Moving Mountains Trust Long-Term Sustainable Development in Kenya, Nepal and Borneo
Barkatado Primary School Siaya – Western Kenya Location and School Site: Barkatado is located on top of a hill/ridge about 5km south-east of Ulamba Children's Home in Siaya, Western Kenya. The school site is quite large with a football field at the front and many mature trees, including mango around the edge and rear of the site. Rows of new trees (approx 20-40cm high at present) have been planted to front right of site. Casava and maize are grown on site. The land on which the school is built was donated by the local community but the school do not have a title deed to it. Students: There are currently approximately 240 pupils in the Primary School and a further 70 in the Early Childhood Development centre. Class sizes vary with an average of around 35 children plus per class: the classrooms are small for this number of students and there is generally a lack of desks and space (described below) . Last year twenty children were eligible to graduate to secondary school but only fifteen were accepted.
PO Box 14, Portstewart, Northern Ireland, BT55 7WS T: 028 708 31258
W: www.movingmountainstrust.com Recognised as a charity by HMRC under reference XR62512
E: mmuk@movingmountainstrust.com
Moving Mountains Trust Long-Term Sustainable Development in Kenya, Nepal and Borneo
Teachers and School Management: The school currently employs ten members of staff; six government employed, four funded through parent donations. The Management Committe is made up of the following members of staff: Head Teacher - James Owatie, Deputy Head Teacher - Edward Puda, Chairperson - Alfred Odhimbeo Ayier. Support from the Authorities: The Deputy County Comissioner and the District Education Officer have been consulted and fully support the work of Moving Mountains at Barkatado. Moving Mountains Kenya has over two decades of experience working in partnership with rural schools in the region, we have a proven trackrecord of transforming educational facilities and infrastructure in the area and are a highly valued and respected development partner. We have also begun working with the school management committee to try to capture additional support and funding for the school from the authorities. School Facilities: Barkatado School was originally built in 1972 with classrooms added over time as the school has developed. There are currently eight classrooms at the school in varying states of disrepair. There is also one small staff building, one brick ECD building, two sets of toilets for children (male/female), one
PO Box 14, Portstewart, Northern Ireland, BT55 7WS T: 028 708 31258
W: www.movingmountainstrust.com Recognised as a charity by HMRC under reference XR62512
E: mmuk@movingmountainstrust.com
Moving Mountains Trust Long-Term Sustainable Development in Kenya, Nepal and Borneo
staff/visitor toilet block, one ECD toilet block and a galv-corrugated iron kitchen building to the rear. The state of the facilities (as of October 2013) is as follows: •
Original ECD: Lath + Adobe walls, Round-pole trusses, corrugated iron roof, doorways/windows collapsing, mud floor.
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Class 8: Individual block. Approx 5x10m. Fairly new roof, Concrete floor, Glass in windows, Fairly new desks. Large sheltered overhang/veranda. Adjacent to building are the foundations for the walls of another adjoining building of same size again. Masonry shell of shelving unit built but not shelved or fitted out. Believed to be funded by government.
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Class 3: Part of 4-room block. Each room approx 5x8m. Roof starting to rust, Brand new concrete floor (installed by Moving Mountains), Glass in windows (installed by Moving Mountains), Steel door, Old desks, only around 4-6. No outside plinth/path. Inside and out painted by Moving Mountains in July 2013.
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Class 2: Part of 4-room block. Each room approx 5x8m. Roof starting to rust- approx 6 panels replaced, brand new concrete floor (installed by Moving Mountains), Glass in windows (installed by Moving Mountains), Steel door, Old desks, only around 4-6. No outside plinth/path. Inside and out painted by Moving Mountains in July 2013.
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Class 4: Part of 4-room block. Each room approx 5x8m. Roof starting to rust, Broken concrete floorlots of holes, No glass in windows, No doors, Old desks, only around 4-6. No outside plinth/path. Outside painted by Moving Mountains in July 2013.
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Class 5: Part of 4-room block. Each room approx 5x8m. Roof starting to rust, Broken concrete floorlots of holes, No glass in windows, No doors, Old desks, only around 4-6. Concrete outside plinth/path. Outside painted by Moving Mountains in July 2013.
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Class 6: Part of 2-room block. Each room approx 5x8m. Roof OK, Concrete floor, Glass in windows, Steel doors, Old desks, only around 4-6. Lots of firewood inside classroom, taking up approx ¼ of floor area. Believed to be funded by CDF.
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Class 7: Part of 2-room block. Each room approx 5x8m. Roof OK, Concrete floor, Glass in windows, Steel doors, Old desks, only around 4-6. Believed to be funded by CDF.
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Class 1: Individual block. Approx 5x8m. Finished early 2013 funded by the ConstituencyDevelopment Fund. Concrete floor, No glass in windows, Steel doors, Rendered but
PO Box 14, Portstewart, Northern Ireland, BT55 7WS T: 028 708 31258
W: www.movingmountainstrust.com Recognised as a charity by HMRC under reference XR62512
E: mmuk@movingmountainstrust.com
Moving Mountains Trust Long-Term Sustainable Development in Kenya, Nepal and Borneo
not painted, needs paining inside and out. Timber trussed roof – timber cut from trees on site. •
Staff Block : Individual block, Brick un-rendered, Roof starting to rust, Steel doors, Glass in windows.
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ECD : Individual block. Approx 5x8m. Roof Ok, Brick – unrendered on outside, rendered and painted inside, No glass in windows, Concrete floor.
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Kitchen : Individual block, behind main teaching buildings. Formed in timber and corrugated iron sheets as walls and roof. Approx 2x4m and 2m high. Mud floor. Two ‘3-stone’ fire hearths inside on floor. No ventilation – full of acrid smoke even with just two small fires burning. Fuel for fires comes from cutting mature trees on site.
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Playground: Two sets of steel swings at far end of football pitch. Painted and appear to be ready for use but chains wrapped up around frame so not able to be used.
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Water: No water source on site. Large masonry/concrete water tank (5m diameter x 2m high) fed by run-off from roofs of classes 6 & 7. Black cylindrical plastic rainwater tank next to admin block fed from roof runoff but not connected. Approx 1 km to nearest water. Kids asked to all bring water to school.
Other Issues reported by Deputy Head, Chairman and other staff: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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Many orphans attend the school. Negative attitude to school by many parents. Lack of reinforcement and promotion of the need to study. Poor attendance levels. High degree of poverty locally. No water on site. No electricity on site. Need for increased security – they have had some break-ins and theft in the past. No fence to compound. Local livestock destroy crops planted. Would like secure library building to store books etc. Additional funding for teachers would be welcome (four teacher's salaries currently funded by parent contributions). Would like to grow more crops to feed students. Road to school is unsealed and in poor condition. Can be impassable to vehicles after rain. Access track into school from main road is not easy to pass. Re-grading and/or orientation may help. No feeding programme at the moment. Was running for a while with parents contributing but it tapered off around a year ago. Kitchen currently just cooks for teachers. Aim to restart feeding programme. Government only funds text books. Exams are paid for by parents.
PO Box 14, Portstewart, Northern Ireland, BT55 7WS T: 028 708 31258
W: www.movingmountainstrust.com Recognised as a charity by HMRC under reference XR62512
E: mmuk@movingmountainstrust.com
Moving Mountains Trust Long-Term Sustainable Development in Kenya, Nepal and Borneo
Work by Moving Mountains at Barkatado to date: (July 2013) Re-laying of floors in classes 3 & 2, Painting of inside and out of classes 3 & 2. Installation of glass in windows of classes 3 & 2. Painting of outside of classes 4 & 5. Future Project Work to be Undertaken (Identified by Moving Mountains Kenya and Barkatado):
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Further renovation work on classrooms and other school buildings where necessary (to be completed in stages): ◦ installation of glass for windows ◦ replacement of rooves ◦ re-laying of floors ◦ replacement of doors and window frames ◦ painting of inside and outside of classrooms ◦ rendering of brick work ◦ construction of plinths/paths ◦ installation of desks and chairs ◦ destruction of existing partition walls to create more adequate space for teaching Construction of new classrooms where necessary once renovation work is completed Construction of a new school kitchen with eco-friendly energy saving jiko (cooking stove) Investigation of water resources in the area, improvement of water and sanitation facilities, possibility of fixing and sharing water pump at nearby church. Installation of perimeter fencing and improvement of security at the school
Aim of Our Work at Barkatado: •
Renovation and construction work → improved infrastructure → better teaching facilities and learning environment for children → improved concentration and engagement in school and improved teaching → better attendence and less children drop out of school → greater academic attainment → children can compete with other schools, more likely to pursue secondary education → better equipped to find employment → long-term positive impacts on socio-economic development of the region
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Hosting of volunteers and camps at the school → provides different cultural perspectives → enables the sharing of cultures and ideas (knowledge transfer) both within and between groups (volunteers
PO Box 14, Portstewart, Northern Ireland, BT55 7WS T: 028 708 31258
W: www.movingmountainstrust.com Recognised as a charity by HMRC under reference XR62512
E: mmuk@movingmountainstrust.com
Moving Mountains Trust Long-Term Sustainable Development in Kenya, Nepal and Borneo
assist where there are staff shortages) AND Volunteers pay to visit → financial contribution is paid to the school → School can invest and improve resources further •
Creation of school committee → parents have a better knowledge of what is happening in the school → parents feel involved and engaged with the school → parents have an improved understanding of the value of education and are better able to influence the development and management of the school → parents more supportive of children's education and of the school.
Your Support: A huge ASANTE SANA for helping to fundraise for this project at Barkatado! Any and all fundraising work you are able to do to support our work at the school is greatly appreciated. You'll help us to make a real difference to the lives of the children and young people in the area as well as to the community and to the school which will continue to serve future generations of children from the area. There are loads of ways of fundraising for Moving Mountains, drop us an email if you'd like some help or ideas! mmuk@movingmountainstrust.com. We also work with volunteers and groups from all over the UK, Ireland and beyond, facilitating volunteering placements which allow you to travel out to Kenya and get involved with our work improving school facilities. Please email us for further info! Thank you for your support for Barkatado!
PO Box 14, Portstewart, Northern Ireland, BT55 7WS T: 028 708 31258
W: www.movingmountainstrust.com Recognised as a charity by HMRC under reference XR62512
E: mmuk@movingmountainstrust.com