Live&Learn in Kenya School Classroom Construction

Now that the school kitchen is in its last construction stages it is time to begin raising funds for the next classroom at the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center in Nakuru, Kenya. The next two classroom constructions will be the most expensive ones as they must both be built connecting to the teachers' staff room and principal's office on one side  and the Live and Learn in Kenya International office on the other side. The two end of the row classrooms and the offices must be built one after the other as they share a roof. We are hoping to begin construction by the end of August in hopes of having the seventh classroom and the teachers' staff room completed by January 2018 when the new school year begins. One of the finished classrooms is temporarily being used as an office and staff room until the actual office is built. Finishing this next classroom and office will mean being able to fully use the seven classrooms as classrooms for the children. At the moment we are able to provide classrooms for grades 1 through 4 and a preschool class. The 30 small children in the kindergarten class are now using a temporary wooden construction as a classroom. It may be up to the Kenyan standards in the slums, but it isn't up to ours. Our goal is to provide everything that the children need to break out of the vicious circle of poverty and we feel that the only way to do so is by providing the best possible education and educational environment. It is difficult to learn in the dark, gloomy, dirt-floored classrooms which are most often found in the slums - sitting on broken wooden chairs and being hungry and thirsty. We aim to provide high-quality education in a high-quality environment with outstanding teachers. This should be every child's right.  And it is working at the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center!

Our school motto is: Education is the key to the future.

This past trimester shows the Live and Learn in Kenya Primary School children as having outstanding grade averages in comparison to other school - both public and private schools - we are already one of the top ranking schools in the region. We have children living in unimaginably destitue conditions - and shining like stars on a clear night with grades that will surely pave their way to university and to a bright future.

So, let's get this next classroom funded and built and ready to be the environment pupils need in order to be all they can be - and do all that they can do - and it's all because of you!

http://www.leben-lernen-kenia.org/typo3/fileadmin/user_upload/music-video/All_Because_Of_You.mp3

Links:

• The Live and Learn in Kenya Int'l website

...it was the cold and blistery evening of December 8th 2016 when my cellphone rings in the middle of dinner. At first I wanted to ignore it and just enjoy my meal - but then I noticed the phone number and picked up. It was Klaus, one of the owners of andré media. "I have some good news for you. My partner and I have decided to donate the price of a classroom - complete with the classroom furniture for the Live and Learn in Kenya Primary School".  I nearly dropped my cellphone into my spaghetti! That is the type of phonecall that you daydream about. Two weeks later the official donation was made and transferred to the Live and Learn in Kenya Int'l bank account - 25.000 Euros - $27.000! That was enough  to take care of the construction, the furnishings and a couple of nice meals for the children to celebrate with. Klaus and his wife, Tanja, smiled when I said that as soon as the architect and the Ministry of Education in Nakuru have agreed on everything, construction will begin - and is sure to be completed by Easter. Klaus and Tanja know me well as a die hard positive thinker - but they could not imagine a project like this could be completed so quickly. They were wrong...

Construction began on December 28th 2016 and was completed on March 14th 2017. In those mere two and half months the construction company worked so hard to build the classroom as solidly and as beautifully as possible - and they did an amazing job. The children and their teacher joyfully marched into their new classroom on March 15th 2017 - laughing, smiling and singing songs of happiness and thanks. The classroom was painted in the typical andré media colors, which is a favorite color for most of the children. Their teacher was so full of joy that she nearly burst out in tears during her first lesson in the classroom teaching the alphabet. What a difference a donation can make!

Although the classroom is in use, its official opening will be on November 4th 2017 during our annual visit to Nakuru. This time I won't be opening the door to the classroom. Klaus's daughter, Loredana will be with me along with a nice large group of visitors. Amidst the sounds of drums, singing, cheering and laughter we will once again share the joys of achievement togeher with all of the Live and Learn in Kenya Int'l children, youths, parents, staff, government and local officials and friends as Loredana opens the door to the classroom that bears her family's company's name. That will be another milestone on our way into the future stream of  Live and Learn in Kenya Int'l successes.

...and now off to raising funds for the next classroom!!!

Please note that the written permission to use names and logos has been submitted.

Links:

• The children's first day in the new classroom
• Live and Learn in Kenya Int'l - Leben und Lernen in Kenia e.V.