Hope for the Disillusioned World-Changer, Part 2- Practical Applications

I had a slightly different plan for this blog entry when planning this series of blog topics, but I think that the emPOWERment project at Friends Secondary School – Lusui can serve as a strong example of small projects that can have a positive impact on the developing world.

Again, I’ll start with a quote:

“God gives, but he doesn’t share.” - Haitian Proverb

Isn’t that interesting? You don’t even have to believe in God to accept this idea. If you think about it, the world has everything it needs to ensure that people can live their life with basic safety, security, health, and dignity. But it’s our job as humans to make sure these resources distributed equitably enough ensure everyone these basic rights.

So let’s talk about a little bit of sharing that has happened over the past two weeks…

$1490 in One Week- You Are Amazing

To install electricity and expand the learning resource center at Friends Secondary School – Lusui, we had to meet a pretty specific goal. We needed to raise $1250, and we need to do it in one week. And guess what? You delivered. Or even if you specifically didn’t, a great deal of people did, and it led to surpassing the fundraising goal by $240! So once again, THANK YOU! The community and students greatly appreciate your generosity, and your money has already been spent to help the community. Already, you say? Yes, already. How can that be, you ask? Well, read on my friend…

And the Government said, “Let there be Bureaucracy!”

$371.22 (Plus $100 from the school)

The first money was spent only three days after the start of fundraising. By that time, we had already raised enough money to start the first phase of the process, which was paying for the supply and installation of a power from the Kenya Power Company. On Tuesday July 12th I went to the Kenya Power office, and with the help of the electrician that we had hired, Tom, paid the fee for supplying power at the school. Simple, right?

Well, no, bureaucracy is never that easy. We were met with an additional four steps to complete:

1. Fill out an additional informational form concerning the power supply.

2. Get a receipt from a registered contractor saying that electrical wiring and such things had been successfully installed.

3. Present a National ID Card as well as Tax ID pin for future bill payments.

4. Draw a sketch map with directions to the school.

So it wasn’t too bad, some of the steps were quite easy, and the Principal agreed to handle steps 1,3, and 4. So that meant now we had to buy materials and install electrical wiring and lights at the school.

Down to the Wire

$741.59

We wanted the installation of the electricity to happen on Saturday the 16^th and Sunday the 17^th, because that was my last weekend at the school. Also, the weekend was primetime for installation because students would be in class during the weekdays, meaning that the work would greatly disrupt class time. To pay for this part, we had to meet the fundraising goal of $1250. And guess what? We did it!! Thanks again to your support and a strong last minute push of Friday donations, we raised the remaining amount. And the funds were in Kakamega, being spent, on the same day. The power of such a globally connected world never ceases to amaze me.

With the requisite funds, I met the electrician Tom in town to purchase supplies for the weekend construction. With our fundraising target hit, we were able to withdraw the needed funds and head to a local shop to purchase the required materials. What does $726.59 of wiring, switches, piping, and plastic tubing look like? (We spent $15 transporting all of the materials 25 km to the school) Well, something like this:

Fittings, electrical wires, and outlet boxes flooded the counter as we purchased materials on Friday.  

A hired truck helps us haul the plastic wiring pipe along with the boxes of materials.

After the basic materials, we returned to purchase the lighting system. 

Weekend Warriors

$121.95

For the next two days, the electrician and his crew of five technicians worked full-time to install the electrical wiring and lighting system at the school. Such great value for the money spent! What did the work entail? Again, I think this story is best told by pictures:

Step 1: Destroy the walls a bit to make room for the electrical wiring. This part scared me, and I didn't like seeing the school broken by hammer and chisel. But they repaired it in the end.

Step 2: Piping and wiring. Above, one of the technicians is feeding wiring in through the front side of the school. 

Step 3: Repair the broken walls, install switches and outlets, and complete the wiring. 

Step 4: Installing the lights in the Form 4 classroom and administrative offices.

After the installation a certificate of completed work was submitted to Kenya Power, and our account was cleared to begin construction, pending #3 (a tax Pin), which was being delayed at Kenya Revenue Authority.

The Way Forward

So the wiring and switches are installed, but when will they actually be able to do their work? Well, on Friday the 22^nd   the pin issue was finished and Kenya Power agreed to commence with the construction and contracted a work crew to complete the assignment. Coincidentally, they were not able to send a crew on the same day, which happened to be my last at the school. But the day after I left (yesterday), a crew arrived at the school and installed the power! I’m on safari now on the Kenyan coast, but I got a call from the Principal confirming the installation. So exciting! So I missed seeing the final product by one day, but I’ll be getting pictures soon of the school actually using the new system. WE DID IT!

But Wait, That Doesn’t All Add Up!

$137.92 (Plus $113.31 from FSD Seed Grant)

You are right! The money donated exceeded the need of the project, so we were able to consult with the school to see what the surplus could be spent on. We decided upon revision books for the learning resource center. The donated money was combined with seed money that FSD gives interns to spend on their organizational projects so that we had a total of $250 to spend. I traveled with 4 student librarians and 3 of the school’s teachers to Kakamega to a local bookstore. The $250 spent yielded 50 new books for the school. Fifty! And I’m proud to say that these books were not small story books, but detailed, relevant revision books that the students need to succeed in national exams and receive college scholarships. What does this amount of books look like?

Mr. Okere talking to the shopkeeper about our book purchase. This isn't all of the books, but  the rest follow the same theme of quality and depth of information. 

Final Thoughts: A Beginning

The final 10%- $149.00

So now that my part of the project is over, where do we go from here? Well, for starters, Foundation for Sustainable Development took a 10% administration charge on all of the fundraising. But it’s money well spent. The money will go to the FSD Site team in Kakamega, who can oversee the project and make sure that the resources are being utilized and well maintained. At the same time, I have made strong contacts in the school administration and board of directors that I can contact for updates about the project and its effect on the community.

The Principal looks over the new lights in the Form 4 classroom.  What does the future hold for this project? Well, I think it's promising. 

What are my real thoughts about the project? I think it is a good, community based project that strengthened education in a strong and meaningful way at Friends Secondary School – Lusui. Is it a perfect project, and an end to all of the school’s financial and building capacity problems? Of course not. Will the school still have to do a lot of work to make sure that the electricity and the new learning resources are utilized to their full potential? Yes, of course! It’s not perfect right away, but I’m convinced that this project will play a large role in the development of the school and community in the years to come. With your help, the school and I have really worked to improve the learning and reading culture at the school, especially the access to materials and proper study time. And with your help, we have succeeded!

So that’s my hope to give you part 2, I’ll finish up a final chapter in my final reflection about Life in Africa and what I’m learning as a whole from this experience. In the meantime, I’ll be traveling for the next two weeks along the coast of Kenya. I’m spending three days in Lamu, 1 in Malindi, 3 in Mombasa, 1 in Dar Es Salaam, 2-3 in Zanzibar, and then a final 3 days in Nairobi. And then it’s home! Look forward to final blog posts about Kenyan Culture, my entire experience in Africa, and the above mentioned-hope and reflection piece. 

Much love from Kenya,

Kurt

A Series of Safaris (and short emPOWERment update)

EmPOWERment Update

I figured that after a few serious blog posts and a successful week of fundraising, it would be good to take a break and concentrate on the weekend adventures that I’ve been having. But first, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! We met and exceeded our goal in the last day of fundraising, with $1450 raised ($200 over the goal!). The remaining money will be used to purchase books and learning materials for the school. I went with the electrician and bought materials for the electrical project yesterday, and today they started installation of wiring in the school. If all goes well, it will be done tomorrow, and hopefully the power can be on by Thursday or Friday.  This project is really going to make a difference at the school, and your money is being used right away! Don’t worry, my next post will talk about the further development of the electricity project. But for now, it’s about other adventures.

Disclaimer: This blog had some serious length to it, so reading it in stages, maybe safari by safari, is recommended.

Although my weekdays have been spent work at Friends Secondary School – Lusui, I’ve gotten a chance to explore the natural beauty of Kenya on the weekends. Over the past three weekends I’ve had the amazing opportunity to spend time on Safari in three different Kenya national parks. And you know what, I’m exhausted. Three weekends in a row of 8 hour matatu rides, bumpy national park roads, and sleeping in tents can make a person a bit road-weary. Luckily there were some great adventures to be had in each place, and I’ve got stories for people who love animals and nature, as well as stories about almost being arrested and near-death experiences. Sound like fun? Enjoy.

Weekend 1, June 24^th Lake Nakuru National Park

In our first weekend off from our usual weekend workshop, a group of 8 of my fellow FSD interns and I decided to spend the weekend in Nakuru, Kenya’s fourth largest city and home to natural wonders like Lake Nakuru National Park and the Menegai Crater.

Midnight Arrivals

Given that none of us wanted to miss work on Friday, we decided to hire a private Matatu leaving Kakamega Friday night at 7pm and arriving in Nakuru about 11:30pm on the same evening. The matatu would then drop us off at our hotel, where our rooms would be ready. Or so we thought. In reality, we arrived at our hotel around 11:45pm to find that our rooms were given away. I guess reservations don’t always mean the same thing in Kenya as they do the US. Luckily a helpful hotel guard and a new Kenyan friend named Willis led us to a nearby hotel with vacant rooms. The hotel was safe, the rooms were clean, and the cost was ridiculously cheap ($2 a night  per person). And my favorite part of the hotel?

"So, this is where we keep the fire horse..., you know just in case"

Day 1: Flamingos, Viewpoints, and Babboon Attacks

Our first full day in Nakuru was spent at Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its beautiful lake and resident population of pink flamingos. Just a warning, Kenyan national park’s are not cheap for foreigners. I always laugh when I see the price difference between locals and visitors. For locals entrance is usually $2 or $3. But for foreigners, it ranges from $25 at Hell’s Gate, to $60 at Nakuru, to over $100 at Masaai Mara. Nevertheless, the price is worth the once in a lifetime experience. Tours usually take place in safari busses, which are large vans with a raisable roof so that guests can stand and see the animals.

Oddly enough, Rhinos are my favorite animal. And so rare! Lake Nakuru is  home to some of the few rhinos still left in Kenya. 

We drove around the park with our guide John from about noon to 6pm, seeing pink flamingos standing in the water, a lion basking in the shade, a pack of giraffes searching for foliage, and water buffalo and rhinos relaxing under a simple acacia tree. And did I mention that baboons like attacking people? Well, learned that lesson at lunch. We stopped for lunch at aptly named “Baboon Lookout”. I was considering changing the sign to “Baboons, Lookout!” before leaving, but I decided it would spoil the experience for future guests. Lunch went smoothly, and we were taking a bathroom break before leaving when a group of baboons rambled out of the bushes. They ate the scraps of our lunch from the picnic tables, and not satisfied, attempted to break into the trunk of a car near our vehicle and steal food. The owner of the car defended his vehicle with a crowbar-esque device, and was able to scare the baboon away. Apparently they are known to have sharp teeth, and can easily overwhelm humans in search of food. Safari Lesson #1: Hope you can be a witness of random bad occurrences, and not the victim.

Day 2: Break-downs, Extinct Volcanoes and Bribery

On our last day in Nakuru we were determined to see the famed Menegai Crater, formed thousands of years ago when a volcano collapsed in on itself. A bit like Crater Lake in Oregon, but instead of a blue lake there lies a lush green valley. We hired a matatu for the ride, and headed out of Nakuru to climb up what remained of Menegai Mountain. Our matatu looked like it had seen better days. It was missing a working door latch, the interior was falling apart, and engine sounded a bit questionable. Safari Lesson #2 Sometimes you can tell a book by its cover. Halfway through our ascent of the crater, the Matatu stopped, and steam started pouring from the engine. Our group of 9 beat a quick path to the exit, only to find that the door was impossible to open (no handle, remember) The driver finally released us from the steamy prison, and we were able to scramble into the open fresh air, away from what we were sure was a vehicle about to explore. Turns out it had just overheated, and we walked the remaining distance to the Crater.

Life in Kenya. Amazing scenery, but the locals are just looking at the weird white people taking pictures. 

After returning to Nakuru, we hired a private Matatu back to Kakamega, signaling the end of our adventure. But this safari had one more surprise for us: Police Corruption. Soon after leaving Nakuru we were stopped at a Police Traffic Check. Most of us were sleeping or ready to doze, but we were quickly awakened by the words of the inspecting officer. “Oh, so you aren’t wearing your seatbelts (“matatus have seatbelts?”, we are thinking). Well, it’s either pay me $20 per person or get a ticket and spend the night in jail, with an early courtroom appearance tomorrow morning.” A collective silence greeted this unwelcomed new authority figure, followed by nervous laughter. Except he wasn’t kidding. Safari Lesson #3 :Always wear your seatbelt.  Luckily with the help of a fellow intern, Lainey, or as she has been called “the beautiful one”, she was able to flirt us out of extortion.

June  28^th- Lake Naivasha and Hells Gate National Park

After a short introduction, I think I’ll tell the story of this Safari just using pictures and captions. All FSD interns must take a mid-term retreat during their internship, which is basically a four day break from Kenyan life where everyone can reflect on their experience. Our group of 16 interns went to Naivasha to camp and explore the wonders of the Lake, the national park, and the local scenery.

Day 1: Walking Safaris, Viewpoints Part 2, and Hippos

The ivy in Kenya works together with the trees, instead of strangling them and stealing their nutrients.  A nice break from the kind that grow in Forest Park in Portland. 

After the walking Safari it was up to a lake viewpoint for lunch. Not the cleanest water, but still nice.

(Tried to take a picture of the Hippos near our campground during the night, but it didn't quite turn out. This work though, because you can use your imagination. Safari Lesson #4  Never mess with hippos. The can run at 20 mph, open their mouth 156 degrees, and kill humans for fun. Our guide said if you are attacked by a hippo, your chance of surviving is around 1%. 

Day 2: Sunrises, The World’s Most Challenging Bike Ride, Angel’s Canyon, and Ant’s Attack

It was definitely worth it to wake up and see the sunrise over Lake Naivasha, one the shores of which we were camped. . 

Hard to say what made this 30Km round trip ride so rough. Was it the terriblly bumpy road, or the bikes seats that seemed to be made of steel, or the 90 degree heat, or  fact that most bikes wouldn't shift or brake properly? Still cool to be riding a bike again though, even if it hurt for a week afterward. 

But the destination was worth the journey. We spent the afternoon hiking through streams and the beautiful  canyons that they carve in Hell's Gate Gorge. 

We returned to our campsite to find our tents taken over by fire-ants. Safari Lesson #5:  Safari Ants may be worse than hippos. They have pincers, bite hard,and don't let go. Needless to say, we abandoned our things for the night and slept somewhere else. But we got home safe, and we all survived!

July 7^th-10^th, Masaai Mara National Park

Masaai Mara is the be-all-end-all of Kenyan National Parks. You may know it by what it is called on the Tanzanian side of the border, the Serengeti. The Mara is home to the big five (buffalo, leopards, elephants, lions, and rhinos), and boast amazing cultural beauty and natural scenery. You’ll see.  

Day 1: The Road In, More Overnight Travel, Lions!

We left Kakamega on a Thursday night-bus toward bound for Nairobi. We arrived around 4:30am, dazedly shuffled into seats in the bus station, and met our safari guides around 6:00am. After a quick breakfast it was off to the Mara. Now, the roads in Kenya are almost always bad. I like to say it’s either the bumps up or the bumps down that make journey a little less pleasant. What I mean is that the road is either full of potholes, or there are speed bumps on the highway every mile or so to slow down speedy travelers. But the road to the Mara was completely different. How bad was it? Well, it was 100KM of not driving on the actual “paved” road. Instead, to avoid the crater-esque potholes we drove halfway in the ditch on the side of the road for most of the ride, to take advantage of the smoother surface. Safari Lesson #6: Expect the unexpected. Except in Kenya, when it comes to roads. Then expect them to be bad.

Look there! In the brown! It's the rare relatively smooth Kenyan dirt road!

But like most travel, it was worth the work. The first night we drove into the park for a sunset game drive and saw a pack of about 10 lions, large herds of zebra and wildebeests, and a couple lounging cheetahs. We had finally reached the pinnacle of safaris.  

Day 2: Maasai Mara Villages, All-Day Safaris, Near Death Crashes, Elephants!

If a safari can be endlessly entertaining for eight hours, it’s definitely world class. And who could guess that the most dangerous part of the day would not come from a deadly animal, but from a fellow safari vehicle? Anyway, Masaai Mara is a dream come true. Open, grassy plains full of animals living in peace and harmony. Although the park is criss-crossed by dirt roads that are often full of safari vans, it still has a strong wild presence. I’ve never seen animals in such a real setting before, and I’m not sure if I can ever go to another zoo.

So this is a bit zoom-aided, but not much. These animals were very close, and very real. . 

I’ll tell stories of the three biggest encounters of the day. The first, elephants. Majestic, powerful, and graceful, we were able to be one of 2 vans with a group of 10-12 elephants. They seemed interested in our safari vehicle and we retreated as they followed us down a path in the park. One of the girls in our van was near tears, the rest of us were in stunned silence at what we were witnessing.

Our driver told us that if she wanted to use the road, she definitely had the right away. 

The second encounter was a brush with death. It all started innocently enough. Someone noticed that a safari vehicle coming toward us had started fishtailing on the road ahead. We all watched as the van tried to right itself, and then abruptly veered into the ditch. As the driver tried to correct, the van hit a pothole in the road and rose and titled in the air at about a 45 degree angle, to where the underside was easily visible. When it landed, it was about 40 feet away, going 40 mph, and headed directly for our vehicle. Safari Lesson #7: If you die on safari but weren’t mauled by an animal, it’s not cool. Realizing the danger that we were facing, most of our group ducked for cover inside the safari vehicle and braced for impact (we had been standing out of the roof watching the scenery). I, for some reason, didn’t react, and had my gaze fixed on the oncoming vehicle. At the last moment, the van miraculously veered back into its lane. As the driver of the out of control vehicle passed, he gave us a nonchalant wave. Yikes.

The third encounter was with another culture, the Masaai. There is a Masaai village near that park where you can enter (at a cost) and see the traditional dances, their culture, and their way of life. I loved the colors and the warmth of the people, but it felt like they were definitely putting on a show for their paying guests (and they were). Still though, dancing with Masaai warriors and learning how to make a fire without matches, even if it’s a bit fake, was definitely memorable. The Masaai are one of the few tribes in Kenya that are still strongly rooted in their traditional culture, and I have a deep respect for their ability to endure despite a hostile and ever-changing world.

A group of Masaai teach us how to make fire using friction. The red clothing is  for them to scare animals away from their herds of cattle. 

Day 3: Sunrise Safaris, Lion Cubs, Killings

On our final day in Masaai Mara we convinced our guides to take us out on a sunrise safari. Last Safari Lesson: Always, always, always go on sunrise safaris. ! In the early morning before the heat of the day the lions, leopards, and cheetahs are out running around and finding their meal for the day. That meant we actually saw lions running, stalking prey, enjoying a recently hunted wildebeest, and wrestling in the savannah grasses. My favorite part was easily the mother lion we saw right before leaving the park. She was accompanied by her 3 cubs, age 1 month. They growled in a small-cute way, and rolled around and played in the dim early morning light. All of this happened next to a downed wildebeest corpse, which had been thoroughly enjoyed by the group. Nearby, a group of vultures was eagerly awaiting the lion’s departure to mop up the remains of the animal. Oh, nature!

Getting this arm in my sunrise was definitely an accident, but for some reason I really love this picture. 

So that pretty much sums up the past 3 weekend safaris. This weekend is my last living with my Kenyan family, and I’ll be spending time at home with my host family and supervising the installation of the wiring at the school. Next week is my last week working at the school, and then two weeks of travel around Kenya and Tanzania before returning home. Look forward to a blog update about the progress of the learning resource center and the electricity installation!   

Much love from Kenya,

Kurt

EmPOWERment at Friends Secondary School Lusui

I’ll open with a letter from Stanley Musogne, Chairman of the Board of Governors at Friends Secondary School – Lusui:

I was pleased when the Principal, Mr. Newton, informed me that you and your American Friends, through the FSD, have embarked on one of the Development projects(Electricity Installation) at the School and you want to make sure that before you leave, there should be light. As the Board Chairman, I have been struggling for the last two years in consultation with the Parents, Teachers Association(PTA) in order to have this project completed but funds have been our greatest enemy. This is clearly seen in our Strategic Plan and Minutes of the BOG meetings because we had given the highest priority to the Electricity Installation Project , Classrooms, Library and Laboratory development.

I’ve been hinting at the reality for a few weeks now, and now it’s time to make things happen. After a trying process of approval, delay, denial, project proposal-rewriting, and eventual approval, I’m here to make an appeal. An appeal for $25-$100 US Dollars of your money to support the emPOWERment of the school that I’ve been working at for 6 weeks in Western Kenya. Together we are going to raise $1250 for Friends Secondary School –Lusui (FSSL) for this project, and we are going to do it on just over a week. Excited? Well, the following blog explains a bit more about the meaning of the project, the sustainability and accountability of the project, and its possible future impact on the school. 

The Thirty Second Version

                Don’t want to know all of the details? This paragraph is for you. (and there is a budget below for quick reference) Friends Secondary School Lusui is a high school in rural Kenya. It’s four years old, and has no electricity, library, is lacking classrooms, and doesn’t have adequate learning materials. It’s student body consists of poor students, most that are orphans or have affected by HIV/AIDS. Almost no houses in the surrounding community have electricity.   In my first week, the Principal approached me about a project that they had planned to implement a learning resource center at the school and provide the school with electricity. The learning resource center has been established in a small area behind a classroom with books and a few resources, and now I am fundraising money for the installation of lights, wiring, and electrical outlets at the school. The school will raise 10% of the cost, and we will fundraise the other 90% through online donation. This development will allow students to study longer hours, position the school for future growth, and provide desperately needed facilities to the students. We will fundraise for a week, and the installation of everything within a month of the money arriving at the school.  

The students have already been taking advantage of the Learning Resource Center, shown above. 

Here is a link to my project on the FSD website: http://www.fsdinternational.org/donate/projects
And a direct link to Paypal donations, if the button isn't working: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2ZXKXYJFWLT48   (you may have to copy and paste this link into your browser if it doesn't work)


If you haven’t already pressed the donate now button, I’ll now start the more detailed project description:

The Problem- Lack of Light, Poverty, and Outdated Learning Rescources

Why does the school need electricity? Well…

1. Lack of Facilities at Home- In the morning, students come to school early but must wait for sufficient light before starting their studies. At home, students often do not have electricity and must study at night by the light of a lamp or candle, provided they can afford lamp fuel. Therefore, the student’s learning time is limited only to those hours spent at the school.
2. Lack of Learning Resources- During class time, the only teaching aid that teachers can utilize is the blackboard and their own voices. A learning resource center would eventually contain further teaching aides that can improve the quality of learning in the classroom, and electricity could provide an almost unlimited amount of future resources.
3. Being Left Behind- The Kenyan Government has a program where is gives computers to secondary schools to increase computer knowledge and start computer training programs. But if your school does not have a computer, well, you aren’t going to benefit at all from this government program. 

If students are able to study at home, it is usually with the aid of a small hurricane lamp. 

Community Support (I’m not the brains behind the operation)

One of my favorite things about this project, oddly enough, is that it was not my idea. It was proposed to me by the school, who had already received estimated on all costs and set up the necessary. I’m not the leader of the project, I’m just the person with the resources to obtain the required funding. This is truly a project that was envisioned by the school, planned by the school, and now only needs outside funding to make their dream a reality. If more development projects took this course, instead of dictating to people what they needed, I think less people would be suffering around the world.

Here is another passage of the letter from the Chair of the Board of Governors explaining the importance of the project.  

Mr. Kurt & Friends,

This project, if completed, will  help the School in many ways. For example;

        1.The Learning Resource Centre you have started will bear fruits almost immediately because our Form Four Candidates will study late in the evenings and very early in the mornings to improve on their general performance.

       2. Security of the School’s assets shall be guaranteed and guarded against burglaries that are normally reported on several occasions.

       3. Visitors like you, teachers, Staff, BOG members, Ministry Officials and other Researchers will have ample time working on their computers and reports can be released on time. Use of a manual Type writer shall have to be phased out to pave way for the technological advancement, etc.

Therefore sir, I would like to appeal to you and your Friends through the FSD, to please support development projects at Friends Secondary School, Lusui,  now and in future so that the poverty stricken students and the community as a whole can reap the benefits of your unwavering support. I would like to assure you, your American Friends and FSD that you have the full backing of the Board of Governors in the undertaking of this project.

Thank you and may God bless you abundantly.

- Stanley Imbayi Musonye. CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF GOVERNORS, FSSL.

So the support of the community is great and all, but…

Is this Project Sustainable….???

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is also yes. This biggest question that the school has had to deal with about the project has been, simply, how do you pay for the future monthly electricity bills without raising fees and driving students from school? Don’t worry, we’ve thought of that.  

First, The Kenyan government allocates money for schools to help them pay for electricity. FSSL has never received such money, simply because they do not have electricity at the school. Once the money comes, it will help assist the monthly bills.

Second, we don’t have to worry too much about this project raising fees. As Stanley explains, “development projects are not pegged on any school fees adjustments upwards in order to realise their course because that may overburden the Parents. Fees adjustments will always be determined by the Government Circulars from the Ministry of Education.”

Third, if a small cost of the monthly bill gets passed onto the students, let’s say 30%, then each student would be paying about 7 cents per month for electricity. I think that is an affordable amount for something that could provide.

Students father for the morning assembly. 

But Who is Going to Make Sure My Money Is Going to The Right Place?

You have asked such good questions! Well to answer, 10% of the amount donated will go to the Foundation for Sustainable Development and will be used in the future as monitoring and oversight of the project. I know all of the people in FSD who work in Kakamega, and completely trust them to be accountable and fairly oversee the project. I will also work with them to handle future appraisals of the impact of the project on student performance.

Apart from that, I’ll be on the ground for the next three weeks handling funds and working to implement the project. So if you trust me, you can’ trust that you money is going to the right place.

Basic Project Plan

The project has two phases. The first is the installation of power by the Kenya Power Company. This is where KPA runs a line from the nearest power source (Across the road outside the school) to a pole that they will install near the wall of the school.

The second phase begins when the first ends, when Switch-On Electrical Services comes to the school and installs the electrical wiring, outlets, and lights in the schools.

We are going to fundraise $1250 by July 15^th, when the online fundraising campaign will end. If there is more than $330 donated by Monday the 11^th or Tuesday the 12^th, we will pay that Kenya Power organization and start Phase 1 during the next week. Phase one should take about a week, and then Phase two will start on July 18^th.  

The students at FSSL already have the desire to learn, we are just helping them acquire better facilities. 

The Ask… Again

So what do I want from you. Well, to be precise, I would like to you to donate anywhere from $25-$100 US Dollars, donated to the link below (and above). I've already donated $50 of my own money, so we are getting closer to the goal of $1250. 

And the donation link, if the button fails: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2ZXKXYJFWLT48


Any questions? Email me at berning12@up.edu, find me on Facebook, or comment on the blog. Thank you for your help. 

The Budget (Supplemental)

(The amount asked is higher because of the 10% that FSD will take for monitoring and oversight. )