The Realities of Education in Kenya

Bret, Koins for Kenya founder, in a typical old classroom 

In 2003, a change in the Kenyan government was made, mainly on the platform of free primary education for all.  Before this change, all education was tuition based, meaning many Kenyan poor never had a chance at being educated.

While this change sounded like a wonderful thing to the vast numbers not attending school due to lack of funds, the realities of free education became clear once existing school buildings swelled at the seams, and class sizes rose to 100+ per classroom being the norm, and a lack of funding from the government threatened to make education unavailable again to the masses of poor Kenyans hungry to learn.

Here is an article from the BBC outlining these issues:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7502223.stm

From the very beginning of Koins for Kenya's existence, one of our primary goals has been to build classrooms in rural villages of south coastal Kenya.  We do this as a partnership with the villages.  The village is required to come to Koins with 10% of the cost of the building project raised, and a willingness to provide unskilled labor to dig foundations, haul water, sand and gravel to the building site.  The partnership we create with the village makes them invested in the work.  Once the classrooms are built, the buildings are dedicated and turned over to the community.  Koins facilitates the building, but takes no ownership in the final outcome.  In the past 7 years, Koins has built nearly 20 classrooms, plus cisterns, latrines and libraries in Kenya, all with a goal to help promote education in a poverty-stricken area where education will provide the only way to a better future.

Koins has been able to accomplish a lot with our limited funds, mainly because of our mandate that 100% of all donated funds go directly to the work in Kenya.  There is no overhead paid out of donated funds.  Everyone on our board is a volunteer.  We donate our time, talents, energy and funds towards the work.  We have hosted a number of expeditioners over the years, and they become our biggest cheerleaders, often returning to Kenya see projects they have funded be dedicated, or rallying new donors to the cause.

It really takes a trip to Kenya, or an experience in a third world country, to realize the difference in how we, as Americans, live, vs. them.  Before my first trip to Kenya, I never thought twice about the fact that I had a flushing toilet, clean running water, a full pantry of food, a car, technology, (and on and on).   Not to mention the healthcare nightmare that is rural Kenya.  We know we can't change the world, but classroom by classroom we are changing the landscape of "free education" in Kenya.

Our next adventure will be in agriculture.  Our partnership with SRA will provide new opportunities to family farmers, and I can't wait to get it started.

Our board is so very grateful to those who donate towards our work in Kenya.  We value your trust, and make sure all funds are carefully spent in ways that will provide the greatest benefit to our villages.

We have another great summer expedition coming up July 9-21.  If you are interested in joining us, contact Jami, our expedition coordinator, at jami@koinsforkenya.org.  It is guaranteed to be a life changing experience.

If you are interested in furthering our work with a donation, you can use a credit card to make a secure donation here.  There is a drop down box that allows you go choose the destination of your donation, or you can make a comment on the payment page as to what the funds are for.

Asante sana!

Ingrid