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by Monica Adhiambo  The Riley Orton Foundation (ROF)held a three-week Revision and Life Skills camp STEM camp at Akili STEMarts Academy during the August school break, from 7th August to 24th August. The camp brought together 150 students from over 20 high schools and primary schools across Kenya, as well as 15 volunteers and ROF staff. The camp was a huge success, as it provided both students and educators with a unique learning experience that was both fun and educational. |
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AT ST PETERS WAGAI MIXED SECONDARY SCHOOL
We are excited to share the visit of co-founders Megan and Jessica from Tailored For Education org to our premises in Kisumu. Tailored For Education is an organization that provides school uniforms to students in need, and we are proud to partner with them in our mission to ensure that every student has the resources they need to succeed.
During their visit, Megan and Jessica had the opportunity to meet our talented local tailors at the Regional Uniform Center. These tailors work tirelessly to create school uniforms for students from our partner schools. The visit allowed them to witness these tailors' hard work and dedication and to understand their organization's impact firsthand.
Additionally, Megan and Jessica visited five schools in the region: Sidindi, Obambo, Simenya, and Wagai secondary schools. At these schools, they met and interacted with students who have directly benefited from our school uniform distribution program. It was inspiring to hear the student's stories of how having a uniform has helped them to feel more confident and focused in their studies.
We would like to express our deep gratitude to Tailored For Education for their continued partnership and support. Their dedication to ensuring that students in need have the uniforms they require is commendable. Without their assistance, many students would face unnecessary barriers to their education.
We would also like to thank everyone who has contributed to making this partnership possible. Whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading awareness, your support has directly impacted the lives of students in our community.
Together with Tailored For Education, we are committed to removing barriers and promoting local action for education for all. By working together, we can ensure that every student has access to the tools they need to succeed in their educational journey.
During their visit, Megan and Jessica had the opportunity to meet our talented local tailors at the Regional Uniform Center. These tailors work tirelessly to create school uniforms for students from our partner schools. The visit allowed them to witness these tailors' hard work and dedication and to understand their organization's impact firsthand.
Additionally, Megan and Jessica visited five schools in the region: Sidindi, Obambo, Simenya, and Wagai secondary schools. At these schools, they met and interacted with students who have directly benefited from our school uniform distribution program. It was inspiring to hear the student's stories of how having a uniform has helped them to feel more confident and focused in their studies.
We would like to express our deep gratitude to Tailored For Education for their continued partnership and support. Their dedication to ensuring that students in need have the uniforms they require is commendable. Without their assistance, many students would face unnecessary barriers to their education.
We would also like to thank everyone who has contributed to making this partnership possible. Whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading awareness, your support has directly impacted the lives of students in our community.
Together with Tailored For Education, we are committed to removing barriers and promoting local action for education for all. By working together, we can ensure that every student has access to the tools they need to succeed in their educational journey.
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Access to education is a global challenge, in rural areas, it is even more challenging due to a lack of infrastructure and resources. Often, students have to travel long distances to reach school, which is not only time-consuming but also physically demanding. For young girls, this often leads to transactional sex, making them vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. In addition, students often arrive late to school, missing the beginning of lessons and falling behind. These challenges not only affect their academic performance but also their overall well-being.
One solution to this challenge is through the provision of bicycles to students, particularly girls. Last year, in partnership with The One Bicycle Foundation, we were able to donate 40 bicycles to students in rural areas who travel long distances to school. Providing this means of transportation to students in this area has had a significant impact on their daily lives. These bicycles not only make it possible for students to get to school on time, but they also reduce the risk of girls being exposed to sexual exploitation, especially when they have to walk long distances alone.
The impact of the bicycle donation is evident; here is one of the impact stories from our beneficiaries. Sixteen-year-old Syprose is a high-achieving student with a passion for Physics. With home quite far from school, she would not be able to manage her chores and arrive at school on time each day without her bicycle. This is what Syprose had to say regarding the impact of the bicycle on her academic performance,’’ last year the organization gave me a bicycle to cycle to school and it has really reduced my commute time helping me to arrive at school on time. Since I come from a remote area, getting to school on time was a problem, and my parents were unable to provide for my daily transport cost. I found it difficult to catch up with the dawn lessons hence it became very challenging to cope up with the already covered syllabus and this led to a drop in my academic performance from an A- to B-. After receiving the bicycle I am now at position 7 out of 253 students with a mean grade of B+[68 points]. My performance has improved since I am able to catch up with the dawn lessons I used to miss before.” These bicycles will make a real difference in students' lives, allowing them to access education and improve their opportunities.
The provision of bicycles to aid students in their daily commute to school is one of the many practical solutions that can be implemented to ensure that all children, especially girls in rural areas, have access to education. It is not a perfect solution, but it is a step in the right direction. Thanks to One Bicycle Foundation 40 students have access to education, which is vital for their personal development, growth, and future success.
One solution to this challenge is through the provision of bicycles to students, particularly girls. Last year, in partnership with The One Bicycle Foundation, we were able to donate 40 bicycles to students in rural areas who travel long distances to school. Providing this means of transportation to students in this area has had a significant impact on their daily lives. These bicycles not only make it possible for students to get to school on time, but they also reduce the risk of girls being exposed to sexual exploitation, especially when they have to walk long distances alone.
The impact of the bicycle donation is evident; here is one of the impact stories from our beneficiaries. Sixteen-year-old Syprose is a high-achieving student with a passion for Physics. With home quite far from school, she would not be able to manage her chores and arrive at school on time each day without her bicycle. This is what Syprose had to say regarding the impact of the bicycle on her academic performance,’’ last year the organization gave me a bicycle to cycle to school and it has really reduced my commute time helping me to arrive at school on time. Since I come from a remote area, getting to school on time was a problem, and my parents were unable to provide for my daily transport cost. I found it difficult to catch up with the dawn lessons hence it became very challenging to cope up with the already covered syllabus and this led to a drop in my academic performance from an A- to B-. After receiving the bicycle I am now at position 7 out of 253 students with a mean grade of B+[68 points]. My performance has improved since I am able to catch up with the dawn lessons I used to miss before.” These bicycles will make a real difference in students' lives, allowing them to access education and improve their opportunities.
The provision of bicycles to aid students in their daily commute to school is one of the many practical solutions that can be implemented to ensure that all children, especially girls in rural areas, have access to education. It is not a perfect solution, but it is a step in the right direction. Thanks to One Bicycle Foundation 40 students have access to education, which is vital for their personal development, growth, and future success.
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At ROF, we are committed to ending period poverty and promoting girls' education. We believe that every girl has the right to reach her full potential, and we are proud to be working towards this goal. Our partners at Ndiru secondary school have seen a positive impact on its female students due to our free uniforms, sanitary pads and underwear distribution program. Many students come from low-income families that cannot afford menstrual hygiene products. This has led to challenges such as absenteeism, low self-esteem, poor academic performance, and risky sexual behavior. ROF's donations have helped to alleviate some of these issues and reduce period poverty, allowing girls to focus on their education.
Beverline's story
Beverline's story is an inspiring example of the positive impact our community service program can have on scholarship students. By encouraging them to give back to their communities through service work, we not only promote skills development but also foster a sense of agency and leadership. As a beneficiary of our scholarship program, Beverline excelled academically, achieving a B-(minus) in her national secondary examinations. With her sights set on pursuing Nursing at the Kenya Medical Training College, she recognizes the importance of dedicating her time to serving others.
She has been volunteering as an assistant English and religious education (CRE) teacher at the Akili School. Beverline is not only helping students in their academic pursuits but also building her own skills and confidence. By taking on a role as a tutor, she is improving her communication and leadership abilities, which will undoubtedly benefit her in her future studies and career.
Community service is not only about helping others but also about personal growth. In Beverline's case, her involvement in the program is instilling a sense of self-worth and esteem. By contributing to the education and development of young girls, she is making a lasting impact on their lives and empowering them to reach their full potential.
Our community service program aims to amplify the voices and abilities of young girls like Beverline. By providing them with opportunities to develop their skills and serve their communities, we are not only supporting their education but also nurturing their leadership potential. Through agency and engagement, we can create a generation of strong, empowered women who will make a difference in their communities and beyond.
She has been volunteering as an assistant English and religious education (CRE) teacher at the Akili School. Beverline is not only helping students in their academic pursuits but also building her own skills and confidence. By taking on a role as a tutor, she is improving her communication and leadership abilities, which will undoubtedly benefit her in her future studies and career.
Community service is not only about helping others but also about personal growth. In Beverline's case, her involvement in the program is instilling a sense of self-worth and esteem. By contributing to the education and development of young girls, she is making a lasting impact on their lives and empowering them to reach their full potential.
Our community service program aims to amplify the voices and abilities of young girls like Beverline. By providing them with opportunities to develop their skills and serve their communities, we are not only supporting their education but also nurturing their leadership potential. Through agency and engagement, we can create a generation of strong, empowered women who will make a difference in their communities and beyond.
Posted by: David Omondi
In January Riley Orton Foundation held a 2-week Akili STEMarts Maths camp in partnership with African Maths Initiative from 9th January to 20th January 2023 at Akili STEMarts academy. The math camp brought together students from 18 secondary schools nationwide and local teachers from around as volunteers. The main aim of the camp was to bring students and teachers together in a shared learning environment, exploring rich ideas that go far beyond what is traditionally taught in class.
In the first week, there was an initial planning meeting from 9th January to 14th January where teachers and volunteers met for a week to prepare for the camp and to be trained as Math’s envoys with excitement to support everyone to think through inclusive, fun activities. The volunteers were very excited throughout the training as they learned that mathematics can be taught using fun games, physical activities, and math puzzles that make learning more interesting and enjoyable for students.
In the second week, students were taken through 8 themes that integrated technology and collaborative activities that included programming and Robotics, Modeling, mathematical thinking, puzzles and games, houses, physical activities, data science, and journals. It provided students the opportunity to learn about mathematics in a fun and interactive way, while also developing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Throughout the week, students participated in a variety of activities and workshops that challenged and helped them learn new things.
One of the highlights of the camp was a series of sessions that focused on coding and programming. Students were introduced to edblock a programing language for the Edison robot and they were so excited as they also learned to program it using barcodes, they also related this to real-life experience as they gave examples of places barcodes are used e.g in supermarkets to scan prices for good.
Another exciting aspect of the camp was students learning maths concepts through physical activities and mathematical thinking. For the physical activities and games, they played fun games such as find the ball, buzz game, flag games, etc. that promoted mastering, counting, knowing multiple numbers, and collaboration. On mathematical thinking students solved maths without using pens or books, this allowed them to think critically to give answers. In the end, students appreciated and loved being taken through the themes.
Overall, the Akili Maths camp was a huge success. We trained 10 volunteer teachers to be maths envoys. Students learned new things, developed problem-solving skills, and improved their critical thinking skills. Students left the camp feeling inspired and motivated to continue learning about maths and looking forward to more camps. Such similar STEM camps are important to students from rural areas since they do not have such opportunities frequently. As an organization, we are looking forward to making Akili STEMarts a STEM hub for more rural girls and boys to have the opportunity to increase their agency and interest to take up STEM subjects.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and supported us and made this camp a success.
In the first week, there was an initial planning meeting from 9th January to 14th January where teachers and volunteers met for a week to prepare for the camp and to be trained as Math’s envoys with excitement to support everyone to think through inclusive, fun activities. The volunteers were very excited throughout the training as they learned that mathematics can be taught using fun games, physical activities, and math puzzles that make learning more interesting and enjoyable for students.
In the second week, students were taken through 8 themes that integrated technology and collaborative activities that included programming and Robotics, Modeling, mathematical thinking, puzzles and games, houses, physical activities, data science, and journals. It provided students the opportunity to learn about mathematics in a fun and interactive way, while also developing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Throughout the week, students participated in a variety of activities and workshops that challenged and helped them learn new things.
One of the highlights of the camp was a series of sessions that focused on coding and programming. Students were introduced to edblock a programing language for the Edison robot and they were so excited as they also learned to program it using barcodes, they also related this to real-life experience as they gave examples of places barcodes are used e.g in supermarkets to scan prices for good.
Another exciting aspect of the camp was students learning maths concepts through physical activities and mathematical thinking. For the physical activities and games, they played fun games such as find the ball, buzz game, flag games, etc. that promoted mastering, counting, knowing multiple numbers, and collaboration. On mathematical thinking students solved maths without using pens or books, this allowed them to think critically to give answers. In the end, students appreciated and loved being taken through the themes.
Overall, the Akili Maths camp was a huge success. We trained 10 volunteer teachers to be maths envoys. Students learned new things, developed problem-solving skills, and improved their critical thinking skills. Students left the camp feeling inspired and motivated to continue learning about maths and looking forward to more camps. Such similar STEM camps are important to students from rural areas since they do not have such opportunities frequently. As an organization, we are looking forward to making Akili STEMarts a STEM hub for more rural girls and boys to have the opportunity to increase their agency and interest to take up STEM subjects.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and supported us and made this camp a success.
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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