The Kipungani Schools Trust
Class at Kipangani village
The Kipungani Schools Trust was founded in 2000. Since then the Trust has raised over £180,000 to build, refurbish and properly equip 8 primary schools along the Kenyan coast:
Kipungani village, Lamu was the first school to receive funding from the Trust through donations by parents and friends of Paint Pots Montessori School in London. What was a near derelict school with low pupil attendance in 2000 now has 8 new classrooms and 80 children attending full time nursery and primary education.
"The Kipungani Schools Trust aims to be the best of British philanthropy in Africa. It is a small-scale charity that is effective, empowering and enriching. By carefully rebuilding and enlarging primary schools with the cooperation and support of their local communities, The Kipungani Schools Trust offers Kenyan children and their families a hand-up, not a hand-out."
John Seagrim, chairman of The Kipungani Schools Trust.
In 2002 Matondoni village, Lamu received further donations from Paint Pots school providing enough funds to rebuild and re-roof the school. In the same year private donations to the Trust funded a further two new build projects for Adu and Marikebuni primary schools on the mainland. Recently, British Ensign Estates has donated funds to build schools at Munganu and Teiwa also on the mainland.
A typical classroom
In addition to the six building projects, money raised by the Trust has provided funding for teacher's salaries as well as provide secondary school bursaries for those children achieving high standards in their final year of primary school.
The Trust's success has been due to the sheer determination of its founders John Seagrim and Georgina Hood who together with Cas Donald have raised both awareness and donations in the UK, and the tireless efforts of Louis and Mary Jo van Aardt on the ground in Kenya.
Donations can be made to The Kipungani Schools Trust (Registered Charity No. 1080588) at 9 Shalcomb Street, London SW10 0HZ.
Or visit their web site: www.thekstrust.com
