In 2003 the Kenyan government began offering free education to all children up to the age of 14 and in 2018 began offering free education for all childreaged 14 to 18. The public education sector has seen a major increase in the enrolment of students, with classes of up to 50-80 students.

The enrolment rates are outpacing the growth of public schools resulting in overcrowding and diminishing standards of education. This and the growing need for a skilled and educated workforce have led to increased demand for quality education. Getting quality education has become a challenge as many cannot afford to send their children to fee-paying schools and there is insufficient place available in those public schools where quality education is provided.

Goals 

The goal of this project is to add a second floor to the Volunteers Foundation School in the Kibera neighborhood of Nairobi, providing space for an additional 100 students to access high-quality education.

Activities

Entitled “Project Pamoja” (meaning 'together' in Swahili), this project prioritizes sustainability, the preservation of Kenyan identity, safety and hygiene, emotional well-being and local expertise.

The building will include five classes, a library, a dining/cafeteria area, a vegetable garden and provide up-to-date technology for the students.

A local team of architects, quality assurance engineers, designers, project managers and others from the community will offer their services free of charge.

Key Key Performance Indicators to be reached (KPIs)

Provide access to high quality education to 100 students.

Myriad Canada is working with the Volunteers Foundation on this project, a non-profit that aims to improve the living conditions of children in Kibera (Nairobi) through the provision of quality education, allowing them to reach their full potential.

The Volunteers Foundation has been operating in Kenya for the last 10 years and has successfully tackled many of these challenges. The foundation now enhancing this program with the aim of impacting 20,000 students by 2025. The current building project is key to achieving this objective.

Volunteers Foundation is delighted to be part the October 2021 Virtual London Marathon and the VF Running Team has already started training!  Follow the stories of four Canadian participants in the VF team; Ayla, Trixie, Paola, Luigi.