Ewaso Lions

Category: Community | Date: Mar 19 2009 | By: ewasolions

I have worked with Lpus Leluai Primary School in West Gate Community Conservancy for many years.  It is a school I believe in greatly which has a lot of potential and some smart kids.  The school struggled for many years with food shortages, strong winds blew the classroom roofs away, lack of teachers and many more problems.

The roofless classrooms

However, over the past year and a half, the school is on its way up!  The new headmaster Johnson is fantastic and has not only revived the school (together with a brilliant volunteer teacher from England, Euan), but he has given it hope once again.  Four new classrooms were built, solar panels put in (this is the only power in the entire area!), and now a new girls dormitory is currently under construction. The children have flooded in from all over the area and unfortunately some have to be turned away because the school has exceeded the maximum number of children they can have.

I have always liked this school and have helped in small ways such as giving posters for their classrooms, donating desks and mattresses (through my previous work with Save the Elephants) and more recently, teaching the students about wildlife and taking them out on game drives.  I am focusing all my efforts on this school now and want to help it as much as possible.

Thanks to a donation from my mum and her friends, Ksh 40,000 was raised (USD 530) for school books for Lpus Leluai.  With the influx of new students, Johnson the headmaster was struggling with the few books they had and often 4 or 5 children would share one book.

But not any more! We have donated enough books for the entire school; Science, Maths, Geography and more.  We visited the school a few weeks ago and donated the books to the school together with some brown wrapping paper to cover and protect them from wear and tear.

Johnson the Headmaster receiving the donated books

Johnson doing an inventory of the books with the deputy headmaster, Raphael

The students and teachers were thrilled!  They said this was the first time that they have ever seen so many books and now the children will be able to study in their own time.

Happy students with their new books

Head boy Edward with his new Science book

Students with their new books

Here is short excerpt of Johnson’s letter to my mum:

“Your support came at a time when our school is experiencing a lot of problems.  Madam, your support is of great importance to us as we try to ensure that the students of Lpus Leluai get enough instructional materials to improve their academic standards.  I once again thank you for the donation of the books and promise we shall take good care of the books to last longer and benefit many children in the future. ” Johnson Lenasalia - Headmaster Lpus Leluai Primary School.  

The school continues to need our help.  The new girls dormitory needs to be furnished, they need more classrooms, more books and stationary for the large number of students and much more!   If you would like to help this school, please do make a donation!

Tags: Community, Conservancy, Lions, School, Students