KDEF Transforms a Needy Early Childhood Development Classroom in Ngurunit, Kenya

Written by Sarah Hadden, Executive Director and Cofounder Kenya Drylands Education Fund

Today I am driving to the remote sub location of Siangan with Kura to visit an ECD (Early Childhood Development) classroom in need of tables and chairs. Siangan and the new classroom are located at the base of Poi Mountain in Ngurunit, Kenya.

The drive is not an easy one as roads are difficult, but the scenery is exquisite. Ngurunit is surrounded by and sits at the base of several mountains, Poi being one of them. As we get closer to Poi and closer to the classroom, I see this mountain is distinguishable from the others as it is rounded at the top and very much resembles a loaf of bread.

One year ago, the government of Kenya constructed an ECD classroom for Siangan. Before this classroom was built, a child aged 4-6 from this area was required to walk 6+ kilometers one way to the nearest ECD classroom.  Clearly walking 12 kilometers round trip for a child this age is unreasonable and realistically impossible. So, children from Siangan did not attend.

For children in Kenya, education begins at 4 years old. It is especially important to enroll children of pastoralists at this age. If not, they are home and put to work fetching water, collecting firewood and herding their family’s livestock. Some are even hired out to herd other family’s livestock. Such children are left with no opportunity to become anything other than a pastoralist or the wife of a pastoralist.

As we approach the classroom, I hear the joyful sound of children singing. It is the first day of school and they know we are coming. I am not sure they know why we are coming but they are definitely excited we are here.

We are greeted by several elders who are supportive of education and want to see more children from this sub location in school.

We walk into the classroom where approximately 20 students accompanied by an equal number of younger brothers and sisters are seated on the floor of the classroom singing. It is clear this is an area of extreme poverty. Most of the children are dirty and wearing tattered clothing. The uniforms worn by most of the children are in similar condition, having no doubt been passed down from older siblings more than once. The classroom is completely empty of anything but the children and a blank chalkboard. One year after this classroom was built there is not a single piece of chalk, a pencil, a book, a chair or table. There are no latrines or hand washing stations. Children are also missing from class. Children who have not returned to school after the pandemic closures. Why? Most of these children come from illiterate households where parents are unaware of the value of education. These children were home and working for their families for 10 months while schools were closed and the parents have decided to keep them home indefinitely. Fortunately, other parents don’t share those views and they have allowed their children to return to school. They have either seen or know of children who have been educated and were able to get jobs and ultimately provide some financial help to their families. It is with this hope that they have sent their children back to school.

The Siangan ECD classroom was not on KDEF’s list of schools to support but with a special request from the Village Administrator and Elders we made it happen. Equipped with extra tables and chairs left from another planned project, we delivered 10 tables and 20 chairs to this classroom and for the first time, these children have a chair to sit on and a table to sit at. The smiles are priceless.

The speeches begin, starting with the village administrator who represents the government and who built the classroom. The speeches continue for about an hour with the local chief, KDEF’s Country Director, Ahmed Kura and ending with a brief word from me. I am amazed with the patience and focus of the children. Children as young as three sitting for an hour or more, patient, quiet and with complete respect for their elders.

In this remote region of northern Kenya, the thirst for education is here. Kenya Drylands Education Fund is also here.

KDEF will continue to partner with the government when we can to fill in where they left off. KDEF will continue to promote enrollment, attendance, retention and transition of students from this region and give the neediest a chance. We will continue to believe for a better life for the forgotten people in the Drylands.