These are just some of the smiles we wanted to share with you from our spring visits to partner projects in Kenya.
Every one of these schools has its own story, needs, triumphs and challenges, but every one is working hard for the success of their students. Across the board we are seeing higher enrollments and better scores, particularly in the schools where we’ve installed new libraries. Here are some highlights, including the new Dick Clark Legacy Library at Mahiga Hope High School.
With a couple of days in the capital city before heading to school locations, Turk and StoryMoja presented his beautiful English/Swahili children’s book, “Grace and the Moon” at schools in Nairobi and Naivasha, including Mirera Primary (largest in Kenya with 3,000 students). If you’d like a copy, click here. Every purchase pays for a copy for a Kenyan library.
Then the real work began, with stops at 2 to 5 schools a day.
The new Tito’s basketball court at Monica Munyaka Secondary Girls School is awesome. With 600 girls at this boarding school, the court is getting a workout!
Thanks to: Tito’s Vodka, Becky Beaver, and Giants of Africa.
We’ve been working with Simbara Secondary School for years on infrastructure improvements, and the Library and Computer Lab is the crowning addition for these 250 marginalized high school students. Thank you and Happy Birthday to Joslyn Dobson from every student here.
And our Bike Awards Program for the top scoring students at all the high schools is still bringing scores up!
Wendinga and Kenyaiti are the schools where we are working this year to create a rapid transformational change. The Wendinga preschool is the first of what will be many improvements and a great place to start.
These farming communities are really feeling the impact of another very dry year, but we were heartened by so many parents who joined us at Kinyaiti Primary for a groundbreaking and to share the hope of a better future for their children. Thanks to all of you who Raised Your Hands at the Feed the Peace Awards! Your generosity is behind all these smiles!
4 new classrooms at Mwangaza Primary School were a cause for celebration. Or maybe a nap...
Welcome to the Nyambugichi Primary Library! Lots of great books for great kids. Thanks to the Louisiana Charities Trust and the Beebe Family.
And I was honored to meet the girls now staying in the dorm at Ol Moran Secondary. This high school has grown from 250 to 800 in a few short years.
In celebration of Dick’s memory, we opened the doors to the Dick Clark Legacy Library at Mahiga Hope High School. The students, teachers, and parents – and all of us too – were blown away by the beauty and warmth of this inspiring center of learning and the promise it holds. Working with our trusted contractor Peter Maina, Dick Clark + Associates created a place for hopes and dreams to grow. Dick would have loved it.
Thanks to all of the Friends of Dick that contributed in so many ways. And special thanks to Mark, Kris, Jim and Danie for making the trip.
Here is some video from the opening ceremony and first looks at the library:
Stay tuned for more updates! We love the progress we see every time we go and appreciate you making it happen. More news in July!