This afternoon I attended an awards ceremony for the Ngecha Primary School near Limuru. After several years of poor academic performance, the school has turned around their test scores and has established an environmental awarenes program. Craig Sorley, who I have mentioned in other posts, provided 500 trees to the school, which they planted in several areas around the school (see clip below). Even though they experienced a severe drought last year, the trees have done extremely well - hence the award for the school. In fact, the trees shown in the clip below were only knee-high 2 years ago when they were planted!
We were treated as special guests, sitting with various dignitaries and local leaders. The event was MC'd by a radio celebrity from Nairobi and portions were broadcast.
The school serves 600 students with 20 teachers. Classrooms are very basic - no electricity or running water - note the latrines in some of the pictures. Parents pay several hundred ksh (Kenya shillings - ~80 ksh/dollar) per year for their children to attend. Even so, in the last picture you see in the top clip, a line of parents are shown waiting to contribute to the fundraiser. Most dignataries gave on the order of 1000 to 2000 ksh (about $10 - $20). I'm sure the parents could only afford a few ksh each.
The speakers emphasized academic acheivement. It was certainly amazing to see how supportive the community and parents are of education, especially given how poor the surrounding area is. I understand that they have very strict standards for progressing in the school system - no child left behind here means that if you don't pass various grade-level exams - you are left behind! From what I have seen, those who make high school and university levels are definitely well prepared.
The final clip below has some general scenes from the local area. Pretty standard conditions for the areas I have been in so far. Can you see why education is important for so many of the people here - it offers hope and opportunity that otherwise is non-existent. We are all so blessed!
More later - HDG
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