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Thank to the wonderful fundraising efforts from our Superheroes at the HEROES RUN 2013 Pass It On Africa awarded a grant of £18,800 to the Tenderfoot school to commence with phase 1 of the school expansion. This has leveled the land and constructed 2 classrooms as well as a toilet block. These classrooms were formally opened by school administrative adviser Richard Hooper on 1st March 2014. These ne classrooms will allow the school to accommodate 200 more pupils a year.
Below are photos of the opening ceremony and of the classrooms and also them being used.
Project history
The Tenderfoot self help school was originally 8 street children being fed, clothed and taught in a corrugated iron shack in a slum on the outskirts of Nairobi. Through the sheer hard work and determination of Esther Wamai, now the school's head teacher, Tenderfoot gradually grew into a functioning primary school for the Kangemi slum children.
We were first made aware of the project by an official from Sussex University who told us about Tenderfoot's desire to expand the school so that more children could have a chance of an education. We visited the school in 2005 and 2006 to investigate how Pass It On Africa could help Esther carry on the great work she was doing....
What have we achieved so far?
When we got there, the school was half built and there was only enough room and money to feed and teach 155 children.
Since being involved we have:
- Built the rest of the primary school. (6 classrooms and a working kitchen).
- Acquired the neighbouring land. This is presently being used as sports/playing fields but may be used to extend the school in the future.
- Provided various educational and sporting resources.
- Set up a number of trust funds to support primarily the third of the children at the school who are orphans.
- Funded the construction of 2 further classrooms and a toilet block in December 2013 to allow the school to take on a further 200 pupils.
- Tenderfoot now accommodates 400 students. Since 2007, 171 students have set their Primary 8 entry exams and gone on to secondary education.
Our plan for the future is to always stay in regular communication with the school and staff, continue to help them financially or by whatever means necessary.
To this end, we are keen to set up relationships between English schools and our projects in Africa so that an enduring support network can be established.
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