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Impact Stories

Empowering Kids to Take Control of Their Health

2/15/2013

 
Posted by: David Omondi
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​Obunga slums is characterized by poor health and hygiene conditions. Many young children fall sick from complications of diarrhea making them to miss school. We believe that proper hand washing and access to clean water plays a vital role in improving child health. 

Prior to starting the health education program, we noticed that most of our kids visited the toilet in groups and did not get a chance to use the toilet during recess hence resorting to open defecation, some did not wash their hands after visiting the toilet, others drunk unsafe water from the water-tank and containers in the premises without putting into consideration whether the water was clean or not.

Every day, our teachers educate the kids on key hygiene behaviors such as the importance of washing hands before meals and after visiting toilets. The kids are also taught on proper use of toilets and encouraged to stop open defecation on the school compound.

We believe that by exposing the kids to preventive health education, they will take control of their health at an early age. We are keen on improving our hygiene and sanitation facilities in the school and provide safe drinking water for our kids. 

We plan to train our teachers to empower them to undertake hygiene promotion activities in the school, erect hand-washing facilities/ stations in the compound, build modern flush toilets in the school and improve our playground and equip it with play items to improve the health and safety of the kids in our school.
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Teacher Erick educates students on the proper use of toilets and waste disposal
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Students enjoying a physical environment awareness lesson
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Typically unhygienic conditions in the slum
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Children playing with soil fetched from open defacation areas

Akili Library - Books Changing Lives

2/12/2013

 
Posted by: David Omondi
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Akili Library is located in Obunga slums, Kisumu Kenya. The main objective of the library is to inculcate a culture of reading in young children at this early age when they are still eager to learn and are teachable. Akili library provides an ideal environment for children to learn, interact and share information with each other. 

Many children living in the slums do not have access to books and other reading material that can improve their reading skills and expand their knowledge about their environment and the world at large. 

Every day, pupils at Akili preparatory school come to the library for one hour immediately after the lunch break. Usually the pupils coming from lunch break are too tired to concentrate in class hence making this time ideal for engaging the kids in outside class activities that can enhance good reading skills and inculcate a reading culture in kids as they develop.

At the library, the teachers lead the kids in reading story books aloud; picture reading, story-telling, and indoor games, painting, as well as reading and writing competitions. 

If you would like to support this initiative and change lives through books, kindly contact us. 
We also welcome book donations and other in kind donations for our programs.
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Akili Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) Center Launch

2/5/2013

 
Posted by: David Omondi
Akili Adult & Continuing Education Center (ACE) opened its doors to students on Monday 4th February, 2013. This followed its successful launch on Saturday, 2nd Feb. 2013.  During the launch, we distributed brochures and answered questions from parents and prospective students. 

Akili ACE center is a beacon of hope for many youths living in Obunga slums, who did not get the opportunity to join high school. Most youths in the slum drop out of school due to lack of school fees, others especially girls leave school to raise their children after getting pregnant while in school.

Since the Kenyan government introduced free primary education, the cost of secondary education has continued to rise steadily making it unaffordable for most families living in poverty. On average, each high school student pays approximately Kes 50,000 (USD $ 588) per year. Consequently, the number of out of school youth in Obunga has increased over the years. 

Akili ACE center therefore, gives these youth a second chance to realize their dreams by giving them an opportunity to enroll and sit for their national exams and proceed to college. 

These youths are not willing to attend regular classes because of their age or the traditional full-time classes because some are already working or taking care of their families. We are committed to providing conducive study environment to get these youths started again. Akili offers flexible classes (evening) and accelerated terms for the students. We also offer similar services for the youth wishing to enroll for 8th grade.

Our classes include English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, History and government, Christian Religious education and Business studies. High school leavers who would otherwise be idle in the community are helping tutor the students. 

In future we plan to expand this program to include vocational training for the youth (such as dressmaking and hairdressing), teaching of languages such as French, TOEFL, Spanish, German and Accountancy Courses such as ABE, ICM, and KASNEB etc.  Once the students complete high school, they can enroll for these courses or join our entrepreneurship training and computer classes at Akili.  
We are looking for volunteers to help us establish these programs and help create sustainable change in Obunga, Kisumu.

 "Together We Can!"
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A prospective student making inquiry about the program during the launch
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Akili staff briefing the Patron, Benard Onynago, after the launch

    Riley Orton Foundation

    Riley Orton Foundation (ROF)  provides holistic education and promotes gender equality in STEM education to ensure girls and a community with the agency to realize their full potential

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • What we Believe
    • Our Story
    • Our Team
    • OUR PARTNERS
    • Policy Statements
  • WHAT WE DO
    • EDUCATION PROGRAM
    • CLIMATE SOLUTIONS CHALLENGE 2025
  • Impact Stories
  • Volunteer with Us
    • STEM CAMP VOLUNTEER FACILITATORS 2025
    • Kenya Volunteer Trips 2025
    • Careers
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