Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenia
1
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenia Foreword Allow me to introduce myself briefly: My name is Dr. Klaus Burkhardt and I’m a member of the charitable non-profit aid organization “Dentists and Friends Helping Hands”. All medical sectors are represented in this organization, rather like “Doctors without Borders”. I have been involved in aid missions in Africa for several years now, both in the area of medicine and dentistry. On every mission I feel increasingly satisfied at being able to offer free medical aid to poor people in Africa. In return they give me incredible gratitude, and this motivates me to carry on doing what I do in the future. The countries in which I work are Senegal and Kenya. Shanzu is a suburb north-east of Mombasa. I visit this town regularly as it is a place where poverty is omnipresent.
2
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
The Kenyan educational system consists of compulsory primary school (eight years) and voluntary secondary school (four years).
The school building with classrooms the first time I arrived.
3
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
Between the classrooms there is a roofed passageway
Primary school education is now free of charge, enabling children from poorer sections of the population (especially those living in the slums) to at least go through basic schooling. Since the existing state schools are not equipped to cope with the onslaught this new development has caused (more than 1.3 million additional children), however, the primary school system is suffering from overcrowded classrooms and a lack of teachers.
4
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
This school is a charity school: in other words it relies on external donations, and our organization provides support in the form of teacher salaries, school meals and materials.
(My treatment chair at the school)
5
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
Everyday basics such as running water are unknown in the area. Nor are there any toilets or a school building built of stone.
(School cafeteria)
6
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
At our school we currently teach 280 children, 148 boys and 132 girls.
7
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
At our school cafeteria we provide children with lunch and daycare.
8
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
The project When I took the decision to redevelop the Little Angels School in Shanzu/Kenya three years ago, I had little idea what was in store for me. The original information I received in terms of the cost of building the school was based on much less expenditure.
9
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya I didn’t want the project to fail so I embarked on the long and arduous task of redeveloping the school. Unfortunately the undertaking was further complicated by the high rate of inflation in Kenya.
First classroom finished
10
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
Thanks to the vast amount of support received, we have been able to build a total of five classrooms to date
Classrooms Two and Three
11
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
The courtyard of the school building was paved and a water pipeline was laid into the school building.
Classrooms Four and Five
12
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
Elisabeth Atieno Onyango is the head of our school in Shanzu. Her deputies are Stanley Ochieng and Mary Pendo. Together they have organized the development of the school and put the funds provided to sensible use.
On-site meeting with Elisabeth Onyango and Stanley Ochieng
13
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
News Serving some 300 meals a day pushes the existing kitchen to the very limits of it capabilities. The next stage will be to build our kitchen. Thanks to a generous donation we already have enough to cover the cost of the kitchen. “Old kitchen�
14
Little Angels School Shanzu/Kenya
Under control! In order to ensure the funds deployed don't go astray, each individual stage of construction is accounted for and monitored. A careful assessment is made of the building as its construction progresses. All those involved perform this work on a voluntary basis, ensuring the donations are put to effective use for the project. The cost of flights and insurance is covered by the doctors and dentists themselves!
15