In August of 2004 representatives of Outreach Europe visited the Visual Junior School. The Visual Junior School is based in Mtwapa, about 15 kilometres north of Mombasa.

Since the government in Kenya made primary schools obligatory and free of charge the schools have been extremely full. Eighty students per class is no exception. Children who cannot keep up are left behind. In this case a private school is the only solution, but this is not paid for by the government.

The Visual Junior School is one of these schools. It has 150 students, mainly from poor families and many orphans (think of aids). The parents have to pay Ksh. 500,- for the school, this is about €5,- per month. But many parents or caretakers can’t afford even this small amount of money. In spite of this these children are not sent home.

The school has 8 teachers, of which 2 trainees. Between them they earn €360,- , the rent is €50,- per month. The total (uncertain) contribution from the parents is €400,- per month, so the expenses are often greater than the income. When this is the case the difference is deducted from the teachers?salaries.

The classrooms are separated from each other by plywood walls. There are no doors, so teaching is nearly impossible because of the noise. There is also a shortage of furniture and educational tools.

Outreach Europe wants to help these children, so that they too can receive a good education in a class where noise will be a thing of the past.

To reduce the noise new walls and doors had to brought in. The furniture and educational tools have to be supplied and 8 new toilets had to be built.

The total costs were 5500 euros.

The CNS in Oostvoorne and the Wilde Ganzen raised the money together. But before Outreach Europe could start the renovations the school had to be registered.
This took a year, so we couldn't start until September 2005.

Early January 2006 we visited the school and we were very pleased with the result.
The interior was nearly ready, the furniture and educational tools had been supplied as well as possible and the new toilets were being built.

It was a very good project for Outreach Europe. The cooperation with the CNS and the Wilde Ganzen worked very well, and can definitely be repeated.

 Click here for photos from the Visual Junior School.