A P.E.I.-Kenya Success Story: Fenced to Thrive
By Carolyn Francis and Liz Townsend
A fence is making a difference in the lives of students and their families at a primary school in an arid part of Kenya, thanks to supporters of Farmers Helping Farmers.
Carolyn Francis and Nancy Russell first visited Nkando Primary School in 2015,
driven over precarious roads by Jennifer Murogocho, Meru District Education
Commissioner.
In the Farmers Helping Farmers school assessment that year, the
following were noted:
-Farming is not a good source of income as it is often exceptionally dry.
-Many pupils leave school in Term 3 if the school can’t feed them. During
hard times, feeding at school is very important.
-While many parents are very low literacy levels, parents are concerned
about their children’s welfare and education.
Forward to 2019 – Nkando Primary has been twinned with the Margate Pastoral
Charge (near Kensington, PEI) for several years. Margate has been actively
involved in letter writing and financial support for their twinned school. Over the
years, the Charge raised funds to assist the school with their priority needs.
The official 2019 presentation of a ‘cheque’ from the Margate Pastoral
Charge to Nkando Primary with much celebration by both parents and students.
Nkando students performing
With strong leadership at the school level, the school’s performance scores rose
from 157 in 2003 to 207 in 2014. It is worth noting that in 2017 the scores at
Nkando Primary rose while almost all other primary schools had a decline. Over
time, severe lack of water and protection for gardens on the property have
continued to be of concern.
Now in 2023 - FHF has purchased materials for a wire fence, solid posts, and a
secure gate to surround the school property of over 14 acres to protect the school
maize field and garden.
The fence protects a new bore hole that supplies underground water.
The fenced property and water are essential to raise food for pupils and families around this school.
These are drip lines for a newly planted crop of maize.
Donations for the fence and gate project plus maize seed were sent in 2022/2023
with 100% going to Kenya. Mwenda, a FHF staff member in Kenya, supervised the
completion of the project. This is a new CANADA sign board installed prior to a visit from Global
Affairs staff in late 2022.
FHF with our partner groups and individuals have supported the improvements
for pupils and their families at Nkando. We look forward to what the school and
families are now able to do now that they are “Fenced to Thrive”.
