Location: Turkana County, Kenya

Global Partner: Luena Foundation

Local Partner: Turkana Community Foundation, Lodwar Kenya

Project Description: Construct school toilets with modern septic tank

Project Year 2024

Turkana tribe’s ancestral lands are located West of Turkana Lake in northwest Kenya. For centuries the Turkanas have led a nomadic life, moving from place to place in search of fodder and water for their livestock. Even though education is free in Kenya, it is a challenge to establish schools to serve the children of the nomadic Turkana. Most government schools are not readily accessible to the children of nomadic families. To address this challenge, the Turkana Community Foundation (TFC) was established and registered as a community-based organization in 2015 with one of its missions to make education available to the local children.

The Turkana Community Foundation established a one-room classroom called “Wings Of Hope Education Center” in Kanamkemer. Kanamkemer ward of Turkana County is ranked among the poorest counties in Kenya. Kanam ward has approximately 50,000 people, with the majority being young children. Most residents live a nomadic lifestyle, and children routinely drop out of school to search for pasture for their livestock.

The Wings of Hope Education Center initially provided only preschool education in a one-room school. The students sat on the floor. This early education, like a pre-K, was so successful that with the financial support of The Luena Foundation and Sumar Lakhani Foundation, an additional classroom was constructed to provide Grade 1 education. Both enrollment and attendance went up substantially when the primary Grade 1 was offered in the newly built classroom equipped with desks gifted by our partner The Luena Foundation and lunches provided by Mary Meals.