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See also: General Info about Kenya Project 2009 with Video or Raffle Results

Kenya Solidarity Project 2009

In July 2009, we hope to raise enough money to bring a group of 5th and 6th year students to Kenya to work on a Development Project with two schools in both Nairobi (see below) and Ikumbu. The students will help to build part of a school i Ikumbu North of Nairobi and will be involved in various intercultural projects with the students of John Paul II Secondary School in the Kibera Slum.

Some General information about the schools we are involved in.

John Paul II Secondary School

The John Paul II Mixed Secondary School is located in Kibera, a slum area
outside Nairobi in Kenya. The school currently has 170 students. Kibera is
the biggest slum dwelling in East and Central Africa, with an area of 2.5
sq. km. and a population of up to a million people, from all the major
ethnic backgrounds. This multi-ethnic nature has led to conflict at times,
the most recent being the post election violence in January 2008. The high
rate of crime, together with the lack of building foundations (the ground of
Kibera is mostly composed of refuse) and the cramped sprawl of the area,
slow down any upgrading effort in the slum. Moreover, Kibera is an 'informal
settlement' (i.e. it does not officially exist) and therefore the government
provides no basic services such as schools, lavatories, running water,
sewerage system, electricity, proper roads, etc. Very densely populated and
heavily polluted by waste, Kibera is home to many illnesses and a
significance presence of HIV.

Ikumbo Secondary School

Ikumbo village is situated near Mount Kenya, in the region of Meru in the
centre of the country. Ikumbo Secondary School was founded in 2006,
admitting four students, thanks to the efforts of Davis Karambi, a native of
the village and at that point one of the very few from the community who
went on to second-level schooling. The school was established to meet the
needs of pupils graduating from local primary schools whose enrolment had
increased owing to the free primary school education. Ikumbo will graduate
its pioneer class in 2009. The school has changed the education
opportunities in the village. The primary to secondary school transition has
risen from 4% in 2006 to 100% this year. The current Form One class has 53
students. "My goal is to endow every child in Ikumbo with the same
opportunities for advancement in education I have had," Davis says.

Rockbrook Service Project in Kenya, July 2009

In July 2009 three teachers and nine students from Rockbrook will visit
Kenya, spending a week with the John Paul II School and a week with the
Ikumbo school. The week in Kibera will culminate in a day-long Student
Conference on Community Development in Strathmore University, jointly hosted
by Rockbrook and the John Paul II School. With the full support and
recognition of the university, this will be the first, of what is hoped to
be many, Irish/Kenyan student conferences in the years to come. Students
will participate in workshops exploring the different aspects of life which
each student encounters at home.  Current affairs will be discussed,
including human rights, education and poverty, and all from the students'
point of view.  Ensuring complete interaction between Irish and Kenyan
students, the conference will provide a unique forum for students to voice
their opinions and the perfect atmosphere for the Irish students to learn
about life in Kenya and for the Kenyans to learn about the lives of the
Irish. It is shaping up to be a huge success and will set Rockbrook's
African Solidarity Project apart from the rest. 

If you would like more information on this project, or would like to help in
any way, please contact us by email: solidarityproject@rockbrook.ie.

Kenya Raffle Results: :::

1st Prize: Winner: Ben Jones Ireland Soccer Jersey signed by Giovanni Trapattoni	2nd Prize: Winner: Luis Gonzalez Leinster Rugby Jersey signed by team	3rd Prize: Winner: David Galloway Boxing Gloves signed by Bernard Dunne