History of Emley Education Centre, Kenya

A history of Emley Education Centre, formerly KAG School, in Msambweni, Kenya, with a year-by-year summary of visits, building projects and school news from 1998 to 2026.

The headmaster seated at his office desk with a filing cabinet and trophy behind him

Emley Education Centre (formally K.A.G.school) started as and still is a nonprofit making school. It started back in the year 2000. This happened after Mrs. Rosemary Donnan took the challenge and presented it to St Michaels church Emley (Please refer to earlier page on History of KAG Nursery & primary school). As a result a small group from the church decided to fund raise, along with the Wakefield Diocese’s millennium appeal and raised some money for classes. They managed to raise the money to build 3 classes for a Nursery School and our dream was realized.

The school started with 15 pupils and 1 teacher. The setting up of the school was a big challenge considering the poverty level of the feeder community and the attitude towards formal education at that time. Nevertheless the pioneers did not lose hope, and we now have a baby class, 2 pre school classes and 6 classes in the primary section. We recently have added a Junior High School with 3 classes and are presently building a Secondary High School which will have 6 classes.

The School has a Manager Mr. Harrison Kamere and 2 Headmasters one for the Primary School and 1 for the High Schools.

The school charges the lowest possible fees to cover costs Added to this there are food and transport costs. As small as this sum is, many parents are unable to pay anything. Due to this our UK partners have solicited funds to sponsor desks at £30 and supporting poor children at £150p.a. This is presently now £250 p.a. This has contributed a lot to development of education in the community since poor children from poor families are affording good and quality education, unlike the situation seen in government sponsored schools which are overcrowded, have fewer classes and which are understaffed. This leads to low morale for pupils and teachers and very poor academic results and performance in many schools.

Normally In primary school a day starts at 7am and ends at 4:30pm (Mon-Fri). In this case a child has 7 lessons per day. It might look a long day but if not well managed the teacher may not cover the wide syllabus. In KAG school our day starts at 7am and ends at 6:45pm (Mon-Fri) and 7am-3:30pm) on Saturdays in primary section. This gives us time to cover the syllabus fully and to do a lot of extra practice with our children. This can only happen due to the devotion and hard work from our staff and management, and has resulted in good performances in the examination and especially in the final National exams for standard 8. In the Kindergarten, the school day starts at 8am and ends at 3:30pm. (Please find the time table of the activities in both Kinder and Primary)

A healthy Nation must start with a health community and in this case a healthy child. In KAG School we provide porridge in the morning, a balanced lunch and of late we have introduced a milk feeding program. We believe for the education to be enjoyable the child must not be hungry. We encourage support of a daily packet of milk at £30 p.a. per child.

Additionally, in conjunction with the UK group, we have started distributing Mosquito nets to the community to eradicate the killer disease of malaria. Unlike in the government sector when occasionally there is a small campaign, for example, giving nets to pregnant women, we give, fix ,educate and follow up to ensure their proper use. We also encourage support of mosquito net at £8 per child. To sum up, we have seen fruits of our efforts since pupil absenteeism in school due to malaria has reduced hence we have uninterrupted learning environment.

Apart from curricular activities we also have co-curricular activities. We play football, Netball, Volleyball, (Both boys and girls).We also have drama, music, and scout clubs. This year we are representing our district at provincial level which will be held in Mombasa in Choral and Solo poems as we have done in previous years.

We normally raise the flag on Mondays and Fridays. This is normally conducted by the scouts with their usual drill and entertainment.

BELOW A SUMMARY OF EACH YEARS NEWS

1998

Rosemary visits K.A.G. church and was given plans for a Nursery School.

1999

Rosemary and friends in the UK start fundraising to build the School by having cofee mornings and doing talks in Church Schools.

2000

£ 5000 was sent to Kenya to start building a Nursery School on land next to the church.

Scanned print of workers unloading coral building blocks from a lorry among palm trees

Scanned print of the first block walls of the nursery school rising on the building site

2001

The new Nursery was opened by Jim and Rosemary, Dilys and Michael and Rosemarys school friend Anne

Visitors and local guests gathered at a plaque on the new nursery school wall for the opening

A woman in a floral dress standing below the plaque recording the nursery's opening on 25 November 2001

Two women outside the blue and white Kenya Assemblies of God Nursery School, Msambweni

The new nursery school building with its painted sign, people gathered in the yard in front

A teacher leading a song with young pupils sitting and standing along a classroom wall

Rosemary did some teaching and we visited previous Rotary Projects.

2002

We did not go out to Kenya this year. Money was raised to purchase a piece of land over the road from the Nursey from one of the elders of the Church Joseph. This was to build a Primary School

2003

Jim Dilys and Michael went out this year Rosemary had to stay in the UK to look after the children. A new class room was opened named after a lady who had attended one of Rosemary's film shows and had left money in her will. A new Rotary School was opened. The School had a new Headmaster called Harrison who asked if we could start a programme of sponsorship of poor pupils in the school. Jim and I started this by sponsoring the Reverent Francis's girl Faith.

A single-storey classroom block with a banner across the verandah

A man beside a carved sign dedicating a classroom to the memory of Elsie Mountain of St Luke's Church, Overton

Visitors outside Mshiu Primary School, renovated in 2003 with a Rotary Foundation matching grant

2004

Rosemary and Jim went out to Kenya with their son Luke and his friend Paul. They planted a tree and attended a graduation of nursery to primary school. They also visited Rotary Projects, Mombasa, and the new Rotary School. Jim ran a first aid aid course for teachers and cooks and we kitted out a first aid box. The boys taught football and Rosemary taught science. Another classroom had been built. The sponsored programme had started and we visited the new ones at home. We started a sponsored desk programme.

A woman digging to plant a young tree while a man holds it upright

A young man in shorts helping plant a sapling in a shaded garden

Two adults holding up donated books, school supplies and maths equipment laid out on a table

Boys playing football on a sandy field in front of a school block

A first aid demonstration of chest compressions on a training dummy in a classroom

Pupils in uniform standing in rows inside a classroom during a ceremony

A woman, a small girl and a teenage boy standing together in a room

Wooden double desks with sponsors' name plates in an empty classroom

A woman teaching a class of pupils seated at desks in a classroom

Outside wall of a new blue and white classroom with a plaque by the door

2005

This year we went out with 2 Rotarians Mike and Lisette who wished to visit projects done in the area with their money. We visited new sponsored children at home and attended church and graduation. We visited a nearby Leper Community who were cuyred but unable to return home due to predudice. They were illiterate and very poor. Another classroom had been built. A literacy programme was taken in the church.

A newly built classroom block with an iron roof standing on a grassy field

A small toilet block with wooden doors built of coral stone among palm trees

Pupils in blue uniform holding up certificates at graduation

A man in white handing a gift to a woman in a lilac headscarf in front of seated pupils

Two men presenting a poster at the front of a hall full of pupils

A visitor sitting at a school desk next to a young pupil

A local family with many children standing outside their mud and thatch home

A woman sitting with a mother and her newborn baby outside a mud house

Visitors standing at the doorway of a thatched mud-walled house among palm trees

Members of the leprosy community seated in a large thatched hall

Young children sitting on the floor eating bread

A woman on crutches standing inside a thatched building

2006

We did not go out this year but sent money to start building an asdministration block

2007

This year a large group of Rotarians came out and visited many Rotary projects and brought cricket equipment for the school. We also spent a day in the Leper community teaching the alphabet.

2008

This year it was just Dilys and Michael and Jim and Rosemary. We openned another classroom paid for by an artist who had a fundraiser for our school. she was called Madelena. The office block was well on its way. We attended the usual graduation and visited new sponsored children at home. We took a lot of books and toys as well as many knitted teddies. We had a donation to buy food fopr the people in the leprosy community so the church arranged the distribution. My young niece had died so we had a desk made in her memory. we were given t shirts with school logo as presents

A man kneeling by an open suitcase packed with school supplies and toys on a classroom floor

The administration block under construction with a long verandah and iron roof

A cricket team of pupils in white shirts posing with bats and stumps on the school field

Carved sign dedicating a classroom to Macdalena Wasiura from Poland for her contribution, May 2007

A wooden sign in a garden bed reading In memory of Nicola Louise Watkiss aged 25 yrs

Rows of graduates in blue gowns seated under a canopy with parents behind

Sacks and boxes of food stacked under a banner for the KAG/Emley Village Outreach Programme, April 2008

Excited children holding up packets of food above their heads in a thatched hall

Smiling men from the leprosy community holding food packets

2009

This year we went out with Dilys and Michael and a friend Shirley.and we officially opened the new Administration block. We had been concerned for a while that many children were missing school and even being very ill with malaria so jims Rotary donated money for 100 mosquito nets so we decided to make sure firstly all sponsored children got nets and then the younger ones in the school. The aim was to eventually have every child sleeping under a net. To do this we engaged the teachers and erected every net in the houses so no one could later when short of money sell them. We also gave lessons in preventing getting bitten by mosquitos.

While I taught sewing Dilys and shirley taught knitting but we had so few needles so one of the men found some sticks.

We also visited a well Jim's Rotary had paid for. Emley first school had sent a parcel of fooptball boots so we took a photo.

Jim did another first aid lesson with the teachers. The school needed sewing machines so we bought 2 treadle machines.

Front of KAG School Msambweni with its name painted above the verandah

Two iced graduation cakes on a table with plastic chairs set out on the grass

A girl in a purple graduation gown holding a certificate beside a smiling visitor

Football boots, footballs, cricket bats and a pump laid out on a table

A white mosquito net hung up at the front of a classroom of pupils at their desks

A man fixing a mosquito net to the roof poles inside a mud house

A woman washing new mosquito nets in a basin outdoors while a man looks on

A treadle sewing machine being lifted out of the back of a vehicle

A visitor helping schoolgirls with knitting around a box of wool

A football team in white kit lined up with two teachers on a sandy pitch

A visitor with a mother and her children outside their home

Schoolgirls threading needles at their desks while a visitor's hand demonstrates

Elderly men and women seated together in a crowded room for a food distribution

Pupils knitting with sticks at their desks while a visitor helps

Two men beside a roadside marker for the Horbury & Ossett Phoenix Rotary Club well project, Mwadinba

2010

This year Jim and Rosemary went out with Ian a Rotarian and did the usual projects like, sewing, teaching and erecting mosquito nets. The Rotary had donated money again to buy mosquito nets. We also bought school uniforms.This year the school had outgrown its small mini bus which brought children who lived a distance to school. The school had to take out a loan and buy a new bus.

This year we introduced milk for the nursery classes. We attended graduation and also visited the local clinic which was short of blood pressure machines and stethoscopes which Jim donated.

The next stasge of building was the construction of a library.

A visitor beside the white KAG School Msambweni Primary and Nursery minibus

Smiling pupils in uniform seated inside the school bus

A heap of mosquito nets in plastic packets on a classroom floor

Washed mosquito nets spread out to dry on the grass with women and a man beside basins

Men hanging a mosquito net from the roof of a mud house

A visitor sitting with a young girl under a mosquito net, holding a picture book

A mother and child sitting under a newly hung mosquito net

A mosquito net hung over a mat on the floor where there is no bed

A teacher pointing to a blackboard lesson on the types of teeth

Pupils at their desks during a lesson on heart rate

Pupils at a pair of treadle sewing machines in a classroom

Block walls of the library rising on the building site among palm trees

A young pupil holding a packet of milk outdoors

Pupils drinking from milk cartons under a shelter

Crowds of pupils with school bags lined up to go home at the end of the day

Wooden desks with painted donor names on the classroom verandah

A visitor presenting a uniformed scout with a gift at the graduation ground

A visitor helping a boy try on a new school uniform outdoors

Nursery graduates in blue gowns and mortarboards lined up outside beside a school bus

A graduate in a purple gown receiving a certificate and gift from visitors and teachers

A young graduate in a blue gown holding a certificate and present between two women

A graduate in a purple gown cutting a decorated cake with a teacher

A doctor at his desk with donated blood pressure monitors and medical supplies

Sacks of food stacked under a Blessed Camp Sanctuary Evangelism and Mercy Mission banner

Women dividing out sacks of maize flour on the ground at a food distribution

A crowd of young children sitting closely together on a floor

2011

This year Dilys and Michael and Malcolm and Gill came out . We did the usual things and visited a local hospital to give out some blood pressure machines some physio charts and some prem baby hats and cardigans. The graduation was very good as normal.

The boys needed new toilets which Rotary paid for. The new library building was going up quickly.This time we took out a lot of toys and had to buy a lot of shoes as many childrens shoes were too small and parents had cut out the toe area.

Unroofed block walls of the library building with a heap of gravel in front

A covered walkway running along a row of school buildings

A visitor pointing to the donor sign on the wall of a new Rotary-funded toilet block

Blue-painted cubicles inside a new toilet block with a visitor in the doorway

A man behind a table spread with donated toys, puzzles and games

Plates of rice and beans laid out on a table ready for a meal

A pupil in uniform holding a shoebox outside the school

Schoolgirls knitting at their desks in a classroom

A line of nursery graduates in blue gowns and mortarboards walking under decorations

A visitor in a sun hat and a girl in a party dress walking in a fashion show before a crowd

Three visiting women in sun hats and summer dresses smiling together

A graduation cake shaped as an open book iced with KAG Primary School graduation

A visitor handing a gift to a graduate in a purple gown beside a teacher

A doctor at his desk with donated stethoscopes and blood pressure monitors

Two hospital staff holding up donated human anatomy charts

A nurse holding a knitted baby cardigan beside an incubator with a premature baby

A baby in a knitted pink hat and cardigan beside a knitted teddy bear

A mosquito net hung over a bed inside a coral stone house

A little girl standing under a newly hung mosquito net

A hall packed with pupils in uniform watching a programme

Boxes of cooking fat and sacks of flour stacked in a classroom corner

A visitor holding food packets while a boy holds up a new shirt

Visitors and teachers packing food into paper bags in a classroom

2012

This year Jim and Rose's daughter Kirsty joined them with boyfriend, now husband, Karl. The usual activities took place. Karl and Kirsty taught the children how to play rounders and cricket. The library was being plastered and a septic tank put in for toilets to go in the library. Rotary paid for piped water in the school.Rose took an outside assembly with raising of the Kenyan flag.

The library building nearly finished with its roof on and window openings

A builder on wooden scaffolding plastering an inside wall of the library

A deep pit dug for a septic tank with a ladder and block base

A young couple of visitors smiling in a classroom full of pupils

A visitor standing with a schoolgirl on the classroom verandah

Visitors playing a ball game with pupils on the sandy school field

The Kenyan flag raised on a flagpole beside the school building

The whole school gathered outside for an assembly led by a visitor

A girl in school uniform holding a new pair of shoes in a box

Graduates in blue and purple gowns lined up beside white marquees on the school grounds

A young graduate holding a certificate between a mother in a headscarf and a visitor

A visitor seated with a class of pupils holding up the sewing they made

A visitor handing a school bag and uniform to a girl outside

A boy beside a mosquito net hung over a mattress on the floor of his home

A man pouring water from a newly piped tap into yellow buckets

Knitted baby hats and bootees laid on top of a hospital incubator

2013

This year Jim Rosemary Dilys And Michael were accompanied by Dr. Brian Hill and Roses college friends Mary and Joe.

The usual projects took place and we visited an eye clinic to give some specialist eye equipment donated by an optician in the UK. Dr Hill also donated some stethoscopes and prem baby knits. The team spent several days wiping down the plaster ready for painting and the library was officially opened by Marey Joe and Brian. It was dedicated to Rev Francis who had died last year of Malaria. He had started the project of the Nursery School with Rosemary and Dilys. Dilys and Rosemary taught some of the pupils to make pancakes and drop scones on an open fire. The team were also busy cataloguing books and covering them. Several boxes of childrens books had been sent by DHL.

The Rotary club this year had donated £1000 to set up a breakfast club for the young children who came to school without having had breakfast.

Finally a student called Sarah arranged by Rosemary was doing a placement in the school teaching crafts.

A cook stirring porridge in a bucket for the breakfast club

Young pupils standing in a line drinking porridge from metal cups

A young UK student on placement sitting at a desk with craft materials

A student teacher standing in a classroom while pupils hold up their craft cards

Visitors leading young pupils in a game on a colourful tiled classroom floor

Shelves stacked with DHL boxes of donated books and brown paper bags

Visitors seated at tables covered with children's books, covering them for the library

A young boy holding a football and a box of new shoes

Pupils standing on window ledges wiping down the plastered walls of a large room

Pupils pouring white paint into buckets ready to paint the walls

Visitors in aprons cooking with pupils at tables set up outdoors

A pan of drop scones cooking on an open fire between stones

A tiered iced graduation cake on a blue tablecloth with plates and a knife

Two visitors standing with a young graduate in a blue gown

Three visitors at the balloon-decorated plaque dedicating the library to the memory of Rev. Francis

The eye clinic building painted with its vision and mission statements

Eye clinic staff receiving a box of donated specialist eye equipment from a visitor

Visitors and staff holding up eye charts at the Kwale District Eye Centre

A visitor handing a stethoscope to a health worker

A visitor standing beside a bed with a newly hung mosquito net

2014

This year Jim and Rosemary were alone. We saw the library had lots of shelves and we taught the teachers how to catalogue and cover books. we watched a septic tank be built and the toilets in the library. The rotary had paid for 10 refurbished computers, wiring and training of the teachers. This year Harrison had been concerned about the number of children living rough as orphans. Many parents dying of aids and TB. We gave him some money to buy some land and fence it.

Rows of refurbished computers on desks in the new computer room

A crowd of pupils sitting on the floor watching a film on a laptop

Tall wooden shelving units filling the library

A visitor with pupils sitting on plastic chairs reading books in the library

Piles of books on a library table ready to be catalogued

A visitor showing pupils how to do loom knitting at a table

A visitor leading a game with young pupils on chairs in a classroom

Six pupils holding up new uniforms in plastic packets

A worker inside a deep pit dug for a septic tank

A newly fitted washbasin on a wall in the library toilets

A cake shaped as an open book iced with KAG 2014

A graduate in a purple gown with her family and a visitor holding a certificate

A visitor helping hang a mosquito net from the roof of a mud house

A man walking along a new wire fence marking out the orphanage land

2015

This year just Jim and rosemary went out. The usual mosquito net erection for new sponsored children took place and the charity continued to support the breakfast club and paid for the school to be fenced and a water tower to be3 built. Spoonsored children were given uniform and shoes if needed. Graduation in volved the usual speeches and cake. This year Rosemary taight both the teacher and girls hpw to make washgable sanitary wear. At the orphanage the Rotary paid for a new well and pump withg pipes. and the charity had built the first accomodation block.

The school decided certain pupils who did not have elec tricity at home to do school work could board at the school. joseph one of the trustees had adapted his house and bvuilt showers and toiletrs.

The headmaster decided the shelves in the library needed to be on wheels and be able to be moved so they were made smaller. More childrens books had been sent via DHL.

Low wooden library shelves filled with books

Donated children's books and revision guides spread on a table in front of DHL boxes

A black water tank raised on a wooden tower beside a school building

Bunk beds with mosquito nets in the boarding room

Fabric, flannels and sewing materials for reusable sanitary kits laid out on a table

Schoolgirls gathered round a table of cut-out fabric pieces for making sanitary pads

A woman sewing at a treadle machine while others work at tables behind her

A boy holding a new set of clothes outside his home

A young graduate in a blue gown receiving a gift box and a pink school bag

A concrete-post wire fence being put up around overgrown land

A hand pump on a concrete well with a sign saying it was donated by Horbury and Ossett Phoenix Rotary Club UK

Water pouring from a new pipe into a blue oil drum at the orphanage

2016

This year Dilys and Michael came with us and helkped with the Days for Girls programme of teaching how to make sanitary wear. We took a lot of materials with us. We took a group of women in Harrisons church and also K.A.G. church as well as girls in the school. This year we brought withe us 240 pairs of graded refurbished reading g;lasses. Jim tested peoples eyes, Dilys recoreded names Michael tested distance vision and Jim tested eye sight with lenses and wrote a prescription which Ropsemary then waqs able to offer a pair of free glasses to the person. Everyone was delighted.

The orphanage had a new tower and an accomodation block. The School hasd a new secure gate.The usual mosquitro nets uniform breakfast club and graduation took place.

A new red metal gate set in a concrete wall at the school entrance

Women sewing sanitary wear at tables in a church hall with visitors helping

A visitor showing women how to make sanitary wear at a table piled with fabric

Schoolgirls proudly holding up the sanitary pads they made

A visitor helping women sort fabric pieces for sanitary kits

Women sitting on the floor making sanitary pads from colourful fabric

Sponsored pupils holding new uniforms in packets on the school grounds

Graduates in blue and purple gowns with garlands lined up in front of white marquees

A visitor testing a woman's eyesight with trial lenses while a teacher helps

Visitors at a desk recording names and handing out reading glasses to waiting villagers

The first accommodation block at the orphanage with walls up and roof timbers going on

A block water tower under construction at the orphanage with a worker on top

2017

No one went out to Kenya this year as Harrison had come to the uk for 1 month. Rotary and St Peters school had donated a large quantity of books which Jim and I covered in the UK.and then we sent out via DHL. The breakfast club was supported again by St peters school. New toilets and septic tank were built at the orphanage.

A visitor at home in the UK covering a pile of donated children's books

Pupils holding up new books around a table of opened book boxes

A large group of graduates, teachers and parents posed under marquees with a cake in front

2018

Sad News in 2018

We returned from a very successful trip to Kenya on Thursday having done eye tests on over 150 people and given out 140 pairs of recycled spectacles. Rosemary took three groups of girls, teaching them how to make washable reusable sanitary wear, and another group of women from Samburu who travelled for 2 hours to get to the school for a day of tuition.

On the way to the airport the huge destruction of houses ,shops and other building brought us to tears. It looked like a war zone, many houses cut in half ,even an appartment block left hanging dangerously. We had seen some of this in Ukunda town near our hotel and had been told that the ministry of transport had in the 70'S earmarked the road for expansion and apparently compensated people. There is no dispute that the road needs to be built and in the long term will bring jobs but it is sad that no one thought to make sure no one built within the 25 foot road edge. The buildings were marked with a cross and within 24 hours demolished, not giving the occupants time to remove the walls themselves so blocks could be reused.

We were told on Wednesday our Nursery school would have its boundary wall and trees removed which was expected . It had been built in the year 2000 a considerable distance from the road edge so we were safe or so we believed. Late Thursday afternoon ,after we had arrived home,in the UK, Harrison our headmaster, informed us that a cross for demolition had been put on the classroom nearest the road. This was quite different to what had been previously told. Early in the morning Harrison went to the school to move desks and the blackboard and pleaded with the constructors to give us 24 hours to remove the floor ( newly tiled recently ) and the walls and roof so they could be reused for rebuilding. This was refused and the bulldozer destroyed the school which had been used for 18 years.

The other 2 classrooms are more or less intact, and we will have to use them next week when the school goes back . In the long term, however, it is clearly unsafe for a Nursery School to be next to a widened major road. We have therefore decided to rebuild the Nursery School on the Primary site which is well away from the road and where it is quieter and safer. This will cost approximately £10,000.

We are happy to announce that we have already got pledges of over £1,000 but there is still a long way to go.

Bare earth where the nursery boundary wall and trees were cleared beside the road

A bulldozer demolishing the nursery classroom nearest the road

The roof frame of the demolished classroom collapsed among rubble with people salvaging

The flattened iron roof of the nursery classroom lying on the rubble

The two remaining nursery classrooms standing after the demolition

Pupils and teachers gathered by the foundations of the new nursery on the primary site

Walls and roof trusses of the new nursery block under construction

The new nursery block finished with an iron roof

Young pupils at desks in a new nursery classroom

Nursery graduates in blue gowns and tinsel garlands at the graduation ceremony

A man handing a gift to a graduate in a purple gown at the microphone

2019

APRIL 2019

We returned from a very successful trip to Kenya in April This year we travelled with 2 Rotarian friends Gill and Bob. This year we did 4 sessions of eye testing on over 190 people and gave away nearly 200 pairs of recycled spectacles. Rosemary and Gill took one group of 25 girls, teaching them how to make washable reusable sanitary wear. This was in a local Secondary school where 3 of our former students were attending. Each girl were thrilled to go home with a rucksack, flannel, bags to put in clean and soiled items and a full kit plus what they had made. All these items had been made or donated by sponsors in the UK and USA. We were pleased to receive thanks from the headmistress who said we were an inspiration to her girls.

After the sad situation of the demolition of 1 of our Nursery classrooms in order to widen the road, we can inform you that, as expected, the road is going no where near the classroom destroyed and the church has not had to remove its porch. We have however started to adapt the 2 remaining classrooms into accomodation blocks for the older boys who board. This will avoid the school paying rent and a new toilet, washroom and well have been built. The whole site has now been fenced. see photo.

Thanks to the amazing generosity of many friends and sponsors a new 3 classroom Nursery opened in September last year on the Primary site. This was able to be done thanks to a parent of a child at KAG School who sold the school some land at a very good price which gave enough room for the Nursery to be built.

It is looking very good with a tiled floor and new desks thanks to Horbury and Ossett Rotary Club.

The government in Kenya has just introduced a new curriculum in Nursery Schools and has said that no formal teaching should be done until Kindergarten 1 and 2. The youngest class should just play. This seemed strange to the Kenyan teachers but they were very fortunate because Gill is a consultant teacher in the UK specialising in Early learning and she was able to give expert advice. We tried to move the teachers away from the TV and get the children to learn through play. We all went shopping in Mombasa to buy what we could to help. Gill with our help set up play stations in the classroom. She set up sand, water, paint, play dough, jigsaw and games, skittles stations and we had taken out a hopscotch some balls bean bags and skipping ropes. Unfortunately the quality of toys in Kenya was poor , chinese plastic and will not last long we will have to take out better quality next year. To complete the play facilities a sponsor had donated money for some swings a roundabout and a slide to be built while we were there in Ukunda and they were delivered before we came home.

An empty former nursery classroom with a tiled floor, being adapted for boarders

Barred window opening in the wall of the former classroom being converted

Bunk beds with mattresses and mosquito nets in the converted boarding room

The new three-classroom nursery block on the primary site

A foam number hopscotch mat on the tiled nursery classroom floor

A nursery classroom set up with a play table and a sleeping mat on the tiled floor

A tray of sand and a basin of water set out as play stations on the classroom floor

A painting station on a table below a sign reading come and paint

Young pupils doing jigsaws and games at a table

Young children playing with play dough at a low table

A visitor testing a woman's reading vision with a chart at a library table

A visitor teaching a woman to make sanitary wear at a library table

Secondary schoolgirls in yellow and red uniform seated at benches for a sewing lesson

Schoolgirls cutting out fabric at desks during the sanitary wear session

Schoolgirls sewing sanitary pads at a long table

2020

May 2020

We had intended to return to Kenya this year just before Easter and stay for the Easter celebrations. Luckily we had not booked early and as the time approached for us to book news was coming out about an unusual deadly virus spreading in China. We decided to postpone our visit and wait to see the development.

By now you all realise to leave the UK and go any where is impossible for the forseeable future.

We are in contact with Mr. Harrison the headmaster of the School on a daily basis so we always know how things are.

Here below is an update of all that has happened so far in 2020.

In January a very generous sponsor asked how he could help the school and what projects did we have in the pipeline. We mentioned that the refurbished computers bought 10 years ago were now almost obselete, several not being able to access the internet and although they have been maintained yearly the humidity and dust has taken its toll. We have taken out 2 old lap tops recently and bought 2 new ones which function well but obviously a class of 30 pupils need many more. The sponsor gave us money to buy a further 10 laptops which were very much appreciated.

Another Sponsor also donated a further £2000 to build an extra classroom which will be needed in 2 years time when the school needs to extend up to year 9. This is all explained in Angaza newsletter you can find under newsletters. This was built in January and will, in view of the new rules for reintroducing children back to school after Kenyans school closures, be extremely useful.

Due to some technically issues with the School name, in January the School trustees in Kenya decided to reregister the school with a new name.

In honour of all the fundraising done in the Uk and particularly the team of organisers in Emley they decided to call the school Emley Education Centre.

The School Bus was not large enough to cope with the increasing numbers of pupils so the old bus was sold and another larger bus was bought from a buisiness which had ceased trading.The School has taken on a small loan from the bank to pay for this.

THE SITUATION SINCE MARCH

At the beginning of March the Kenyan government decided to close all schools to take effect immediately. They also brought in social distancing and a ban on movement in and out of Mombasa and Nairobi. All public buses had to take fewer passengers and face masks were compulsory. All businesses closed and people had to remain at home with curfews enforced by a heavy handed police force.

All nonprofit making schools suddenly had no income and obviously this has caused severe hardship amongst teachers and ancillary staff who were unable to receive usual pay.The trustees have been very concerned about this situation but felt there was enough money to not incur debt like many schools in the area. Fortunately the local Titanium mine was still working during lockdown but their buses had to carry half the number of work force. The mine has hired out some of the local school buses including ours, so up to date the bank loan has been paid.

The charity has managed to pay the rent for all the teachers from the gift aid, and was looking forward to the school's opening in June or July. Unfortunately even though restrictions have been lifted and people can move about and visit shops and restaurants, the government has closed schools until January.On line lessons are available if you have internet or a tv but many of our pupils have no electricity, TVs or computers so cannot do this. As a result of this we have had long discussions with the trustees as to how all the vulnerable sponsored pupils and the older classes can continue with their education. We have come to the conclusion that the sponsorship money would reemploy half of the teachers at half their salaries until January. The rest of the teachers will get their rent paid.

I appealed for money for my birthday to buy food for the sponsored children's families as they are very vulnerable.

The teachers are giving lesson notes and setting tasks for all sponsored pupils and older students to collect weekly from school with social distancing. All those unable to come to school due to lack of transport will have work delivered. We are also trying to get permission to open the library and computer room.

Reports suggest that many schools in the area have permanently had to close through debt, and seem unlikely to ever open again. This has made many teachers desperate due to no income from March.

I am pleased that our sponsorship programme has enabled our vulnerable pupils to continue learning. It is also imperative that our top classes continue to study as some of them will be taking final exams in April next year after only a few months of teaching.

When the Schools return in January all classes will have to be reduced in size, all pupils will have to have individual desks and temperature checks must be done. All schools have to have hand washing facilities approved by the government,which will incur great costs for all schools. Our desks are all double desks and will have to be cut in half until we can buy new ones.Luckily our new classroom will be very important to help social distancing.

our dining room not yet finished will be very much needed now.

We are confident that the school will succeed in overcoming these challenges, and continue to thrive.

New laptops stacked on a table with their chargers

Pupils working at computers in the computer room

The new dining room building with walls up and roof on

The blue school gate painted with the name Emley Education Centre Msambweni and the school crest

The larger yellow school bus painted Emley Education Centre Msambweni

The school's main building with Emley Education Centre Msambweni painted across the front

The back of a pickup loaded with sacks of flour and jerrycans of cooking oil for families

Parents and children wearing face masks gathered outside to collect food

Teachers working on laptops at a table in a classroom

2021

Before the school could open many expensive measures had to be put in place such as thermometers, masks , all the desks cut in half and new ones made to allow pupils to have single desks and to socially distance. all food has to be made on the premises. water stations had to be put out side classrooms and at the entrance to the school.THere was a rush now to get the dining room finished and a generous sponor paid forr two big cookers to be installed. We did not go out this year as the restrictions had not been lifted. Finally vaccinations arrived in Kenya and the men teachers went for them but the women refused. later the school brought in nurses into the school for the women.

We sent money for the school to buy a much needed projector.

Many children were coming to school hungry so Jims Rotary donated £1000 to start a breakfast club.

A man setting up a foot-operated handwashing station near the school gate

A row of new taps fitted along a wall for handwashing

Newly made single wooden desks stacked together

A single desk painted Donated by Harry and Olive

Masked pupils sitting at single desks spaced apart in a classroom

Two large stainless steel cookers marked Donated by Aidan and Helen in the new kitchen

Long tables set out in the new dining room

Rows of metal cups of porridge laid out on a table

Masked pupils sitting outside drinking porridge from metal cups

Two young pupils drinking porridge in the dining room

A wooden bookcase filled with new textbooks

A heap of new pencils and pencil sharpeners on a table

A new projector connected to a laptop on a classroom table

A health worker in a mask vaccinating a seated man in the arm

2022

At present there are 8 classes in primary education, 4 classes in Secondary schools and 4 classes at university. Before covid the government was changing the curriculum away from emphasis on exams to a competence based learning with younger pupils. It decided to have a new system starting January 2023 which would have 6 classes in a Primary school , 3 classes in a Junior High School and 3 classes in a Senior High School. The Junior High schools would not be boarding ( at present most secondary schools are boarding and expensive). The new Junior High Schools can be attached to Primary schools if room to build labs and an extra classroom or attached to Secondary Schools.

The trustees of Emley Education Centre had to decide whether to drop down to 6 classes so reducing income and teachers or to build 4 new labs at huge expense. Luckily there was enough land for this and the Primary and Junior High School could be separated. Buildings like the library and computer lab and dining room can be shared but not the teachers or toilets.

Two generous donors have paid for the labs to be built and now we have built new toilets for girls, boys and teachers. Two labs are under contruction . One lab at ground floor. The poles are to support the roof which needs to be re-enforced with metal and then concreted. This is to enable a second lab to be built on top.

Now all the buildings are built they just need flooring and plastering.

The good news is that the Government has inspected the site and has just granted the licence for a Junior High School to start in January.

We now urgently need money for lab equipment and musical instruments.

After a long journey in November we arrived in Kenya to glorious sunshine. The new High School was completednd and we took many photos. At graduation we formally opened the new school.A film crew were at graduation and the local governer.I masde my speech in Kiswahili to an applause.

This time we visited the new kitchen to see the cookers and gave out mosquito nets. Harrisons Rotary club organised a health awareness day where the doctor from the club did blood pressure checks and Jim tested local people for glasses. We had taken 200 second hand graded specs to give away they were very much appreciated. We did the usual erection of mosquito nets.

While we were there we ordered equipment for the new high school and some musical instruments.

Wooden poles propping up the formwork for a concrete roof slab on the new lab building

A builder plastering the inside of a new septic tank

New toilet blocks standing at the edge of the school field

The new Junior High School building with cleared ground in front

The new science lab with tiled benches and sinks

Lab shelves stocked with wash bottles, measuring cylinders and equipment

Two visitors unveiling the plaque for the science lab donated by Aidan and Helen Downes and Jim and Rosemary Downan

A visitor watching Junior High pupils carry out an experiment at a lab bench

Junior High teachers in lab coats and orange trousers standing with a visitor outside the lab

Junior High pupils and teachers posed in front of a large painted chart on the school wall

Two school desks painted in memory of John Emms of Emley UK

Two visitors standing with a teacher at the graduation ceremony

A visitor giving a speech under a marquee at graduation

A new guitar, recorders and a drum in a classroom

A new stainless steel cooker marked Donated by Aidan and Helen Downes

A schoolgirl sitting under a new mosquito net in her home

A Rotary Club of Kwale banner at the health awareness day

A visitor testing a woman's eyesight at a table at the health day

2023

After a Long journey we arrived in Kenya to see the New Junior High School running very efficiently by Geffrey the new headmaster. It was great to see his enthusiasm.The pupils really seemed to enjoy their science lessons and i took part in one lesson. I took out one of my treble recorders and we bought a keyboard and some guitars. We took out again 200 pairs of glasses but nearly had too leave them in Nairobi as the customs wanted a lot of money in tax. We eventually got through but it was unpleasant and we may not do it again. Harrisons Rotary ran another health camp and Jim bought the doctor a diebetis blood machine so she monitored for diebetis which is a huge problem in Kenya. Jim did a very successfulk eye camp atr the same time.

The Junior High School buildings seen from across the open ground

Junior High pupils lined up in front of the Emley Education Centre Junior High School building

Junior High pupils playing guitars and a keyboard in a classroom

A new Yamaha electronic keyboard on a stand

A visitor sitting in on a science lesson in the lab

Flyer for a free Rotary medical clinic in Kwale offering eye screening, reading glasses and blood checks, 1 November 2023

A visitor fitting lenses to test a man's eyes under a marquee at the eye camp

2024

We did not go out to Kenya this year but invited Harrison our headmaster to visit us in the UK.

The school has continued to do well under the guidance of Jeffrey the new head of the School.

He is very enthusiastic and well organised. The science lab is well equipped and thanks to a generous donor new ;lap tops were bought so now junior High school has 20 lap tops. Ideally we could do with more as the children still have to share. The popularity of the high school because government schools still dont have labs means our school is full.

Harrison during his visit said he wanted to start a baby class in 2 vacant classes and needed some good quality toys and books. Kenyan toys are all second hand or cheap chinese plastivc toys which soon break.

We invested in wooden toys , dolls baby books and educational jigsaws and other toys. Harrison went back to Kenya with 2 suitcases of toys.

At the end of the year was the usual graduation.

Junior High girls gathered around laptops and a projector on a table

White marquees and rows of chairs set up for graduation

A line of graduates in purple gowns and mortarboards walking across the school grounds

2025

MARCH 2025

The school started the new school year on January 6th with the High school now having 3 classrooms.

The new Baby class has an excellent teacher who is the headmasters wife. The classroom got painted in the holidays and also the Junior High School walls had scientific drawings painted on them.

At the moment there are only 5 pupils in the baby class but we hope for more soon.

Harrison had carried out 2 suitcases of good quality toys from the uk as the quality in Kenya of toys is poor. He managed to buy slides and scooters in Kenya

We decided to go out in March this year taking out 2 suitcases of wooden toys, jigsaws and books. As usual customs was very difficult but Harrison persuaded them to release us. I spent several happy ours with the babies. The school put on a lovely surprise birthday party for Jim on his birthday. There was singing and dancing. We visited new sponsored children with mosquito nets and when talking to several parents they appreciated the sponsorship but were concerned that they would not be able to pay to send their children to secondary school. We no longer give support at secondary school as we often loose touch with the pupils and cannot see their progress. This caused long discussions with Harrison and the teachers in the school.

The government had finally decided what the secondary education provision would be like in 2026. Secondary Schools will have to decide on 2 pathways from Science and technology, Humanities, Sports, or arts.

The increasing cost of sending children long distances to secondary school which are boarding has put huge burdens on parents and we were approached by several parents and the Headmaster to see if it is possible to extend our school to secondary education and therefore have a complete education system on site. We already have a science lab a computer room and a home science lab so it meant just building 6 new classrooms. Also we already have good secondary teachers in the Junior school.

This was a big undertakking to concider at a time when we were winding down but it will make the school financial self sufficient so we said we would have an appeal our end and the school will try also to get funds.

PROGRESS SINCE APRIL

The foundations have been dug which involved much deeper trenches than expected as they had to reach the coral bed for a firm foundation. We also were a little delayed as a mango tree and all its roots had to be removed. Building in Kenya in the countryside is all done by hand so yoiu can imagine the difficulties removing a mature tree. They managed to source a chain saw.

The building is now slowly progressing upwards as you can see by the photos below. It is the rainy season so frequiently building is delayed. We have to build 3 classrooms by September to be inspected and a secondary license issued. The new intake will arrive in January.

The dead lined approached in september and the rains this year had been much l;onger than usual but the three classrooms wqere built and Harrison managed to get all the papoer work needed to submit to Nairobi. The pupils would enrol in January.