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There is a two-year strategy to build a new school, community centre and workshops.
The keys to meeting this deadline are finding a suitable plot of land and raising
the money. Mgongeni is an overcrowded slum area in Kenya so there is very little spare land
and none big enough to put the whole project on one site. One very wealthy family
owns most of the land and we are seeking help from the chief and elders to intercede
on behalf of the community to see if they will donate sufficient land for the project
or sell it at an affordable price.
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If there is no land available for the school then it may be necessary to find land
in a neighbouring area and bus the children. Our commitment is to provide a good
education for the poorest children in Mgongeni. If we have to move to another area
then we shall extend the facilities to other poor children.
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Having found the land, the priority is to build two classroom blocks, toilets and
a kitchen/
dining area. This will accommodate the existing children and enable the school to
double in size.
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The dining area will be a raised concrete platform with overhanging roof. There
will be a separate open kitchen with a roof. Cooking is normally done on open fires.
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There will be separate toilets for boys, girls and staff. (see photograph left)
It will feed into a septic tank and soak away. Rainwater will be harvested to supply
the toilets in the rainy season and there will be an on site borehole for use at
other times.
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Toilet block with septic tank |
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The block shown in the photograph below has three large classrooms with electric fans.
It was built, recently on a rural site, and cost about £8000. The cost of building
in a slum area will be higher because of logistics, labour costs and materials.
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New rural classroom block
If we cannot find a sufficiently large plot of land then we shall build a two storey
building. The one shown in the photograph below was build at Watamu by Julie Perry from
Elton Nr Peterborough. With this type of construction building costs are significantly
dearer/sq.m. It is also more difficult to build on a modular basis because the
building needs a concrete frame.
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School in Watamu built by Julie Perry (See above)
The Community Building will be single storey and of sufficient size to have a
large kitchen, toilets, computer suite, library and multifunctional area for
cinema, community meetings etc. The school will use the facilities during the
daytime and it will be available to other members of the community in the
evening.
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Mgongeni has very high unemployment especially amongst young people. The recent
civil unrest and the global economic crisis have decimated the tourist industry
and the local economy. The prices of basic commodities are rising quickly with
inflation above 11%, leaving many poor people living below the breadline.
Without a good basic education and some vocational skills, finding a secure job
is almost impossible.
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The school building will be used to run classes in evening. This will enable students
who left school without a qualification to continue their education and allow older
residents to learn basic skills and IT.
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The workshop block will be used to teach school leavers and unemployed adults a
range of vocational skills. These will cover all sectors and will concentrate on
areas of the economy with skill shortages. It is hoped to get local employers involved;
to fund the courses and provide work experience. There will also be training in
running a business and a bank to provide small loans for people who wish to start
their own micro-business. This is all about encouraging people to gain the skills
necessary to ensure that they can provide for their families and improve their quality
of life.
Updated May 2009
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