Lasallian Projects supporting school in Kenya

Although travel restrictions have impacted on their activities of over the past two years, Lasallian Projects are determined to continue their good work by providing financial support to a very worthwhile project.

It has been decided to sponsor an essential school-building project in St Martha’s Primary School in Kenya and Lasallian Projects are running an appeal in the UK and have a total of £8000 raised for this classroom. 

A Nursery Classroom

From 2012 to 2019 Lasallian groups worked in the village of Narosura, Kenya, helping to build St Martha’s Primary School. There are still more buildings required to bring it to completion and the current target is for a large nursery school classroom. The present one is inadequate for the 56 children and it does not meet government guidelines. The building is constructed of metal sheets which means that it is very cold in the early morning and sizzling hot by midday. There is also a high risk of storm damage and consequent personal injury, as with most tin shacks.

Benefits

It is expected that up to 80 children from 3 to 5 years old will be able to join an enlarged school. At the moment some are turned away for lack of accommodation. The school will provide a sound education closer to people’s homes and about 40 children should transfer each year to the primary school on the same site. The proximity to homes in this very rural area means that travel problems, costs and security are greatly reduced. A larger school will also provide more teaching jobs which will benefit the community.

The Maasai Community

Historically the Maasai have been a very independent group living a semi-nomadic lifestyle. This spared them from a fair amount of colonial exploitation but has left them more marginalised in the modern world. There is a serious need for good quality education that will enable them to adapt and learn new skills. Tribal traditions have restricted women to very limited roles and achieving gender equality will improve human rights and enable society to function better.

Work

The local people largely survive from working with livestock and related products such as skins and dairy. There are small traders who ultimately also depend on the rearing of livestock. While there are opportunities for casual labour there are hardly any salaried workers.

The Area

The area around Narosura is isolated, wild, rocky and hilly and without metalled roads. In the dry season tracks are thick with dust and in the rainy season they can be impassable. The region is semi-arid and can be dry for 6 to 8 months. The climate trend is for decreasing rainfall with consequent problems for fresh water and growth of vegetation.

In Conclusion

There are excellent reasons why St Martha’s should be supported until it has the necessary facilities in place. It is the kind of school in the sort of place where it can have a powerful influence on the lives and the future of the local people. The Lasallian groups who have spent time at Narosura have enjoyed a great relationship with the children, the teachers and the local community and it is to be hoped that we will be able to raise £9,000 so that the benefits to both parties will continue.

Read more about how St Martha’s Primary School benefits the local community