to term and feel valued for the fundamental work that they do.

Ensuring reliable and consistent wages for the teachers at Olives means we have seen the staff members have an incentive to remain in their jobs at the school and are doing so.  They are also demonstrating a greater commitment to both the school and it's objectives and future goals.  This is huge for the students, providing consistency from term to term.  This means the quality of education is of a high standard, giving students the ability to aspire to learn and break the cycle of poverty.  As many of the teachers at Olives have grown up in the same areas as their students, they understand the challenges these students face.  Teachers working consistently at the school increases students chances of a more positive future which is a common goal between all members of Olives.

The Ladies behind our Feeding Programme

While the feeding programme has an immeasurable benefit on the 225 students that it feeds every day, it also has a huge impact on two other people, who’s contribution is often overlooked. The two cooks Nyota employs, Irene and Mary, have been with the school for over two years, providing nutritious and filling lunches for the students of Nyota.

Every day, without fail these ladies make and serve porridge at 10.20 and lunch at 12.40. Their hard work and dedication to the school is rewarded, as they not only get a wage, but their children and grandchildren attend the school free of charge. This means that these ladies are free during the day to cook, and do not have to worry about alternative childminding options for their children.

The food that they cook daily benefits the students and teachers as it increases concentration and information retention levels. For many students the meals they receive in school are the only meals that they eat.

The feeding programme is so important to the students of Nyota Ing’arayo, and thanks to your donations, it remains a valuable aspect of school life for these students.

Thanks to your generous support, both teachers and students at the school are thriving and succeeding.

With Gratitude, 

GVI Charitable Trust

Links:

• Visit our website
• Join our community on Facebook
• Get all the updates on Twitter