Rotary Club of Lamu Adopts a School
By Gilbert Monyoncho
Bahati Njema Primary School was established in the year 2005 to provide education to children from the marginalized Boni and Sanye communities who are predominantly hunters and gatherers. Located in Mkunumbi ward in Lamu West constituency, the school currently has 138 children and 10 teachers.
The school’s infrastructure sits on eight acres of land and comprises one block of three classrooms recently done by the Constituency Development Fund, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) block, two makeshift classrooms, one toilet shared by both children and teachers and a small staff room. Due to insufficient classrooms, the available ones are shared by at least two classes, which causes confusion during lessons since two teachers could be teaching children in one room at the same time.
As a result of the high level of poverty and illiteracy in the community, the children do not come to school consistently. Interventions have been put in place such as a school feeding program to encourage attendance, but the real challenges remain unresolved.
These are the circumstances upon which the Rotary Club of Lamu resolved to adopt the school by gradually providing various interventions to transform the school and the community in the long run.
The club is currently fundraising to support the construction of additional classrooms and a perimeter wall to secure the facilities, learners and teachers. Members from Rotary Club of Lamu have contributed some cash and materials including building stones, ballast, sand and cement.
To improve consistency in school attendance, the club donated sports kits and conducted counselling programs to motivate the kids. The club is seeking partners to provide desks and books for the learners.
“We shall motivate teachers by improving overall school environment. Such interventions could be by donating chairs and tables, providing extra sanitation facilities, providing water and greening the school,’’ according to the club. “The learners will need to be taken to trips for exchange programs.’’
