Live&Learn in Kenya School Classroom Construction

Now that the elementary school - grades 1 through 8 - has been built and the kindergarten has been built - and the modern kitchen with its fabulous dining / multi-purpose hall has been built - and last but not least, the administration building with its offices for the project manager and social workers, day health clinic and library has been built - What's next?

Well, not everybody has the capacity to go to high school and university.  Most of the children on the Live and Learn in Kenya International program graduate from 8th grade and then go on to learn a trade. It is not always easy to find the right school for the right child. Some of the schools just aren't what they are supposed to be and the youth ends up with a certificate of completion, but without the full knowledge of the trade, he or she has spent the past 2 or 3 years learning. So we are taking it upon ourselves once again to make sure that this is changed by building our own vocational training college.

We began construction 4 weeks ago. The construction is coming along nicely, but we are still not certain of the number of classrooms we should build. Our original plan was to build 4 classrooms/workshops for tailors, hairdressers, mechanics, and IT. But the more we consider the future, the more necessary it seems to consider a second floor so that we can also train welders and carpenters and perhaps two other trades. Not only would we be able to train more youths to be able to stand on their own feet and one day be able to feed, clothe and educate their own children - we see the trade school as a future income for the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center. People will be able to come to our school to have their cars repaired and painted, have furniture built, clothing sewn, their hair done and much more - and the income from that will go towards the upkeep of the Center!

But it is very expensive and we'll need all the support we can get to make this LLK dream come true. But 2021 is going to be a good year!

Let the magic begin :)

Sometimes it is so difficult to think positively during these horrific times of the Covid 19 pandemic! All over the world people are sick, hungry, homeless, dying. It's difficult to keep thinking positively in the midst of chaos and grief. But life does go on and the future and its children still need to be loved, nurtured and educated. Like the philanthropist/singer/songwriter Jon Bon Jovi says and sings:

"If you can't do what you do, do what you can"

And that's exactly what we are doing in Kenya now. Besides raising funds for the Corona Emergency Relief Fund so that the Live and Learn in Kenya Int'l children and their families receive donations to buy food and soap - we are trying to use this time wisely to reach our next goal. We would like to begin the construction of the Live and Learn in Kenya Vocational Training School at our Education Center in Nakuru, Kenya. It's difficult to raise funds at a time like this - but we know that only by thinking positively we can make the dreams of hundreds of children and youths come true.

People - especially children - need a dream - a vision - a goal to go on during times filled with shadows - and this is what we want to give them now. Watching a construction growing into a building that can change their lives and futures can only give them hope.

It's a great time to plant that tree of hope by digging out the foundation of the new school.

As the years go by we are watching the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center grow and blossom into a true community of children, youths as well as their parents and a strong, hard-working staff so that the poorest of the poor will be able to receive an excellent education and rip themselves out of the vicious circle of poverty. Five incredibly solid, beautiful buildings have been constructed - the primary school with its 8 classrooms and offices, a 3-classroom kindergarten, a modern kitchen and dining/multi-purpose hall, and an administrative building, It not only has offices for the project manager, social workers, and school health care specialist - it also has a day clinic and a relatively large library - just waiting for its shelves to be filled with books!

All of this has been funded only through kind and generous donations and the hard work of the LLK members at markets, fairs, and online events.

Not every child has the capabilities to proceed on to high school, college, or university. Not everyone can grow up to be a teacher, doctor, engineer, or lawyer!  The world needs carpenters, tailors, hairdressers, mechanics, and IT specialists. Our youths need positive and solid training in the vocation of their choice. Until now we have sent our primary school graduates to vocational training outside of the Live and Learn in Kenya Education Center and paid all costs. Now it's time to give them the very best training possible at our own school with the best teachers, materials, and learning atmosphere that we can. And that's the plan for our next construction.

As soon as we have starting capital, we will begin the construction of the Live and Learn in Kenya Vocational Training School. There will be classrooms for carpentry, tailoring, hairdressing, auto mechanics, and IT.

And just like with the other constructions - we are fully dependent upon generous donations once again.

Especially during these crazy mixed-up Covid-19 times when everyone is so unsure of the future, we need to keep people - especially the children - positive and seeing the future unfolding before them!

Asante sana - thank you so much!