Kenya

Summary

The new Kisaruni Girls High School will give young women from different ethnic communities the chance to come together and continue their education beyond middle school, bridging both cultural gaps between them and socioeconomic gaps around them. Kisaruni means "land of peace." The community members named the school in response to new and growing cooperation between members from Maasai, Kisii, and Kipsigis communities. In continuing their education, young women will be encouraged to be role models and visionary leaders in their villages, empowering them to create positive change within their society. Because of the remoteness of the region and a commitment to sustainability, Free The Children partnered with SELF to bring solar power to the Kisaruni school and the new Baraka Health Center. SELF is once again utilizing our successful hybrid solar PV/diesel generator system, where diesel generators are available solely as a back-up during prolonged heavy usage or in periods of rain.

Background

Extreme poverty (defined as those living under $1 per day) includes almost 30 percent of Kenya's current population. In the Narok South District where Free The Children focuses its efforts, one in 10 children die before reaching their fifth birthday, and one-third of children under five years of age are stunted due to chronic malnutrition.

Lack of educational opportunities feeds the cycle of poverty. This year, 150 students will graduate from grade 8 in Free The Children schools across Kenya. However, less than 10 percent of those students will continue on to secondary school due to inadequate facilities and resources. Over 4,000 children attend Free The Children primary schools in Kenya every day, but high school education in the Maasai Mara is a privilege reserved for the wealthy due to high tuition and few schools. In addition, most secondary schools in Kenya are boarding schools, forcing parents to cover the cost of tuition and living expenses for a child that must attend the school far away. Furthermore, as soon as the majority of girls in the Maasai Mara finish school, they are subjected to the traditional practice of female circumcision.

Objectives

In all Free The Children primary schools in the region, completion of primary education has pushed back the age of female circumcision and marriage from 12 to 16 years old. Attending a secondary school would not only provide these girls with the necessary foundation to further their education, but it will also further delay their marriage and childbearing. Together these steps will help to lift their communities out of poverty. In response to this urgent need, in 2010 Free The Children built the Kisaruni Girls High School. Establishing this educational institution will increase the level of opportunity and education for Free The Children students. The school was built in a central location where it will be accessible to most of the communities that Free The Children is currently working with, and classes commenced in January 2011.

The overall objective of the high school is to provide a high quality secondary education to the top students graduating from Free The Children primary schools. Students will receive core subject education, financial literacy training, HIV/AIDS workshops, general health seminars, empowerment and leadership training, and support for three languages. The school will follow Kenya’s national curriculum, with a greater emphasis on leadership and cooperation, both in school and in the community.

Solution

With support from Heidi Hopper, Jeff Dean and Sanjay Ghemawat, SELF partnered with local providers to bring solar electricity to Free The Children's new Kisaruni Girls High School and Baraka Health Center near the village of Bomete. SELF’s team designed and oversaw the installation of a custom 8.4 kilowatt solar-diesel hybrid system. The array of solar panels provides electricity for lights in Kisaruni’s eight classrooms; and for 10 laptops, a color television, printer, VCR and radio cassette player. A diesel generator serves as a backup to ensure power is available on cloudy days.

In addition to the school, the Baraka Health Center is now benefiting from reliable electricity 24/7. The clinic serves as host to the community’s first ultrasound machine for prenatal care. Solar energy powers this device as well as a vaccine refrigerator, defibrillator, microscope, centrifuge, examination lights and computers. Proper diagnostic equipment helps the staff meet the medical needs of villagers from the surrounding area, and a well-stocked pharmacy ensures patients can be treated onsite. Parents are also receiving first class information on healthy child development in a thoughtful and caring environment.

Future Needs

SELF is excited about our new partnership with Free The Children and hopes to bring solar installations to more of their schools and clinics in the future. Free The Children has expressed their interest in sustainable solutions to meeting the needs for electricity throughout their projects. Solar-powered computer labs and quality health care are just two of the ways we can help improve the lives of thousands of children worldwide, bringing them a brighter future. Please help us continue to empower girls in Kenya, bringing hope for peace and an end to poverty in their communities.

For additional project details contact info@self.org.

*Photos provided by Free The Children.