My first trip to Nairobi was an exceptional experience in community and capacity building. The focus of my two weeks was spent on understanding the staff’s work, interacting with the students, and visiting board members. My biggest takeaway is the sense of community that welcomes the students and their families when they join the NRCF (Ngong Road Children’s Foundation) community. They are embraced with joy and high expectations.

The new Elimu Hub student center is busy! Lucy Iguri (in blue) and Victor Wambua have made creative and professional contributions to the library collection, including tagging the books per a system emulated from another library, and developing a Google Form for book tracking and checkout. Lucy developed guidelines to address how to curate and manage the collection. Pictured is a group of students who spied a new pile of books on Lucy’s desk and pressed her to enter them into the system so they could start reading!

Between one-to-one meetings, Saturday Programme, lunches, and weekend activities, I was able to get to know the individual NRCF and KLL (Karibu Loo) staff members and have the privilege of hearing their stories. The most impressionable stories were those with the staff who are also program alumni. 

Here are two NRCF alumni entrepreneurs: Patrick and Leonard! 

Delivering loos with John and Martin, both NRCF beneficiaries.

Meeting former board member Edna with Callen and family. Visiting Kelvin’s son Taj.

At Saturday Programme, I could see the layers of connectedness between Case Managers, students, and supportive people such as the Saturday Programme cook and nurse. The children radiate delight at having games, activities, and books that they would not otherwise be able to access. The students in the red shirts are the choir.

Shanice is a newly sponsored student. She took a book home from Saturday program, and when she came with her mother to pick up her uniform, Alice said she read it to her sister all evening. Here she is coming back for more! Future librarian?!

Being immersed in the NRCF community solidified for me why I was compelled to join this organization. We provide equal opportunity to children who, due to economic disparities, would not otherwise believe that they would obtain a college education. Their beaming faces project a sense of security in a circle of supportive peers, mentors, and caregivers among whom they grow up.

We need your help to run and enhance the Saturday Programme and all our student-support programs. Normally during this time, we would be preparing (and raising funds) for August Camp, which our students love. As a result of COVID, they will instead be attending school for most of August to make up for lost education time. We hope to resume camp in 2023, and this year we have added expanded programming to our very popular Saturday Programme during the students’ shortened school breaks.

Saturday Programme is educational and fun

Each Saturday the students enjoy a variety of fun and engaging activities such as:

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• Games and physical activities to facilitate teamwork and physical awareness
• Cognitive activities including book reading and puzzle games to support learning
• Expressive art therapy to help with life’s challenges
• Clubs, such as drama, music, and Taekwondo to support a broadening of interests 
• And importantly, a healthy lunch

In addition to the Saturday Programme, we provide age-appropriate programming throughout the year such as Life Skills training, Sexual and Reproductive Health sessions, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Education, Career Development, and Entrepreneurship Training. 

The NRCF Elimu hub houses a computer laboratory and library to provide learning activities and resources for its beneficiaries. The utilization of the hub is as follows:

1. Computer lab

Primary Students

• Weekly Computer Classes

There are many benefits of introducing computers to children at an early age. One of the main benefits is that it prepares them for future computer usage since many professional fields require these skills. This also increases their self-esteem, and self-confidence and boosts their problem-solving skills.

• Creative classes on Saturday i.e. Canvas & Coding

As part of the Saturday program, we are introducing creative computer classes where students are taught to use creative tools such as Canvas to create decorative posts for sponsors and basic coding skills.

Non-Nelson Mandela students will also take computer classes on top of the creative classes to be on the same level as the Nelson Mandela students.

• Internet – Web surfing and NRCF communication portal

The students are taught how to use the internet to do school research within their level and access and log in to their NRCF communication portals to write/reply to sponsor messages and access their photos and other resources in the portal.

Secondary students

• WordPress Training

The secondary students must attend mandatory computer classes during their holiday where they will be introduced to the WordPress course. At the end of the training, they are required to build their portfolios. 

The training also acts as a preparation for the three months training with Belmont College.

• Internet – Web surfing, NRCF Communication portal, and Google mail

The students are taught how to use the internet to do school research. Use of Gmail tools such as Email, Google docs, sheet, and saving documents in G-Drive. They are also taught to access and log in to their NRCF communication portals to write/reply to sponsor messages and access their photos and other resources in the portal.

Post-secondary students

• High school graduates computer training

The two-month training program by Belmont International College will be conducted in our computer lab, which is now equipped with new and fast desktops.

• Research space for students

The computer lab is accessible to all the beneficiaries of the foundation to access and conduct their research or do assignments. Students use the computers in the lab to access the student communication portals to send and receive emails to and from their sponsors.

2. Library

• School textbooks & revision materials.

The NRCF library with the help of the CBCT project leader is in the process of identifying school textbooks for primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels in relation to the new curriculum. Students are accessing these books either to read them within the library or borrow them for a specific period.

• Storybooks/novels

Currently, the library has various genres that students borrow and read within our premises. This activity continues in the new library with a plan of adding more.

The current library management system is also under improvement for a more effective book tracking experience. 

The librarian, with the help of primary and secondary case managers, ensures that each student borrows a book at least once every school term and provides a report at the end of the year to indicate how many books each student has read.
Each student also fills out a questionnaire upon returning the borrowed book to ensure that they read it. This exercise also encourages the student to read their storybooks to be able to fill out the report.

• KICD materials access

Five Endless OS computers are being installed in the library space for students to continue accessing the KICD materials

• CBC Utilization activities – Art and Design

Art and design stimulate creativity and imagination as it provides visual and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to issues. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, students can explore the impact it has had on contemporary life. 

By introducing art and design;

•  The students will have access to materials that they cannot access from home and are also limited at school. They will be able to showcase their artwork to sponsors eg in drawing, cardmaking, flower making using different materials, etc
• Students will be able to record from first-hand experience and imagination to select their ideas to use in their work. 
•  They will be able to develop creativity and imagination through a range of complex activities
•   This will increase their critical awareness and boost their confidence and have fun.
• Reading and study space

Most of our students’ homes are not conducive to studying. The library space is utilized by students during holidays and or weekends for reading, studying, and doing assignments. 

It will also be a space where students come and get assistance with their homework and assignments from the TechMates interns that will be at their disposal.

Students will also have read-aloud and around sessions, where they will be able to share lessons, terms, and group book reading.

Book club sessions for grades 5 and 6 students will resume

Lorine, sister to Emmanuel, was admitted to the program earlier than her brother. It was fortunate for both of them to have the same sponsor.

Lorines’ success story is inspiring and uplifting.  As a member of the Friends of Ngong Road family, Lorine started her academic journey at Jagiet Primary School. She later did her secondary studies at St Mary’s Thigio.

She holds a certificate in Business Administration, a University diploma in Business Administration, as well as a Bachelor of Commerce with a Finance concentration from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Lorine has made steady progress in her professional life. She participated in the Ngong Road Youth Peer Provider and Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme, and she interned at Karibu Loo as an associate. She is currently employed by the British East African Tobacco Company as part of their finance team.

Emmanuel joined the program in 2010. Having to pay for his education as a child was a tremendous challenge for his family. Friends of Ngongroad gave Emmanuel a sponsor and enabled him to continue his academic career.

Emmanuel was transferred to Jagiet Academy immediately after being admitted to the program, which he considered a far better school than his previous school. After completing his primary education, he attended Pumwani High School where he completed his secondary education and joined the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. His graduation was originally scheduled for November last year but was postponed to July this year because of the Covid pandemic.

Emmanuel holds a Certificate in Business Administration and a University Diploma in Business Information Technology. Emmanuel is currently interning at Ngong Road Children’s Foundation as a tech intern.