As one project of our work under the umbrella of the Making More Health Initiative, Boehringer Ingelheim and in close partnership with Ampath we invest in education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds in rural communities in Western Kenya.

Schools for poor are managed poorly, schools for rich are managed in a rich way

Investing in school does not mean in the infrastructure only. However, those buildings are definitely not acceptable as they are:

“We are in Bungoma county, close to Musikhu. In this area more than 40 schools look like this one”, explains the headmaster. “There are even worse being buildings in place. That’s why “education under the tree” is practiced,”he adds.

Recently, a school for poor in Nairobi has scrolled down. Eight children giving exams that day in the classroom died.

The infrastructures are often very poor, no windows, no space, no materials, no hygiene, no administration place where to store books…

But the challenges go beyond the lack of infrastructures:

• Teachers: Teachers are not paid well. If they find a private school they go there.
• Food for children – many children don’t bring food from home. Their parents simply don’t have enough at home. The number of the family members is high. Students get a meal at school. Sometimes the school meal is the only one they have a day. But also the nutrition at the schools is poor.
• Inclusion – due to lack of awareness and knowledge the inclusion of differently

Headmaster of the school

Get an idea and listen to this school board member explaining the challenges (video, 2:17 min)

But besides all these difficult issues there is one, very obvious element that is essential for change: the hope and the willingness of the people on the ground and the teachers to make change happen.

What we do

Under the umbrella of the Making more Health initiative in close collaboration with our local NGO partners from Ampath a lot of trainings for teachers, parents and children are added: income generation, digital knowledge, hygiene and menstruation awareness and inclusion of children with albinism.