Remote learning in rural Kenya for 1,000 children

In September 2020 we launched a community learning programme in response to the need to protect and support children across Kericho county who had been out of school since March when the schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The children were working in the fields, collecting water and firewood, vulnerable, tired, hungry and open to exploitation, poor health and violence. There are no online learning opportunities for these children and without school to attend they had no learning at all and were losing out on their childhood.

Thanks to your support, the community learning groups have spread across 6 villages in Kericho county reaching 1,224 students in the 4 months they have been established.  We are so grateful to you for your donations which have brought hope, put smiles back on the faces of so many children and adults alike and are keeping the benefits of education alive for these children.

Each day the children walked to the learning groups eager to meet their friends and teachers, continue their learning of school subjects as well as life skills and have time for play and social skills.  Most importantly they had a safe, supportive place to be in and for girls especially this is vital as when while schools are closed they are more vulnerable to violence and exploitation. Teenage pregnancies are rising and many communities are returning to harmful traditional practices including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).  Girls at this time need more support than ever.

As the children arrived they had their temperatures checked and were divided into groups of 15 according to age – each group supervised by 2 volunteer teachers.  The community learning groups were organised and delivered by Brighter Communities Worldwide staff and a team of volunteer teachers and parents.

Hot meals – every day the children received a hot meal of rice, beans, cabbage and chai (tea).  Families are struggling to make ends meet as the impact of COVID-19 destroys their livelihoods.  This nutritious food made sure they didn’t go hungry and stayed strong.

Activities - Thanks to you, the children kept up with their school subjects.   They had reading materials, work sheets for different subjects, copy books, pens, crayons and pencils, colouring books.  The children in exam classes had requested access to previous exam papers to help them test their knowledge and prepare for exams in December.  

There was time to for fun with skipping ropes, footballs, games and physical exercises and the chance to learn and play as children.

Handwashing stations became part of the learning as children learned about COVID-19 and how to prevent transmission along with the importance of wearing masks, safe cough etiquette and social distancing – all life saving information to share at home with friends and family.

Learning about sexual and reproductive health was included for the older children (boys & girls) through inclusion of the Menstrual Health programme.  Girls were provided with reusable pads, soap, information and materials on making your own pads.  All vital support for many girls who without their peers and school support didn’t know what to do when they started menstruating.

Our aim is to keep the benefits of education alive for children across the county, to protect these children from becoming part of the ‘lost generation’ that will result from COVID-19 because the longer they are out of school the higher the chances they will not return.  Without education their choices and opportunities are limited and their futures bleak.

Your response to this campaign has been phenomenal and far exceeded our hopes and expectations.  Our initial aim was to reach 1,000 children and we have gone far beyond that. 

In Kenya the school year runs from January to December and this month the schools are to re-open in Kenya for the new academic year.  Thanks to your fantastic response we have the resources to support the schools as they prepare and we are busy currently supporting 312 schools to put water tanks and handwashing stations into place and to provide support and information for staff and teachers to protect against COVID-19.  The children will continue to access the community learning group resources as reading books go to the school libraries and skipping ropes and footballs are made available to the schools for the children. 

We work with these schools as part of our Healthy Schools Programme and it was from this programme that the need for community learning groups was identified to begin with.  Your support has come full circle and continues to support the safety, security, well-being, self-esteem, health and access to life changing education for the children of Kericho County.

Thank you.  Asante Sana.