By Alie Eleveld | Founder SWAP and Technical Advisor
Introduction of SWAP and the Adopt a School Initiative
Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) is Kenya registered public benefit organization with a mission to provide innovation solutions for improved health and economic status of communities SWAP has been operating in Western Kenya with public health programs, research and emergency response.
The adopt a school initiative started during the COVID 19 epidemic when schools reopened and had to comply with COVID 19 rules and regulations. Many schools struggled to find the funding and resources since they have suffered financial losses due to school’s closure following COVID-19 spread and parent’s inability to pay school fees after losing jobs, livelihood and economic opportunities. This initiative brings together school management, alumni, well-wishers and foundations to improve water, sanitation and menstrual hygiene, nutrition and solar installation where there is no electricity. It supports school management to comply with school health policies and supports with relevant learning aids and resources. Schools are encouraged to start school health clubs, whereby children from a tender age participate and create awareness to improve the school standards.
During this reporting period we supported 2 schools:
1) Ombaka Primary School – 470 students – Kisumu County
2) Koredo Mixed Secondary School – 267 students – Homa Bay County
Identifying needs and priorities in the school is done following an assessment involving school management and guided by the school health policies and guidelines.
Ombaka Primary School
SWAP is member of the Western Kenya Humanitarian Hub and has worked in Ombaka in Western Kenya for several years to support the flood response following erratic rains with rivers bursting their banks and others affected by the back flow of the lake. The area is prone to flood and disease outbreaks. Thousands of people had lost their homes and livelihoods and were put up in temporary shelters such as schools, churches and tents.
Families affected by flood were supported by SWAP with food and non-food-items, we trained local disaster committees, helped build new shelters, offered medical support, organized COVID-19 and Malaria vaccination outreach to mitigate the impact and prevent disease outbreaks.
The County Government because of frequent flood in the region established a designated evacuation camp on the compound of Ombaka Primary School. However, the recent flood displaced many families which exceeded the capacity of the evacuation camp and the school opened the classrooms during the school holiday to host affected families. Many of those families are also parents of the children learning at Ombaka Primary School. The school has 470 learners. When schools reopened most parents were able to rebuild their homes or were integrated with other families. Some still unable to return home because the flood destroyed their houses and in temporary shelters. .
Previous Support] to Ombaka Primary School
- Build a kitchen with clean energy cook stoves for the feeding program
- Provided food for the feeding program
- Supported girls with biodegradable sanitary pads
- Provided hand washing stations, liquid soap
- Installed solar due to absence of electricity
- Procured uniforms for some vulnerable students
- Procured school benches
- Improved toilets
- Established a Mathematics Resource center
The following items were donated this reporting period to support hand hygiene, menstrual hygiene and the feeding program:
- A Hand Washing Station
- Chlorine Solution
- Sanitary Pads
- Liquid Soap
- Rice
- Maize Meal
- Green Grams
- Cooking oil
Koredo Mixed School
Koredo Mixed Secondary school is in very remote and underserved area of Homa Bay County. It is lacking essential resources and teaching aids. We teamed up with a Professor in Mathematics who is an alumni of the school and applied for a World Mathematics Resource Center to support the school with essential learning materials and books. No previous support had been given to this school.
This reporting period the school was supported with mathematics books and teaching AIDS which was handed over during a ceremonial launch attended by School Board and Management, Local Leadership and the students of the school.
Way Forward
We seek financial assistance to continue supporting some of these very remote and marginalized schools where parents live in poverty and unable to contribute. Adopting schools will help to reduce the cycle of poverty, provide children hope for a better future and employment. It will further improve the health standards and prevent disease outbreaks. It will enhance more motivated teachers and a more conducive learning environment.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT !!
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