The Kenyan School Project
OLEMONCHO SCHOOL and BURGURET SCHOOL
Phase I of the Olemoncho Water project was completed in September 2020. Olemoncho School used to have limited access to water prior to September. The school needed easier access to water for drinking, irrigating the food program’s garden, and general hygiene for students and teachers. Olemoncho’s current water source is a spring a mile from the school campus. Students used to carry two-gallon water jugs from the spring to the school for their water needs. The KSP grant covered the installation of piping, a pump, and the construction of a wash station. The water is now being pumped directly to the school and serving 350 students, the school staff, and the surrounding community.
Pictured below: The solar panel is for creating energy for the water pump that is pumping water to the school. A student collecting water at the new water station at Olemoncho School. This is the spring which is the school’s water source. Water tanks in phase II of the water project - Part of the $3,500 is going towards putting the tanks on concrete platforms.
With your help, Olemoncho School was able to complete all elements of phase I and phase II of
the water project. The completed project components were piping, solar panels to run a water
pump, the cost of the pump bringing water from a spring to the school, and installing water tanks
and guttering for a water catchment system. Both phases of the water project improved hygiene
by providing a station where students can wash their hands. The project not only benefits the
350+ students at the school, but also restores damaged community water sites and provides safe
drinking water for the entire Olemoncho community.
The KSP funded the construction of a grade 5 classroom at the Olemoncho School in 2019. The government school serves K – 8 students, 47% of them girls. The school is in the rural Masai Mara and many students must travel long distances to reach the school.
KSP recently completed the Electric Fencing Project for the Olemoncho primary school which serves K – 8 students. The schools biggest need was electric fencing around the school compound to protect students from wild animals. During the day and at night, lions and elephants could wander through the school grounds and encounters with elephants are particularly dangerous. The exciting benefit of the fencing project is that the students are now protected from wild animals, especially elephants. Also, the fence protects the elephants from human interaction and possible death. The Electric Fence has also added security to the school and allows trees to be planted in the school yard to eventually provide shade for the buildings and students. The fence has allowed the school to plant a garden for the school feeding program and to raise cows that can be sold to offset the cost of the feeding program. The fencing project is an important investment and was completed within budget for $7,878 U.S. dollars. This project is a win – win for people and wildlife.
In October 2017 KSP Board members Liz Scranton, and Ann Goss and Lopez High School senior Ashi Bartolucci traveled to Kenya to celebrate the opening of the new kindergarten classrooms at Burguret School, and to honor the head teacher who retired at the end of the this school year. Ms. Peninah Maturi has been the director and driving force at the school for the three projects that the Kenyan School Project has supported. The construction of the new Kindergarten classrooms for the 80 plus kindergarten children replaced the original structure which had boards and no battens, a rusted tin roof and a dirt floor. There were chiggars in the dirt and leaks in the roof. During the rainy season, the wind and rain created a challenge for these young children to stay warm. In warmer months, the tin roof offered little protection from the scorching heat. We replaced this aging structure with a modern two classroom school building.
.jpg)
KSP has donated books to the Burguret School through the Book Program to bring culturally appropriate books to the school library. These books are in Swahili and English and provide much needed culturally appropriate content. The books are actual text books purchased in Nairobi by KSP Board member, Ann Goss when she visited Burguret in March of 2015.
In addition KSP funded the purchase of 4 water tanks, gutters, piping and a water collection and wash station for the Burguret School. Much of the water is used to grow food for the school gardens. The water is providing improved hygiene and students no longer have to carry water to school (average distance of 1 mile) as there is now water for washing and cleaning.
The Burguret School has planted a school garden so they can provide consistent food for the school kitchen and meal program. Squash, beans and corn have been planted and the gardens are thriving as a result of being able to water plants. Food grown at the school gardens is used in the school meal program.
As part of the Kitchen project, KSP purchased a Jiko cooker to make food for the noon meal. The school serves one meal a day consisting mostly of corn and beans. The children provide their own dish and utensils. For many of the children, this is the main meal of the day.
The School meal program is a direct result of the Kitchen Project and has greatly improved the lives to the children at the school. According to school officials the Burguret School is highly respected in the area, in large part due to the food program and water projects funded by KSP. School enrollment has increased and children are doing better in school as a result of the Meal program. For many of the children, this is their main meal of the day. One of the common meals is called Githeri which consists of corn, beans and sometimes potatoes and is cooked in the Jiko stove which KSP funded.
Back to: OLEMONCHO SCHOOL BURGURET SCHOOL