Nyandiwa Primary School
We are privileged to be linked with a school in western Kenya, Nyandiwa Primary School. Nyandiwa is situated about 3.5 kilometres from the town of Oyugis.
Nyandiwa School is very different to Buckingham Park, but there are many similarities too. Nyandiwa is a large primary school with a nursery and a department for children with special educational needs.
The link is enabled through a charity called Amani UK (www.amaniuk.org.uk). Amani UK is a registered UK charity, operating on a totally voluntary basis. With the Trustees meeting ALL expenses, overheads are nil and 100% of money donated goes to help the people of Kenya. So with that in mind, we will, where we are able, raise small amounts of funds to help our link school.
We will be looking into exciting ways of forging a strong partnership with our link school and developing a good friendship with the children, staff and families of Nyandiwa School.
Nyandiwa School is very different to Buckingham Park, but there are many similarities too. Nyandiwa is a large primary school with a nursery and a department for children with special educational needs.
The link is enabled through a charity called Amani UK (www.amaniuk.org.uk). Amani UK is a registered UK charity, operating on a totally voluntary basis. With the Trustees meeting ALL expenses, overheads are nil and 100% of money donated goes to help the people of Kenya. So with that in mind, we will, where we are able, raise small amounts of funds to help our link school.
We will be looking into exciting ways of forging a strong partnership with our link school and developing a good friendship with the children, staff and families of Nyandiwa School.
Update February 2017: We have received a letter from the headteacher at Nyandiwa Primary School (see below). In the letter he refers to some verses in the Bible (Numbers 6: 24-26):
"I pray that the Lord will bless and protect you, and that he will show you mercy and kindness. May the Lord be good to you and give you peace."
"I pray that the Lord will bless and protect you, and that he will show you mercy and kindness. May the Lord be good to you and give you peace."
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The school gates are ready to be installed - paid for by Buckingham Park donations!
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Update January 2017: A group from Amani UK have recently returned from a visit to Oyugis. They brought back a letter from the headteacher to all at Buckingham Park. The funds raised at Christmas will be used to improve the perimeter fencing around the school and to purchase new gates. This will help school security but will also prevent goats and other animals from wandering in and devouring the crops grown by the children!
The pictures of children in their classes (right) have also been sent to us. |
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Update December 2016: We raised an amazing £947 at our Christmas Concerts and this has now been paid into the charity account. The team from Amani UK will liaise with the headteacher at Nyandiwa so that every penny can be spent on their school priorities. Thanks for your generosity!
Update August 2016: As promised, we have received fabulous news about how the money raised at our sponsored event has been spent. Our 'Get Active' sponsored event has provided a printer, some school uniforms and security grills for the windows at Nyandiwa School. Additionally, and very significantly, Nyandiwa School now has electricity through more of the school buildings! Not many schools in rural Kenya have electricity but Kenya Power has been given the task by the Kenyan government to provide electricity local to all primary schools in Kenya. The task then is for the school to find the funds for the connection from the school to the main supply outside the school and the wiring and fittings. Thanks to the children and families of Buckingham Park raising money at the 'Get Active' sponsored event, Nyandiwa now has classroom lighting and power outlets for equipment. This is great news!
Update April 2016: Our sponsored event has raised over £1800 for Nyandiwa School (and a similar amount for Sport Relief). This is tremendous! We have paid the money in to the Amani UK account and the Amani team will be speaking to the school to discuss their priorities for using the funds. Amani will also be able to use our 'Gift Aid' funds to support some of the charities core costs in Kenya, such as supporting Leonard, the schools liaison officer who supports the link between our two schools. We will update you once we have heard from Kenya to let you know how the money will be spent.
We have also sent an 'A to Z' of Buckingham Park School for our friends at Nyandiwa.
We have also sent an 'A to Z' of Buckingham Park School for our friends at Nyandiwa.
Update February 2016: The school have been in contact to thank everyone at Buckingham Park. Leonard, the local schools worker, reports that the school is using the funds for school desks, and renovating the floor of a classroom and a ramp. Most excitingly, the money has also been used for a desk top computer (as the school now has electricity). The desk top computer was delivered last week and the teachers and pupils have had a look at our website! This will improve the communication between our two schools and we look forward to speaking to them by email. The photos below show the pupils and staff using the new computer and also some of the chairs and benches bought with the money...
Update January 2016: We raised an amazing £644.36 at our Christmas Concerts and this has now been paid into the charity account. The team from Amani UK will liaise with the headteacher at Nyandiwa so that every penny can be spent on their school priorities. Thanks for your generosity!
Update December 2015: We have received letters from the children at Nyandiwa school and these have been shared with our children.
Update November 2015: A team from Amani have visited Oyugis and have taken some letters written by our Year 5 children.
Update March 2015: We have received a message of thanks from the school for the funds we sent after Christmas.
The pictures below show photos of the renovated floors and the pupils standing on the new ramp to one of the classrooms. All the materials have been supplied by Amani using funds raised by our families. The floors had previously been breaking up and dusty, creating a very poor learning environment for the children.
The pictures below show photos of the renovated floors and the pupils standing on the new ramp to one of the classrooms. All the materials have been supplied by Amani using funds raised by our families. The floors had previously been breaking up and dusty, creating a very poor learning environment for the children.
