Annual Report 2009
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.org
EACEF seeks to create opportunity through education for children in East Africa while empowering youth world world--wide through social action.
Measuring Success
Overview Founded in September 2007 by a group of high school students who shared a belief in the power of education, EACEF (East African Children’s Education Fund) utilizes a holistic, communitybased approach to address educational inequity in East Africa while engaging the next generation of leaders and social activists. Linking young people across continents, EACEF is both youthfocused and youth-driven and operates as a 501(c)3 registered public charity. With project locations across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, EACEF has successfully invested over a quarter million dollars in educational infrastructure and programming; in the United States, EACEF provides a replicable model for as- “[EACEF] is ahead of the Kenyan piring youth to get ingovernment in its educational volved with social acoutreach.” tion. -President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Andrew Sugrue with Quenton, a student at Kirimara Primary School
May 2009
Partnered with four schools across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda Founded EACEF Chapters at 17 high schools and colleges across
the US Developed the Nafasi Process as a replicable model for holistic educational restructuring Created educational programs that serve over 2400 students in East Africa every day Served over 500 meals per day through school food programs Increased test scores in all four partner schools, with a 7% rise at Kirimara Primary in the first six months Established unique partnerships with other leading nonprofits such as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
Financial Information Donations: Over 270 unique donors 73% of donations are less than $250 96% of funds go directly to programs
4%
Funding: 96 More than $250,000 raised % $120,000 spent in Rwanda with DFGFI, 48% $75,900 spent in Kenya, 30% $20,000 spent in Uganda, 8% $24,744.84 allocated for future projects, 10% Less than $10,000 spent on administrative costs= 4%
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What We Do
Engineer! Educational Infrastructure
Concentrating its East African outreach in the areas of school facility construction (Engineer!), educational programming (Expand!), sanitation (Energize!), and community empowerment (Empower!), EACEF utilizes a unique system called the Nafasi Process to create educational change in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Back in the United States, EACEF works to promote youth civic engagement and entrepreneurship through its Engage! Initiative.
In a partnered effort to address a lack of schooling facilities across East Africa, Engineer! focuses on the construction of libraries, kitchens and classrooms. Particular Engineer! Initiatives include:
The Nafasi Process EACEF works to replicate the successes of its pilot project at Kirimara Primary School at other East African schools through the completion of its Nafasi* Process. The Nafasi Process is a revolutionary approach to jumpstarting underperforming schools by addressing the particular needs of its students. Focusing on issues like literacy and nourishment, the Process is a step-by-step outline that aims to break down every barrier to a child's success in school. At each Nafasi Process partner school, EACEF expects to see a rise in national examination scores and a more collaborative community effort to encourage a healthier educational environment. *Swahili for “opportunity�
The Maktaba-Library Phase: The Maktaba Phase addresses English-language literacy needs through the construction of fully equipped libraries and learning centers. The Chuo-School Renovation/ Addition Phase: The Chuo Renovation/Addition Phase builds new and refurbishes existing classrooms with new chalkboards, skylights and windows to create a better learning environment. The Chakula-Kitchen Phase: The Chakula Phase provides for the construction of a kitchen and dining hall made to commercial standards with energy-efficient gas stoves that each have the capacity to feed hundreds of children every day.
"The library has helped our pupils visit new places and impacted a lot of knowledge. They realize that if they ever want to see the rest of the world, they have to get a good education." -Kirimara Teacher
Expand! School Programming To address issues such as overcrowded classes, teaching challenges, malnutrition and uniform shortages, EACEF has designed a host of initiatives, such as mentorship and teaching programs, to help community leaders raise the standard of education at each partner school.
“The mentors have made my class gain more confidence and self -esteem” -Chania Teacher
The Rafiki Food-Fund Program: Responsible for feeding over 500 children every day, the Rafiki Program ensures that every student receives a balanced meal. The Mavazi Uniform Program: The Mavazi Program provides uniforms and shoes for primary school students to ensure that a lack of funds for proper clothing will never be a barrier to a child’s education. The Ndoto Mentorship Program The Ndoto Program hosts innovative weekly mentorship opportunities between students of primary schools and senior schools, where students are able to get individualized attention in their weaker subjects. The Mwalimu Teaching Program: The Mwalimu Program seeks to better equip EACEF Partner School teachers with the
skills and solutions necessary to meet the demands of a challenging classroom by hosting monthly seminars that discuss teaching strategies and the latest methods of instruction .
Empower! Communities In order to encourage forward-thinking communities with goals of educational support, Empower!’s initiatives create avenues for parents and communities to provide themselves with financial freedom. Jamii Initiative* While the price of a Kenyan primary education is usually provided by the government, any excess schooling is left in the hands of parents who are more than willing but too often unable to pay. Jamii, a concept based on the microfinance model, will be housed within a local community center, near both Chania and Kirimara primaries. Through parent job training and crafts construction programs, the program hopes to provide access to steady incomes for those coffee plantation workers often faced with uncertain work opportunities and allow them to ensure their children a decent education. *Kiswahili for “community”
Embuzi Initiative* Based on similar models of community-sustaining livestock care, the Embuzi* Initiative seeks to act in the stead of parents for orphaned or disenfranchised children. The program outlines the care of 20 goats on land acquired adjacent to Shalom Junior
School in Fort Portal, Uganda, where the sale of each offspring will pay for the annual school fees of one child. *“Goat” in the Rotoro language of East Africa
Kurwanisa Enjara* The Kurwanisa Enjara Program endeavors to involve community members in the support of the Rafiki Food Fund. Through the use of idle land, this initiative seeks to combine high-yield crops and volunteer labor to generate enough produce to provide substantial student meals. *Rotoro for “fighting hunger”
Energize! Students through Health With proper sanitation a luxury most communities simply cannot afford, EACEF seeks to create healthy environments that allow students to reach their full potential. From rainwater tanks to hygiene classes, EACEF employs a combination of sanitation infrastructure and programming to ensure healthy learning environments.
Engage! Youth in Social Action Based on the belief that young people have the power to serve as catalysts for social change, Engage! strives to provide international youth with the resources, opportunities and knowledge to channel their energy into measurable social impacts. In expanding key skills that range from leadership development to financial oversight to international relations, students are better prepared to engage in successful philanthropic endeavors. With globalization and technology rapidly integrating the scope of national and cultural barriers, Engage! hopes to expand active opportunities to the rising global leaders of the generation “Since EACEF stepped in, the of action. kids have realized that they have a chance Chapters in life.” Operating under modified versions of the original EACEF model, EACEF chapters empower young people to channel their -Kirimara Teacher energies into measurable change in East Africa. Guided by the Chapter Handbook and National Staff, the chapters each identify a specific issue and project to sponsor and then develop plans to both raise funds and encourage student activism in their own communities. GenerAction As part of its belief in the power of young people to effect change, EACEF’s GenerAction Initiative seeks to promote youth involvement in social action and awareness through creative opportunities that allow students to explore social issues and potential solutions.
Kirimara Primary School
"The pupils were really touched that somebody out there cared about them. They were really motivated in their academic work, and as a result, we registered an improvement of 7+ in our 2008 K.C.P.E. This year is going to be better." - Kirimara teacher
Overview Situated just outside Nyeri, Kenya in a sea of coffee fields, Kirimara was the first school to partner with EACEF, a collaboration that has led to the overarching steps detailed under the Nafasi Process. Educating the children of migrant day laborers, Kirimara serves a population faced with high unemployment, famine, drought and low levels of schooling. In the first year of EACEF’s programming, Kirimara students improved over 7% on their KCPE examinations. Status New Beverly Gregory Library Refurbished school complex with eight classrooms and new roofs, reconstructed walls, permanent flooring, windows, skylights and chalkboards Kitchen/dining hall
complex with energy-efficient burners Water tanks and latrines constructed Mentorship, Feeding and Teaching Programs implemented
Chania Primary School Overview Sitting above fields of coffee plants, Chania is located about a mile down the road from EACEF’s first partner school, Kirimara Primary. Serving a similar population, Chania struggles to give academic opportunity to children from families who struggle under incredible economic burdens. As the test site for EACEF’s new Empower! Initiatives, Chania will serve as the site of economic community renewal.
Staff outside the future Kitchen at Chania
Status Library completed by EACEF partner Children’s Literature for Children Kitchen/ dining hall complex Eight classrooms
Water tanks Mentorship, Teaching and Feeding Programs implemented Boys’ and girls’ restrooms and water tanks installed
Shalom Junior School
Bisate Schools
Overview Located in Fort Portal, Uganda, the Shalom Junior School project is a partnership between EACEF, Shalom founder New Classroom Block at Shalom and director Stanley Musoni and the village of Katenbere. With the vision of serving the ignored local population, Shalom operates as a private school and offers classes, beginning with pre-primary to Standard 8, to children who otherwise would not be attending school.
Overview As a partnership between EACEF and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, the Bisate Project will oversee the construction of classrooms, a library, computer lab and sanitation facilities. It will also host innovative community and academic enrichment programs such as mentorship and conservation education classes.
Status Complete school and facility construction, with two out of five intended classroom blocks and administrative offices already finished Plans for a library, kitchen/dining hall complex, dormitories and playground, as well as programs listed under the Nafasi Process. Pre-primary and Standard 1 classes began in January of 2009, and classes for Standard 2-4 are in the process of being enrolled.
Quick Facts Located in the mountains of Northern Rwanda, Bisate serves over 1800 students with a student to teacher ratio of 73:1. Heavily affected by the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, many of the students lost parents, siblings, or other relatives in the chaos and civil war.
"EACEF has provided a conducive atmosphere for learning. The pupils and the community appreciate the work done. It has improved pupils’ retention in school."
Status - Chania Teacher In May of 2009, EACEF staff members laid the cornerstone for a new six-classroom structure. EACEF is working to secure further funding for a new library and computer lab, and plans have been designed for solar panels and a second block of classrooms in the Secondary School.
Join Us
Chapters
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For more information about chapters and how to start your own, please contact Alexis Mitchell, our VP for Community Relations, at amitchell@eacef.org.
Your generous support can truly make the difference in creating educational opportunity for the children of East Africa! Contributions of all sizes are welcomed.
•Catholic Central H.S. •Dartmouth College •Duke University •Georgia Tech •Sidwell Friends School •Tulane University •University of Colorado •University of Georgia •University of Michigan
To donate by mail, send a check made payable to “EACEF” to:
•UNC- Chapel Hill •University of Virginia •Vanderbilt University •Wake Forest University •Walton High School •The Westminster Schools •Williams College •Yale University
EACEF 1266 West Paces Ferry Road Suite 271 Atlanta, GA 30327 To donate by credit card, visit www.eacef.org.