GRACE Nanana’s Impact in 2021
GRACE Nanana provides full-time housing and care at the Nanana Winbridge Education School in Kajiado, Kenya. The Brighton Jones Richer Life Foundation provides ongoing support to GRACE Nanana by engaging our community with their important work.
GRACE NANANA’S YEAR IN A NUTSHELL
Education Opportunities
The Grace Nanana Education & Rescue Centre (GRACE Nanana) admitted fifteen new students throughout the year and rescued an additional fourteen girls, increasing their student population to fifty-two. The students in Class 8, some of whom were rescued girls, had strong performances in their final exams and the majority were admitted to reputable secondary schools. The rescued girls included in this cohort were admitted to schools nearby, so the organization is able to continue monitoring their progress and attend official meetings on their behalf.
The organization welcomed a number of different educators to the school throughout the year, each of whom was able to provide unique educational and mentoring opportunities to the students.
An organization called SHE visited four times so they could provide mentoring services to the girls, which GRACE Nanana has found to be very empowering for the students as it helps them open up and ultimately perform better in the classroom.
The Collaborative Centre for Gender Development came on three occasions to provide the girls with guidance and counseling. The first two sessions they held were in a group setting, and the third was one-on-one with each student.
The Anita Foundation, which raises funds for girls, came to the school so their staff, including the founder of the organization, could talk to the students about social empowerment.
St. Crispin Afya Hospital, a new hospital in the area, gave a talk about hygiene and health issues, with a specific emphasis on COVID-19. During the talk, they demonstrated some basic first aid skills to the students and school staff.
The Kenya Water and Sanitation Network (KEWASNET) gave a lecture on their initiatives, particularly their work with menstrual hygiene. Afterward, they equipped the girls with some sanitary pads.
Just As We Are (JAWA), a new local organization, hosted a three-day seminar with the students over the holidays to talk about how to manage depression.
The school’s director and faculty received training from teachers in a neighboring school on the newly implemented education system, a Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Feed the Needy Initiative
In 2021, GRACE Nanana partnered with other local organizations that run rescue homes to found the Feed the Needy Initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to fundraise locally for food that can be distributed to the ten children’s homes in the area at the end of the year, to arrange exchange visits amongst the homes so they can learn from each other and share their experiences, and to encourage their local community to donate to those in need.
Community Engagement
Throughout the year, GRACE Nanana was visited by organizations from within and beyond their local community, and they continued to enjoy the benefits of some historical initiatives implemented by such organizations.
The local Anglican Church, where the school and its students attend church services, continues to host a program called Pastoral Care, which provides spiritual nourishment.
The Sub County Director of Education and the area chief evaluated the school’s COVID-19 protocols to ensure they were in alignment with compliance standards, and both were satisfied with the school’s current policies. Additionally, the area chief provided masks to the students.
The vegetable garden that was planted in prior years continues to flourish and is able to produce enough vegetables to not only feed the students but also have a surplus that the school sells to fund supplies they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford.
A local organization gave the school and its students a tender to prepare detergent that was to be distributed to members of the community. They used the profits to purchase curtains for the girl’s dormitories.
The Ministry of Health visited while on their measles campaign and inoculated all students five years old and younger.
Early Successes in 2022
Although the year has only just begun, the GRACE Nanana organization already has much to celebrate.
Six students are graduating from PP2 and transitioning to first and second grade.
Four students are moving into fourth grade.
Fifteen students will be taking the National Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (K.C.P.E.) exam, which will allow them to enroll in secondary school. Three of those students are in serious need of financial support to continue their education in May 2022.
The school was able to construct a dairy cowshed and is now in search of a dairy cow, and they were able to build a pit latrine for the male students who have historically shared with their teachers.
Partner with us
If you would like to join us in supporting the students and staff at GRACE Nanana, we welcome the opportunity to connect with you. Whether you are interested in providing a scholarship to a girl who currently lacks tuition funding, investing in a specific program, or contributing to the school’s general operating fund, resources are strained and support is welcomed. Please reach out to us at philanthropy@brightonjones.com or make a donation online.
By Chris Moreton, an advisor in Brighton Jones’ Seattle office, and Darius Tipatet, the program manager at GRACE Nanana Centre
