AKA Mombasa Yearbook 2020-2021

Aga Khan Academy Mombasa Logo Specifications – Colour: Pantone 348 Green – Logotype: New Baskerville in Black

YEARBOOK 2020-21

Educating effective future leaders is a high responsibility. To do it well, we must look beyond the world which is passing from sight and turn our eyes to the unchartered world of the future. We must rise above the antiquated approaches of earlier days and instead infuse our students with what I would call three “A’s” of modern learning – the spirit of anticipation, the spirit of adaptation and the spirit of adventure. This will happen best in learning environments which are both serious and focused on the one hand, but which are also joyous and inspiring places, operating on the cutting edge of pedagogy and knowledge. To create such environments will be the central mission of the Aga Khan Academies in the years ahead.“

Foundation stone-laying ceremony of the residential campus, Aga Khan Academy Mombasa Speech delivered by His Highness the Aga Khan Location Mombasa, Kenya (14 August 2007)

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Aga Khan Academy Mombasa Logo Specifications – Colour: Pantone 348 Green – Logotype: New Baske

A look back on some of the messages from the Head of Academy through the year Normal is such a simple word and it is our goal to not only find our ‘new’ normal, but to use this time as a learning experience that will forever impact the learning environment of the Academy for the better. Your continued support as partners in learning is much appreciated and is essential as we continue to focus on your learning and to ensure that when we eventually return to campus, we are safe and stronger as a community.” August 2020

I continue to be amazed by the creativity and determination shown by the teachers and students to adapt to this “new normal” as they continue to engage and participate.

As we head towards the end of term, it is important to build in routines to make sure we also look after our mental and physical well-being. I am hopeful that we will open soon, as I am sure you are too.”

November 2020

Despite the challenges faced during online learning, there is a lot to celebrate. Yes, there were difficult moments as everyone was adjusting to the new way of teaching and learning with no prior experience, but you were able to quickly switch over to the online environment.

You have acquired new skills, knowledge and experiences. You are more resilient, better problem solvers, better users of technology for learning and more independent learners. Though full of uncertainties, anxieties and uncharted waters, it was a year full of exceptional learning, collaboration and resilience.

Despite the challenges, the creativity of our teachers and students continues to amaze me as they adapt to the new situation.

It is a joy to hear the sound of children playing, laughing, and chatting with each other, and the entire staff are so happy to have a lively campus once again.” February 2021

The class of 2021 has a unique IB Diploma story one that began on campus and has now ended on campus. Over the last 18 months we have planned for many what ifs, and we have all been forced to adapt and respond to much uncertainty.

The uncertainty is not yet over but despite the challenges and stress, you have all made it this far – you have the scars to prove it. You are better equipped to face the future than any class that has preceded you. Make the most of your survival story. The only walls that you will not be able to scale in the future will be those that you place in your mind and will exist only because you have forgotten what you have already achieved.

Francis Kariuki, Senior School Principal

The remote learning environment on and off last year provided us with some challenges but also it presented new and different opportunities to promote and encourage student agency. Our students took on greater responsibility and became more actively engaged in the learning process.

Embracing the learner profiles and attitudes, they will continue to develop social, selfmanagement, communication, thinking and research skills in their daily life. Let’s continue to enjoy the journey together!

Annia Dear, Junior School Principal

The bonds you made at the beginning of DP1 when life was “normal” kept you together despite your physical distance for much of your studies and I hope you will continue to look out for each other as an Alumni Family.” May 2021 (Graduation Ceremony)

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AUGUST 2020 Log Out: a short film by students from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa Students at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa produced a captivating film called ‘Log Out’ with the support of art & drama teacher Joyce Arigi and English teacher Alex Mwololo who guided the film-making process.

The short film, which featured students and teachers as actors and producers, was set to compete at this year’s Kenya Drama and Film Festival which was cancelled due to COVID-19 measures. Log Out tells the story of a young introverted boy who becomes addicted to gaming on social media. Consequently, his life both at home and at school are affected. This causes friction with a longtime friend who attempts to convince him to “log out” of his addiction.

DP1 students participate in Virtual Internships During the July break, the Aga Khan Academies and the Aga Khan Development Network partner up to provide internship opportunities for students in the Diploma Programme.

This year, due to COVID-19, the internships took place virtually and this gave the students an opportunity to intern at institutions around the world including Canada, Switzerland, France and London. The virtual environment enabled students to intern at agencies that they would not normally be able to due location.

I would definitely recommend the internship to next year’s DP1 students.

It will help them put into perspective what they would like to do in the future and understand the work dynamic.

They will also gain research skills that can help them in school.”

Tia Mbabazi

We were amazed by the level of imagination, especially from the story developers who had very creative ideas and offered suggestions that made the film a success. Although most of the students were new to this kind of experience, it’s difficult to tell they’re first time actors when watching the film.” Joyce Arigi

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It was an amazing journey with many interesting memories. I got to interact with mentors all the way from Geneva and a fellow Academy student from Hyderabad, India. The internship also helped me gain some work experience which is a great foundation for the future as I set out in a real working environment.”

Ashhal Vellani

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International Youth Day 2020

Aly Jassani (DP2)

The Academy in Mombasa joined the world in celebrating International Youth Day, which is commemorated every year on 12 August. The day spotlights some of the issues young people experience throughout the world and how best they can be remedied.

Aly Jassani, who has been learning about trading and investing in stocks and forex, started a club for young people to learn about trading and investing. The trading club held several sessions and their first seminar featuring guest speaker John Karanja, founder of BitHub.Africa, an incubator based in Nairobi, Kenya that is driving the adoption of blockchain technology across the African continent. John taught the students more about blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies.

The theme for 2020, ‘Youth Engagement for Global Action’, seeks to highlight the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching local and international organisations and processes, as well as draw lessons on how their representation and engagement in formal institutional politics can be significantly enhanced.

Financial markets are an important part of our lives and understanding how they work is very important so that you can make the right investments.”

Aly Jassani

On this day, we celebrate all the students at the Academy and the youth around the world who are helping to shape their communities and working to build a better future.

Beyond International Youth Day being a day for reflection, it is a day for taking action. As young people, our students have actively been engaged in several initiatives that draw awareness to various issues as they strive to find solutions.

Here are some initiatives our students have been undertaking:

Azmat Amarshi (Grade 10)

iSEAyou – a community service group co-founded by Diploma Programme student Cinzia Torriani, which promotes environmental sustainability.

Azmat Amarshi, a Grade 10 student at the Academy in Mombasa held a virtual benefit concert to raise funds to support young kids at the Mombasa Children’s Home with their nursery education. The concert was a part of Azmat’s Middle Years Programme personal project, which advocates for Early Childhood Development (ECD). It featured music and dance performances by AKA Mombasa students.

unza – a student led service organisation that F aims to push for educational reform in public schools by empowering students to express themselves confidently and articulately.

Affordable and Accessible Sanitation for Women (AASW) – a youth-led initiative founded by Alumni Ziyaan Virji, which fights period and stigma and promotes menstrual hygiene. In the month of May 2020, AASW and several partner organisations launched the firstever International Period Month.

Model United Nations (MUN) – an enrichment, which is an academic simulation of the actual United Nations where students delegate and attempt to find solutions to major global issues.

Bitcoin chart showing rise of bitcoin cryptocurrency

His Highness always talks about the importance of education.

If we have access to good education then we should make the most of it. Learning is a life-long process and although it can be done at any time or age, it is important that it starts at a very young age.”

Azmat Amarshi Grade 9 student, Ayaan Allarakhia, performing at the online concert

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SEPTEMBER 2020 Meet the new Student Representative Council presidents!

Junior School celebrates International Dot Day

The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa’s rigorous curriculum aims to develop students into principled, open-minded and pluralistic young leaders who are actively involved in their local communities through various curricular and co-curricular activities and platforms. The Student Representative Council (SRC), a student body that advocates for the needs and rights of students is one such platform for students to develop their leadership skills. On 15 september 2020, students voted in Aimaan Sayani and Aly Jassani, Diploma Programme (DP) 2 as the new SRC Presidents for the 2020 – 2021 academic year in the first-ever virtual elections.

On 15 September 2020, the Junior School community at AKA Mombasa celebrated International Dot Day, which celebrates creativity, courage and collaboration. Dot Day is inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book ‘The Dot’, which tells the story of an art teacher who encourages a young girl who believes she cannot draw by telling her: “make a mark and see where it takes you.” Starting with a small dot on a piece of paper she unlocks her creative potential and goes on a journey of self-discovery and creativity, in which she inspires others. Students and teachers incorporated a dot theme into the day’s events by donning polka dot outfits, beautifully dotted face paintings and colourful dotted stickers. The powerful themes of bravery, self-expression and creativity expressed in ‘The Dot’ are manifested in the Academy’s Primary Years Programme, which seeks to develop lifelong learners who use their gifts and talents to make the world a better place.

We hope to make the platforms provided by the Academy more vibrant for students to showcase their talents and grow. We are a very diverse body and providing everyone with a platform to be themselves spreads positive and lively energy. Students will continue to grow, feel recognised and accomplished after being commended by their peers. Aimaan and Aly

Mikhail Samnani (Grade 3) Mikhail Samnani, a Grade 3 student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa made lampshades using recycled materials to raise awareness about the importance of repurposing materials to create handy items, which promotes environmental protection. Tapping into his creativity, Mikhail made ceiling and table lampshades using recyclable materials he had on hand like a baobab fruit shell, a coconut shell, an empty soda bottle, wires and tree branches.

My project brings awareness to the fact that one can transform simple reusable objects in the house into beautiful and useful household items like lamps, wall frames and more. Not only does it save you money, it is also a conscious way of saving mother Earth.” Mikhail Samnani 10 | Aga Khan Academy Mombasa | YEARBOOK 2020-2021

A dot might be small, but it’s a powerful way to show your unique individuality and creativity.” Junior School Principal, Annia Dear

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OCTOBER 2020 Teaching Coach For The Arts The Academies in Mombasa and Maputo held joint online classes to teach Grade 10 students observational drawing with the objective to enhance their skills and artistic confidence.

(Virtual) Enrichments led by DP1 students: Mind Over Matter & Virtual Chess Club Mind Over Matter (MOM) is a virtual yoga enrichment centered on fostering the mental and physical well-being of students. The Virtual Chess Club is an enrichment for students with a shared passion and interest for chess to play against each other in weekly online tournaments.

These activities will help students find a sense of calm amid any hurdles they could be facing as they go about their daily lives.” Navika Lodhia, Diploma Programme 1 student

I’ve learnt to work well under pressure because chess games are usually timed to a maximum of five minutes for each player to make all their moves otherwise they lose.

Quick but accurate thinking is thus mandatory and a high degree of calmness is required to pull it off. I’ve also improved on my critical thinking because chess is a war of minds that requires profound thought to emerge victorious.”

Jeremy Michoma, Diploma Programme 1 student

Although virtual learning has posed some challenges, it has also presented interesting and positive opportunities. One of these is the possibility of collaborating with other classes and teachers across time zones and distance. It is interesting for us as teachers and also for the students to meet a different teacher for a few lessons.” Antoinette Blain, Art teacher, AKA Mombasa

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Alyssa Jamal (Grade 10)

Madina Khudobakshova (Grade 10)

Alyssa Jamal is a Grade 10 student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa whose personal project, ‘Assistive Innovations for Cerebral Palsy’, focused on creating an affordable wrist splint for children with cerebral palsy with the aim of making their day to day lives easier. Wrist splints are designed to stabilise and straighten the hand and wrist thus improving the functionality of the upper limb.

Madina, participated in the Roof of the World festival, where she held a virtual art exhibition whose main goal was to raise awareness about environmental conservation. The festival, which is held annually at the end of July in Khorog, Tajikistan, aims to develop cultural exchange between the people of Central Asia and beyond by sharing their customs, values and traditions through music, art and dance. Madina showcased six beautiful paintings, which addressed environmental concerns such as air and water pollution, climate change, deforestation and the endangerment of animals.

My product will help marginalised children with cerebral palsy, most of whom cannot afford these splints, to have access to affordable hand splints which they need along with physical therapy.”

Alyssa Jamal

Ayaan Allarakhia (Grade 9) Ayaan released an uplifting original song titled ‘Unaweza’ or you can, which he wrote to inspire people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With his song, Ayaan hopes to reach those in Kenya who were struggling most during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those suffering economically and mentally.

I wanted people to know that this pandemic is just a passing cloud and that they should not give up. I thought it was necessary to remind people that we can do it and we can stay strong during this trying time” Ayaan Allarakhia

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Our only home faces devastating times and is experiencing irreversible changes caused by human activities. This should force us to take action before we reach a point of no return.”

Madina said about the art exhibition

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NOVEMBER 2020 Virtual career fair for the Grade 10s

Personal Project Mock Exhibition held virtually

On 27 November 2020, AKA Mombasa hosted a virtual career fair which brought together professionals from around the world!

As part of the Grade 10s’ unit, ‘Leadership Curriculum’, students learned about different professional fields and trajectories by meeting professionals in various fields. The fair featured 24 guest speakers from several industries including, education; hospitality; law; finance; information technology; development and more. They engaged with students to share career opportunities and insights and gave helpful tips to those who were undecided about the careers they wished to pursue.

On 13 November 2020, the Year 10s hosted a virtual mock exhibition of their personal projects to showcase their projects with teachers and get feedback as they prepare for the main exhibition happening on 5 February 2021, which will mark the culmination of the Middle Years Programme. It is the point at which they showcase, not only their products/outcomes, but also how they have been able to hone their approaches to learning skills, such as research, self-management, collaboration, critical thinking and reflection. Moreover, they are required to show how completing their projects have expanded their knowledge on their topics as well as their development as IB learners using the IB Learner Profile attributes.

AKA Mombasa students win big at Oshwal Academy Model United Nations AKA Mombasa students triumphed at the 18th Oshwal Academy Model United Nations (OAMUN) conference held between 11 and 14 November 2020. The conference, which was held virtually for the first time, is an educational simulation of the United Nations (UN) in which students learn about diplomacy, international relations and the UN. In the threeday conference, students had the role of delegates for different countries and attempted to solve real world issues with the policies and perspectives of their assigned country.

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This year, the mock exhibition was held virtually because of the new normal brought about

by COVID-19. It is also the first time that a website was created to enable members of the school community who were not directly involved in the exhibition to take part in giving feedback to the students. I encourage the students to utilise the feedback received in adjusting their presentations.” George Gachoya, AKA Mombasa’s Personal Project Coordinator.

Luciano Torriani (Grade 10)

Below are the awards the students won during OAMUN:

Luciano Torriani, a Grade 10 student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, created an inexpensive electricity supply and water purification system. His invention is titled Rural Electrical and Purification Systems (REPS), and is his personal project for the culmination of the Middle Years Programme.

Middle School Model United Nations (MSMUN) category winners: Best Speaker – Maheera Intikhab Best Delegation, India – Ambassador Ilhaam Ladha

A resident of Kwale county, Luciano designed REPS with the hope that it would serve the communities near his home. Basic utility shortages are common in rural parts of Kwale, creating difficult living conditions for residents.

East Africa Model United Nations (EAMUN) category winners: Best Speakers – Ryan Maina, Calvin Atuhaire, Qaisara Yasin Best Resolution in the Economic Committee, Germany – Ambassador Ryan Maina Best Resolution in the Economic Committee, Burkina Faso – Ambassador Noah Wanjohi Global Summit category winners: Best Speakers – Furuzon Atobekova, Andrew Kamami

The constant scarcity of electricity and clean water incentivised me to undertake this project. It was sad to see my community struggling for basic needs and I felt obliged to make a change.”

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Junior School holds first-ever virtual sports day

Student Representative Council 2020 – 2021

Students’ homes were turned into sports fields as furniture was moved aside to make space for the firstever Junior School Virtual Inter-House Sports Day from 23 to 26 November 2020, organised by Coach Fridah Gatwiri. Students donned their house colours, with teachers and parents cheering on and the banners put up in homes created a fun atmosphere for sporting action.

With the new academic year presenting a new norm for online school, the process of electing a new SRC executive team for 2020 – 2021 was held virtually. both campaining and the elections took place virtually – students wrote and recorded a persuasive speech and made a poster for their campaign. All of this was compiled and shared with the whole Junior School and the voting took place in form of a survey.

Students took part in several physical activities such as rope skipping, treasure hunting, ball shuttle racing, underarm throws, planks, ski hops, push-ups, spoon and egg race, bottle flip and dress-up challenges.

The purpose of the virtual sports day was to give students an opportunity to take part in various sports activities, have fun and promote team spirit in a friendly competition. I invited students to generate ideas at the planning stage, which fostered a sense of ownership for the event.

Students had fun, and it felt great!” Coach Fridah

Posts

Elected Members

Presidents

Tendo Mua-Musoke and Fatimah Kanji

Academic Representatives

Umar Khan, Aadil Pattni and Hanan Al-Bargy

Action Representatives

Mahin Patel and Tracy Serem

Expression Representatives

Haytham Muses and Kiana Dossa

Citizenship Representatives

Leroy Mwangovya and Sufna Hadish

Green House Captains

Ali Gulamhusein and Palak Raj

Blue House Captains

Dylan Shah and Emmanuela Maina

Yellow House Captains

Taanai Muema and Elliana Maina

Red House Captains

Saami Dhanji and Niella Cheruiyot

Arshman Balouch and Hisham Ladha (DP 2) Diploma Programme (DP) 2 students Arshman Balouch and Hisham Ladha founded a virtual enrichment, E-Sports. Both Arshman and Hisham have actively been involved in the Kenyan E-sports scene.

They ranked as the best Kenyan duo Fortnite players at the 2019 Summer Edition Fortnite Kenya Tournament held in Nairobi.

Tianna Parmar (Grade 10) Tianna Parmar, made history by being the youngest OAMUN Senior Chair. AKA students walked away with the most awards in the various categories ranging from best delegates, best speakers and best resolution.

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DECEMBER 2020 Students use art to express feelings during pandemic Teachers in the Expressive Arts department have been using exciting methods to create engaging distance learning support for students to help them find comfort and cope with new normal. Grade 6 students were recently asked to express their feelings about the COVID-19 pandemic using art.

Students were required to use the six elements of art – lines, value, space, shape, texture and colour – as their expressive tools.

Explaining why it was significant for students to undertake such an initiative, Visual Arts teacher Donna Scott said: “I thought it was important for

the students to have a chance to express their feelings about this huge upheaval in their lives and art is a powerful way to do that.” Donna hopes that students will hold on to their art pieces to remind them of how they were able to overcome such an extraordinary time in their lives.

This is an unprecedented time in human history and I hope that the students keep these pieces as a memory.”

Donna Scott

Danish Dhamani (Class of 2013) Danish is featured in Forbes 30 under 30 as co-founder of Orai, an AI-based speech-coaching app.

Hearing His Highness the Aga Khan’s speeches about using your knowledge to help others anywhere in the world has become one of my fundamental rules of life. If I’m ever going to build something, solve a problem or give service, I’m always thinking of not just helping 100 people, but how can help the lives of millions across the globe?”

Rayyan Khan (DP 2) Rayyan Khan started the initiative “Project Pluralism” to forge connections between students of diverse backgrounds, bring attention to prevalent social issues and develop plans of action to address them. The international programme has over 70 students enrolled from five different countries.

Eventually, Rayyan hopes the programme continues to grow to reach even more students in other countries and that participants will gain a deeper understanding of the world around them, create long lasting connections and be inspired to start similar initiatives with the aim of moving towards a more unified world.

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The idea behind this project came after participating in the Global Encounters camp in Pakistan. After the camp, a group of friends and I realised that we came to the camp with a lot of preconceived notions about different places around the world, which had drastically changed by the end of the camp. We further noticed that this was prevalent throughout the world and so we got together during the summer to create Project Pluralism.” Rayyan Khan

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JANUARY 2021 Excitement on campus as phased re-opening begins many changes to the normal routine, staff members are ready to dive in. “ It is always exciting to embark on a new adventure,” said Francis Kariuki, Senior School principal. “Let us start this one with courage and joy.”

For the staff, the arrival of students is a long-awaited development, ending a period of inactivity on a usually lively campus.

We missed them dreadfully. It is wonderful to see their faces.”

Annia Dear, Junior School principal.

On Thursday 7 January, the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa commenced in-person learning for the Junior School, with Grade 1 and Grade 4 students being welcomed onto campus. This marks the beginning of a phased reopening process for the school, which had previously held fully online instruction.

The following Monday, 11 January, the Senior School joined the reopening effort, receiving Diploma Programme 1 and 2 students on campus. Many of the residential students had already returned to their dormitories the previous week, quarantining and isolating in their rooms until they could be confirmed COVID-19 negative and enter a residential bubble.

The Grade 1 teacher, for example, has developed a code for the students.

As soon as she says ‘social distancing,’ they all stand with their arms out. We are making it a bit of fun, but at the same time clarifying the seriousness of it as well.”

Annia Dear, Junior School principal.

Alongside normal safety protocols, Senior School staff also ensure that day and residential students maintain appropriate social distance. Even with the

We are really excited, and looking forward to seeing all of them. The health and safety of the kids and teachers are most important. Just making sure as they come in that they feel safe, and that the parents are comfortable and know their children are being well looked after.”

Annia Dear, Junior School principal.

The campus has been outfitted with various protocols to ensure the safety of students and faculty, including social distancing, regular temperature checks, and mask-wearing. Teachers have also taken the initiative to craft guidelines specific to their class grades.

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FEBRUARY 2021 Students hold virtual masterclass sessions on sustainable development

Newly elected Student Representative Council members sworn in

Student-led creativity, activity, service (CAS) group iSEAyou has been holding virtual masterclass sessions with the aim to promote ecological and economic sustainable development. The sessions also included global environmentalists.

The Academies aim to develop open-minded and pluralistic leaders by equipping students with the tools and opportunities to create positive change in their local communities. One such leadership opportunity is the Student Representative Council (SRC), a peer-elected student body that strives to represent the voices of students while serving as the liaison between the student body and the administration.

The group examined the advantages of renewable energy sources, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the Kenya Plastic ban and US trade deals, water pollution in our Mombasa waters, along with a dive into the new technologies that have been generated in an aim to tackle causes of climate change and aid against pollution.

Maaher Bhaloo (Grade 10) Maaher Bhaloo was the first runner up for the “Best Tech/Science Innovator of the Year” category, and the youngest participant, at the Zanzibar Youth Awards 2021. Maaher designed and developed an affordable, environmentally conscious solar power plant proposition as his personal project for the Academy, which was recently approved by the Zanzibar government for implementation.

I am passionate about the environment, my town’s development and community service, the latter being something taught to me by the Academy as an important aspect of life. Through my personal project, I was able to combine these interests to create ‘Zanzibar – a Solar Island’, a proposition fora solar power plant that will transition from using fossil fuels to renewable energy, to increase the availability of sustainable and affordable electricity in Zanzibar.”

Maaher Bhaloo

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AKA Mombasa’s newly elected Student Representative Council (SRC) for the 2020 – 2021 academic year were today sworn into their respective positions at a ceremony led by Senior School Principal, Francis Kariuki.

The council is led by two co-presidents and consists of four main committees: the Academic committee, the Action committee, the Expression committee, and the Well-being committee with representatives from each Grade making up each of these committees. Please join us in congratulating the following students on their newly elected positions.

Senior School SRC Executive Team

Grade 6

• Presidents: Aly Jassani & Aimaan Sayani • Academic Representative: Zahra Mamujee • Action Representative: Andrew Kamami • Expression Representative: Bradley Ogolla • Well-being Representative: Muntaha Intikhab

• Academic Representative: Samira Gulamali • Action Representative: Nahal Swaleh • Expression Representative: Melissa Mulindwa •W ell-being Representative: Hussain Abdurrahman

Grade 7

Grade 8

• Academic Representative: Ojaswini Pandey • Action Representative: Abigail Obiero •E xpression Representatives: Rebecca Wamala & Sarina Alibhai • Well-being Representative: Thea Shah

• Academic Representative: Ilhaam Hassanali • Action Representative: Tugi Mwige • Expression Representative: Zaaki Dhanji • Well-being Representative: Aker Mutinda

Grade 9

Grade 10

• Academic Representative: Sakina Rashid • Action Representative: Rahmaan Rahim •E xpression Representative: Muborak Davlatshoeva • Well-being Representative: Maheera Intikhab

• Academic Representative: Ilyana Jiwa • Action Representative: Maaher Bhaloo • Expression Representative: Faith Kasi •W ell-being Representative: Brandon Kanyerezi

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Friendship Day

AKA Mombasa shines at 39th EAMUN conference

Friendship knows no distance, you are connected heart to heart, whether you are separated by miles or standing six feet apart. On 15 February 2021, the Junior School celebrated Friendship Day, a day that signifies the importance of harmonious friendships and honours the individuals who are such an important part of our lives. For this special day the students wore the colours red, white and pink which are associated with love, peace, and friendship!

AKA Mombasa students won four awards at the annual 39th East African Model United Nations (EAMUN) conference which took place online from 22 to 26 February 2021.

Salama Minds Salama Minds, or well-being of the minds, is an organisation founded by Khushbu Kotak, a Diploma Programme 2 student at AKA Mombasa. It aims to dismantle the stigma around mental health in Kenya by providing affordable and accessible therapy sessions to individuals between 11 and 22 years, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds.

Despite a growing awareness of the significance of counseling for young people of all backgrounds and situations in life, the negative perception still makes some people hesitant about reaching out for help.

Consequently, Salama Minds has been holding meetings with parents to sensitise and encourage them to give counselling a try for the well-being of their children.

Our mission is to do away with the negative stigma and taboo that surrounds mental health and therapy sessions,” Khushbu said about what prompted her to start Salama Minds. “It’s very important for young people to be nurtured in a safe environment in which they are not afraid to reach out and express themselves freely. The youth also need to be taught that supporting one another is critical in growing an ethically responsible community.”

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MARCH 2021 DP Art Exhibition 2021 DP2 students held an art exhibition from 15 to 19 March 2021 to showcase the artwork collection that they have been working on during their two years in the DP. The beautiful showcase included paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs using distinct style choices, and explored themes such as love, beauty, nature, animals, self identity, womanhood and feminism.

AKA Mombasa organises first cross-campus Peace Summit From 22 – 23 March 2021, students and teachers across the Academies Network connected with each other through our first cross-campus Peace Summit that was held virtually.

The theme for this year’s Peace Summit, “Peace Takes Everyone”, focused on how the current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted numerous people around the world and what can be done

to support those affected. The event also hosted two prominent keynote speakers, Edith AlusaBosire – the co-founder of EED Advisory, which is a Pan-African consulting firm providing solutions to climate change – and Matt Reeves – the Aga Khan Foundation’s Global Lead for Civil Society in Nairobi, Kenya and has supported civil society strengthening initiatives in over 30 countries.

Reflecting on the experience

The DP art exhibition is a platform for us to compile what we’ve been working on these past one and half years and show everyone what we’ve been working on, our talents, and share our stories through art.” Shamma Doshi

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The Peace Summit is an annual conference where students get an opportunity to discuss world issues. Under the theme of “Peace Takes Everyone” students from across the Aga Khan Academies and the Aga Khan Academy Nairobi interacted with each other by sharing their thoughts about how the pandemic has influenced the relations of different stakeholders between and within countries. Additionally, the guest speakers from different organisations added a practical view to our discussions. Personally, being a student executive for the event, I was heart-warmed by the participation of the Grade 9 students from the other campuses as they were open to understanding different perspectives. All in all, the Peace Summit gave me a wider scope about how peace can be resolved and the different perspectives people have about peace.” Ayaan Charania, Diploma Programme 1 student at AKA Mombasa

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Grade 6s reflect on their first-ever science experiment as Senior School students Following the resumption of in-person learning at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Grade 6 students carried out their first-ever science investigation as new members of Senior School. They performed a redox reaction experiment under the supervision of science teacher, Mr. Erick Agira, where they investigated the effect of Hydrochloric acid on Magnesium metal. The Grade 6 students tell us more about their experience.

The rate of reaction will increase as the acid concentration increases because the collision between the Magnesium and acid particles will become more frequent, so at the end of this lab report, my partner and I noticed that our results were just as we predicted. I enjoyed this experiment learning more about Hydrochloric reaction along with the effect on Magnesium metal. I also learnt that there could be different numbers of particles in each concentration of acid. This experiment gave us a better understanding of what happens as soon as we mix the acid with Magnesium metal instead of only knowing that a reaction would take place. Zeinab Mahmood

In my first experiment, I learnt many new things and many cool reactions. We made a plan and asked, ‘How does the concentration of Hydrochloric acid affect the rate of reaction with Magnesium metal?’ For our hypothesis, we wrote that we think when we add the metal to the acid, the metal will start bubbling. After two lessons, we started our experiment. I was so scared when I held the test tubes and the acid because we had to be careful not to burn ourselves. After the Magnesium metal dissolved, we touched the test tube and noticed it was hot on the bottom, and there were water bubbles around the top. We also noted down the timing of our experiment. This experiment was so cool and fun! This was the best thing I have done in my life. Thank you! Harvi Vekariya

We did a scientific investigation as a group and worked as a team. It was fun! We laughed at each other when doing the experiment. It may not have been an explosion, but it was an experiment where we had to be patient. Mr. Erick also made us keep repeating, editing, and re-checking our work. Overall, the experience was fun, and I think it would be fun if we get to conduct another experiment as a group. Hussain Abdurrahman

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Students showcase their passion projects The Junior School held an exhibition to showcase their passion projects which they have been working on since online learning began.

I want people to learn not to throw nets and plastic into the sea because it is harmful to fish, sharks and other sea creatures that can eat them or get stuck in them.”

Harith Muses (Grade 3)

One challenge I faced was stringing the beads because if I dropped the bracelet by mistake the beads would fall out and I would have to start over. I was able to overcome this challenge with practice.”

Alishba Virji (Grade 4)

I found many interesting facts like Jupiter is the biggest planet and Mercury is the smallest, and that the hottest planet is Venus and the coldest is Neptune. My favorite part of the project was making a poster to show the different planets”

Faizaan Kassam (Grade 3)

During online learning I was able to try different recipes at home and use my gas cooker and oven to cook and bake. At the exhibition, I displayed chocolate lava cupcakes that I made using one of the recipes in my book.”

Kanika Tahiliani (Grade 4)

who is passionate about snorkelling, designed an informative poster with hand-drawn marine animals and messages on why individuals should bring an end to water pollution.

made colorful hand-made bracelets for her passion project.

focused his passion project on learning more about the planets in our solar system.

Kanika Tahiliani, pursued cooking and created a recipe book which she presented to her peers at the exhibition.

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Junior School celebrates “Book Month” with a Character Day Parade In celebration of National Reading Month which honours Dr. Seuss’s birthday, the Junior School students dressed up as characters from their favorite book and had a wonderful parade to show off their creative outfits. From Harry Potter to Willy Wonka, it was incredible to see the students bring different characters and their stories to life.

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You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.” Dr. Suess

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APRIL 2021 AKA Mombasa Class of 2021 carries on with DoMore fundraiser for the Talent Identification Programme

DoMore2021 Executive Team

Following in the footsteps of the Class of 2020, the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa’s graduating Class of 2021 has continued the DoMore fundraiser for the Academy’s Talent Identification Programme (Talent ID)

Academy hosts carnival for students during Easter break The residential community at AKA Mombasa had an exciting carnival which was organised by the Student Representative Council and the Tuck Shop team on 4 April 2021.

Contributing to this initiative has an immense impact on the families and communities of the students receiving the prestigious scholarships.” Raphael Mwachiti

Grade 10s have presentation about The Arts subjects offered in the Diploma Programme On 19 and 21 April 2021, Grade 10 students at AKA Mombasa had a presentation about the Arts subjects offered in the Diploma Programme (DP). Academy Alumni Barbara Nasila and Karishna Bhargani also joined the presentation via Zoom.

The presentation opened my eyes about The Arts, which I find to be really interesting. Creative careers are underappreciated in favour of typical whitecollar jobs, but this class showed me that there are many advantages of taking The Arts in the DP.” Njeri Michele

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It gave me, and other new students the opportunity to be accustomed to certain aspects of the school culture. We got to bond with our peers and enjoy the time we had off school.

It was also my first time eating shawarma.” Amy Ng’eno

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MAY 2021 Students from across the Academies network participate in inaugural Climate and Environment Conference

Class of 2022 DP1 annual play: Rumors The Class of 2022 performed “Rumors,” one of Neil Simon’s most popular comedies on Friday 30 April.

The event was also live-streamed on the Academy’s official Facebook page.

From 28 – 30 May 2021, the Aga Khan Academies held its inaugural Climate and Environment Conference with over 70 students from across the Academies network in attendance, along with alumni and prominent keynote speakers and guests.

Throughout the virtual conference, students presented their own environmental initiatives and interacted with individuals whose work focuses on conserving the climate and environment.

Given that climate change is such an overreaching thing, your contribution to environmental sustainability doesn’t have to be something that you’re directly involved in or must learn about, it’s more about the skills you pick up and the Aga Khan Academies teaches that perfectly,” Raghuveer Vyas, Class of 2016, Aga Khan Academy Mombasa

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The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa celebrates 72 exceptional students in the Class of 2021 On Saturday, 22 May 2021, the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa celebrated its 15th graduating class, a life-changing milestone for the Class of 2021’s 72 exceptional students from East Africa and beyond. To honour the Class of 2021 and their accomplishments in completing their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme studies, the Academy held an intimate and socially distanced ceremony on-campus in Mombasa, attended by immediate family members of the graduating class.

For those not able to join in person, the ceremony was live streamed online and attended by over 4,000 people across the globe joining in to celebrate the graduates, including family, friends, alumni, and supportive well-wishers.

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The ceremony opened with remarks from Head of Academy, Ms Alison Hampshire, who spoke of the graduating class’ perseverance and their ability to carry this determination and resilience forward for their future endeavours.

and admissions offers to attend prestigious universities around the world, including the University of California Berkeley, King’s College London, New York University Abu Dhabi, the University of British Columbia and Boston University, amongst others.

The uncertainty is not yet over, but despite the challenges and stress, you have all made it this far. You are better equipped to face the future than any class that has preceded you. The only walls that you will not be able to scale in the future will be those that you place in your mind and will exist only because you have forgotten what you have already achieved.”

The guest speaker at this year’s graduation was alumnus Ham Serunjogi, who graduated from the Academy in 2012 and is the co-founder of Chipper Cash – the largest mobile cross-border money transfer platform service in Africa. Known for his philanthropic contributions to his community through economic inclusion, Ham encouraged the graduates to be global citizens by reminding them of the tenets of an Academies education.

Students from the Class of 2021 have collectively received over USD $4 million in university scholarships

One of the lessons I learned from the Academy is that we’re responsible for the collective growth of our society,” Ham said. “We play a part in that, and everyone graduating from this institution has been equipped to solve the problems of this world.”

Putting that advice into practice, Ham also pledged to cover the cost of SAT exams, a standardised exam used for university admissions in the United States, and university application fees for those who may need it in the Class of 2022.

On behalf of the Academies network, we wish the Graduating Class of 2021 the best of success in all their future endeavours.

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JUNE 2021 SWAY Day On 4 June 2021, the Grade 5 students at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa had a SWAY Day, where they spent some time with the Grade 6s to get a glimpse of what is to come when they transition to the Middle Years Programme.

“SWAY Day is one of the most important days in the calendar,” said Ms. Fatima Ibrahim, Grade 6 Head of Year.

“We hosted the Grade 5s for three lessons: homeroom, Physical Health Education (PHE), and science. It was an exciting and new experience for all as the students in Grade 6 had not experienced an in-person SWAY Day when they were joining Senior School last academic year. Thank you to all the teachers who helped in organising the different activities. We hope to continue collaborating with the Junior School teachers to ensure that the students have an easy transition to Senior School.”

My experience in Senior School was quite fun. I got to conduct a science experiment and participate in the physical activities that we did during PHE. I also got answers to all of the questions I had at the beginning of the day. Now I feel like I am ready to come to Senior School next academic year! Aahil Pattni, Grade 5

Here are a few words from the students about their day in Senior School:

I enjoyed having the Grade 5 students in Senior School for the day. We got to take them around the school and interact with them in different classes and activities. I think they are ready to come to Senior School! My favourite part of the day was sharing my knowledge with the Grade 5s during the science class.

It helped me as well because it confirmed that I understood what I was doing.

Ayman Ladha, Grade 6

By spending the day in Senior School, I was able to have a better understanding of how things work. I learnt about the timetable, having mentors instead of homeroom teachers, and moving from classroom to classroom for different subjects. I enjoyed interacting with the Grade 6 students and made new friends who I think will guide me when I join Senior School. Mahin Patel, Grade 5

I had a good day in Senior School! During the PHE class, I was the captain of my football team.

It was an enjoyable experience, but my favourite part of the day was conducting experiments during the science class. I also loved how welcoming the teachers and Grade 6 students were to us, so thank you to everyone who took their time to make this day special! Kiana Dossa, Grade 5

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Culture Day

Grade 5 Primary Years Programme Graduation Ceremony

The Junior School students at AKA Mombasa celebrated diversity and pluralism with a Culture Day on 9 June 2021. The students wore their cultural clothing and created or brought something related to their culture.

As an additional treat, they had a parade in the commons where they showed off their outfits and taught the rest of their peers some of the greetings in their mother tongue.

The Junior School Primary Years Programme graduation ceremony took place on 11 June 2021 in the commons. We had a total of 28 students graduate at this year’s ceremony. The significant event marked the end of the Grade 5s journey in the Junior School and celebrated their upcoming chapter at the Academy as students of the Middle Years Programme.

Here are some picture from the event:

To shed light on the experiences the graduates have had at the Academy, Junior School 2021 Student Representative Council Presidents, Tendo MuaMusoke and Fatimah Kanji delivered a well-written speech. A fellow classmate, Ethan Maina, also gave a speech to share his journey thus far as a student of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa.

The ceremony was open to parents of the graduates and the students in Grade 4 to give them a preview for the next academic year. The choir was also invited to the event to perform ‘Sing’, a song written by singer-songwriter Gary Barlow and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. Shortly after, the Junior School graduating class sang ‘I Have a Dream’ by ABBA for their families and the rest of their peers.

Junior School Principal, Annia Dear, closed off the ceremony with some words of wisdom for the graduating class. “To our Grade 5 graduates, remember you are unique; there is no one else in this world like you. Work hard and be willing to take up opportunities that come your way, even if they don’t seem to fit your plans at the time. You never know where they will lead,” said Annia. “Dream big and never give up! Our very best wishes from all your Junior School teachers. Enjoy the next stage in life’s journey.”

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DP 2: CLASS OF 2021

Aali Shamji

Abdurahman Herzi

Adnan Bhanji

Aheer Chatterjee

Hisham Ladha

Ian Adoyo

Inaya Somani

Jai Morjaria

Aimaan Sayani

Alina Rattanshi

Aly Jassani

Arish Madataly

Janice Njuguna

Jeremy Kiarie

Joanne Ndagire

Josette Kiarie

Arman Adtani

Arshman Balouch

Ashhal Vellani

Ayaan Jasani

Joshua Luwemba

Kandafula Sikana

Khushbu Kotak

Kieran Viehweber

Bilkis Tarmal

Cinzia Torriani

Edrina Watya

Emanuel Kenga

Lafsi Mwabodo

Levi Kottut

Luke Ekochu

Mahek Shah

Faheem Jussa

Faith Ronald

Faizaan Alimohamed

Faniki Deche

Mansi Babla

Maya Okoboi

Michael Icharia

Mona Kamotho

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Mugi Njeke

Namirembe Nnaggenda

Nawaf Ali

Omari Kassim

Simin Kanani

Tamira Noormohamed

Tessa Tyaba

Tia Mbabazi

Qahira Jiwa

Rahul Doshi

Rania Janmohamed

Raphael Mwachiti

Tiffany Agwaro

Tyler Wamala

Victoria Stanley

Yesha Masani

Rayyan Khan

Sahil Patel

Saliha Mukhi

Salik Qureshi

Yolandah Tulina

Zahra Jariwalla

Saloni Patel

Samia Juma

Sara Alidina

Sarah Bajaber

Shaan Adatia

Shamma Doshi

Shifa Valyani

Shiloh Asiimwe

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The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa PO Box 90066-80100, Mombasa, Kenya Tel: +254 735 931144 www.agakhanacademies.org/mombasa