PROJECT-SUPPORT KENIA

Country / Place

Kenya / Voi

Kenya is located in East Africa and borders Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and the Indian Ocean. The country has around 55 million inhabitants and covers an area of approximately 580,000 square kilometres. The capital, Nairobi, is an economic and cultural hub in the region. Kenya is internationally renowned for its impressive wildlife, numerous national parks, and cultural diversity, with more than 40 ethnic groups.

Voi is situated in Taita-Taveta County in southern Kenya, roughly halfway between Nairobi and Mombasa. The town lies in close proximity to Tsavo National Park, one of the largest wildlife reserves in the country, and serves as an important transportation hub along the main highway and railway line connecting the two major cities. Voi’s economy is shaped by agriculture, livestock farming, as well as tourism and services related to the national park. Despite infrastructural challenges, local educational and development projects are opening up new opportunities for residents, particularly for children and families.

General information

The aid organisation Kenyan Children Help was founded in 2008 in Lüterkofen, Switzerland, by Annedore Biberstein and Hanna Zbinden. Its goal is to provide disadvantaged children in Kenya with access to high-quality education and to offer them prospects for a better life. The association works closely with the New White House Academy, a registered boarding school in Voi that includes kindergarten, primary, and secondary education.

Kenyan Children Help pursues a sustainable approach: in addition to providing schooling, the organisation funds scholarships for secondary schools, universities, colleges, and vocational training workshops. Ecological sustainability is also a key priority. On the boarding school premises, vegetable and fruit gardens, numerous fruit and shade trees, as well as greenhouses made from recycled plastic bottles have been established to enable the cultivation of various types of vegetables. In this way, the children not only receive education but also develop environmental awareness.  

The organisation places great importance on promoting educational equity and equal opportunities. Through its work, children from the poorest backgrounds gain access to schooling, accommodation, nutrition, and psychosocial support - a combination that significantly improves their future prospects.

Beneficiaries

The boarding school in Voi currently accommodates around 450 children from different regions and religious backgrounds of Kenya. Many of them come from rural areas where poverty and lack of access to education shape daily life. The boys and girls live in a safe environment, receive sufficient meals every day, and have access to medical care at the school’s own Medical House.

Around 50 staff members lovingly care for the children, some of whom have suffered severe hardships or lost their parents. The Academy not only provides them with education but also emotional stability and a family-like environment. In addition to classes, the children are encouraged in sports and actively involved in recreational and cultural activities. Through sponsorships and donations, the children can be continuously supported, giving them a genuine opportunity to lead a self-determined life.

Project Support

Project: Construction of a New Girls’ Dormitory – Primary School

Due to a new regulation by the Kenyan Ministry of Education, the distance between beds in dormitories must be at least 1.2 meters, and the number of students may not exceed the available bed capacity. To meet these requirements, the New White House Academy is planning the construction of a new girls’ dormitory for the Primary School.

The new building will provide 180 girls with a safe place to sleep. A new construction is more cost-effective than renovating or extending the existing dormitory. Kenyan Children Help is financing and organising the project to ensure its successful implementation. The expansion of the dormitory will not only fulfil the legal requirements but also sustainably improve the children’s well-being and safety.By building the new dormitory, Kenyan Children Help makes a direct contribution to improving the learning and living conditions of the girls and continues the principle of sustainable education that the organisation has pursued since its foundation.