ACI Visits a School in the Kibera Slum of Nairobi, Kenya

In mid-August 2015 Harry Knopke and Jim Tuinstra (along with Jim’s grandson Kyle) traveled to Kenya to meet with John Nyagwencha, ACI-Kenya CEO, and his staff; review the coming year’s business plan; visit a number of sites in the Kisii area; as well as evaluate the feasibility of a project requested for the Mogoso School in Kibera, the largest slum in Africa and among the five worst slums in the world.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.38.56 AM — There are several districts in the Kibera slum that borders downtown Nairobi. Each one has a central, official area housing security and other services

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.39.11 AM — The national government is finally starting to address the problems of Kibera. In addition to building mixed-income housing to eventually replace the slum dwellings, it has installed “hudumas” in each district to provide a full range of services to inhabitants.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.39.37 AM — Walking through the district to the Mogoso school. This is the main rail road that goes through the residential areas to Uganda.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.39.46 AM — Passerbys

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.39.54 AM — Cleaning out a water source.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.40.04 AM — Neighborhood church.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.40.14 AM — John Nyagwencha on the side street where the school is located.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.40.39 AM — Harry and Doreen, one of the two officers assigned to guide us through the streets to the school.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.41.00 AM — Entry gate.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.41.09 AM — Interior wall.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.41.19 AM — Part of the courtyard, an oasis in the slum.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.41.48 AM — A classroom.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.42.00 AM — The industrial arts room where students learn to sew and make a variety of products the school sells.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.42.14 AM — This was a holiday but nonetheless over 100 students showed up anyway, in part to have the one meal per day they can rely on. They also divided into groups to perform a number of songs for us.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.42.34 AM — The school’s well; we’ll be installling a solar-powered summersible pump in it that will bring water to an ACI facility filter located in the kitchen in an adjacent strcture.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.42.44 AM — The kitchen

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.43.01 AM — The door to the school. A second ACI facility filter system will be installed next to this tank to provide clean water the school can sell to the local community.

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 9.41.35 AM — Mama Choo Choo (Lilian), the school’s founder, with Tony, once one of her orphans whom she adopted who now has a college degree and teaches music and music therapy at the school.