Makongeni School and village

 

Makongeni is a small rural community situated 50 km south of Mombasa in the district of Msambweni. Makongeni village consists mainly of residential dwellings with one or two kiosks that sell basic grocery supplies. The only school in the village, Makongeni primary school, was originally designed to accommodate around 150 pupils. However, since the recent advent of free primary school education in Kenya , this small school now facilitates over 600 pupils! The school employs nine teachers. In 2005 a nursery school was constructed by Camp Kenya .

 

Background

 

Camp Kenya currently holds a three year development programme agreement with both Makongeni Primary School and the community as a whole, which is represented by local chiefs and Kenyan government officials.

 

Thanks to the hard work of everyone who has participated over the past few years we have made significant positive changes to the community. Core projects focus on the expansion and improvement of the school to provide as many children as possible with access to an education by building classrooms, making desks, creating recreational facilities and encouraging environmental stewardship by landscaping and tree planting. 11 members of the community are employed permanently at the Makongeni camp and some other fifty are guaranteed temporary employment every summer. All supplies for construction are contracted to the locals. We also assist with the provision of transport and medical support for local people in case of emergency.

 

 

Achievements so far

 

Since 2003, we have achieved a tremendous amount in this small community that would have been impossible without the physical presence and financial contribution made from visitors to the area. Indeed, last summer alone, Camp Kenya spent in excess of 1.5 million KSH on project materials, wages for local employers and payments to suppliers.

Work includes:

 

•  The renovation of two classroom blocks including structural repairs, plastering, painting fitting doors and windows. The second block also included an office for the head teacher

•  The renovation of a second school building including structural repairs, plastering, painting, and fitting doors and windows

•  Building a nursery school from the foundations. Includes all construction work, fitting doors and windows, plastering, roofing, and education artwork

 

New nursery school built by Camp Kenya

 

•  Planted 3,500 naturally occurring coastal trees (mainly casuarina sp) within the school grounds. The main purpose of the tree nursery is to create an awareness of the environment with the students and get them to take responsibility for conserving their natural resources.

 

Weather station made by pupils at Makongeni

- as part of their environmental awareness education

 

 

Why plant casuarina trees? 

 

Although casuarinas originate from Australia , they occur naturally along the East African coast. They are particularly suited to this environment and have been the most successful tree that we have planted because they can tolerate saline water and are well adapted to dry areas. Casuarinas are used as poles for house construction, timber, dhow masts, charcoal and firewood, which provide a ready supply of fast growing, sustainable wood to relieve pressure on indigenous hardwoods. They are very good at enriching soils and are common in agroforestry systems in Kenya . The long term goal is to eventually restore a healthy number of the slower growing indigenous hard wood species in the nutrient-rich soil.

 

Casuarina plantation at Makongeni

 

 

•  Constructed a large water tank and appropriate catchment to collect rainwater run-off

 

•  Constructed an 8-unit ablution block

 

•  Built and painted 12 taka taka (rubbish) bins and placed outside each classroom

 

 

 

•  Built 15 benches outside the classrooms for the children to use during their breaks

•  Built over 300 desks for pupils at the school

 

•  Built a flag post with foundation to be used for meetings and parades

 

•  Installed playground facilities including swings, a tyre swing and a see-saw

•  Provided educational materials for the school including the provision of text books, exercise books, 300 pens and 500 pencils, chalk and sports equipment

•  1km of the perimeter fence has been completed

 

 

Forthcoming Projects will include:

 

•  Completion of school library and source reference reading materials

•  Construction of two staff quarters

•  Completion of the perimeter fence

•  Continue tree planting scheme and encourage environmental awareness

•  Rehabilitation of sports grounds and facilities within the school

•  Facilitating water collection from rainwater run-off by installing appropriate guttering around the school

•  Providing typing machines and computers for the school and the local residents

•  Providing scholarships for students progressing to secondary education

•  Assisting with environmental issues affecting the local community

•  Providing local livestock and veterinarian initiatives

•  Encouraging interschool sports initiatives