This project will provide individual desks for school going children from families living within wildlife areas of the Tsavo ecosystem and create a water and sanitation facility for the school community in Jira Primary, Kenya. Clean water and soap is critical for prevention of covid-19 among all communities particularly the vulnerable population of children from remote areas who attend under-resourced schools and are expected to return to school in September,2020.
Although the government supports primary education, local schools serving the Watha community living in the Tsavo ecosystem remain under-resourced. In this season of covid -19, schools are some of the least safe places for children particularly those schools located in dry areas with distant water points. Some classrooms are overcrowded and have more pupils in class than desks. Some pupils sit on stones because they do not have their own desks and chairs.
The Africa Conservation Education Fund program, through the Africa Network for Animal Welfare will ensure that classrooms are furnished with desks and chairs making them safe for learning in a post-covid era. The project will solve the issue of overcrowding in the classroom by providing personal learning space for each learner and allow for social distancing among pupils in class. A water tank will store clean water and soap dispenser will give soap for handwashing for the school community.
The project will provide desks and chairs for 40 primary school pupils and create a safer learning environment in school which will give confidence to parents and teachers to allow children back to school. It will reduce education wastage by increasing pupils' chances of completion of primary education and increase their transition into secondary schools and gainful employment.
