A safe space - Please help us reopen our schools

The effects of COVID-19 on the education of children in the Kibagare slum have been catastrophic. Both the St Martin's primary and secondary schools closed their doors on the 18th of March, and will not open again until at least January 2021.

St Martins is more than just a school for our students. It is a respite from the harsh conditions of life in the Kibagare slum.

Online classes

As you know, following the closure of schools across the globe, many began a relatively smooth transition to online learning. Here in Kibagare however, lack of access to phones or computers make this impossible for our children.

The cost of internet in Kenya is still far too high for most to afford, and many have to choose between getting a meal, or focusing on online education.

Our highest priority is getting our schools open again at the earliest date possible. We will have to be prepared to meet any government directives in place to allow this to happen...

Masks

We are appealing for donations to fund the purchase of masks from local suppliers in the community. It is vital that we have enough masks for each of our students and staff if we are to be able to reopen.

Space

The space we have is not sufficient to meet the social distancing guidelines that are currently in place. We are planning to build a new school hall, to give our students the space they need to keep them safe at school. This new space will also cater for additional toilets and sanitation stations.

Teachers

In may 2020 our teachers were released on unpaid leave. Our sole reliance on donations means that we can no longer afford to pay them through the pandemic, and it will be a struggle to pay them come January 2021 when we need to reopen. We are appealing for funding to facilitate this, and to provide them with the necessary training to prepare them to safely reopen our schools.

Lack of government support means that we alone are responsible for funding the steps needed to reopen St Martins. We are urgently appealing for any donations to help us on our mission to reopen as soon as possible, and give our students the safe space they so desperately need.

Please follow the link below to donate:

https://ie.gofundme.com/f/stmartins-feeding-the-families-in-kibagare-slum