SIKIRAR
The region of Sikirar is located in the Narok County of Kenya. The community is predominantly composed Maasai ethnic group.
WE Charity partnered with Sikirar to address critical infrastructure needs and implement community-led, holistic and sustainable programming across the five-pillar model to support new resources and expanded access to education, clean water, health care, food security, and economic opportunities.
Together, we have built sustainable mechanisms to support community growth as the people of Sikirar continue to drive their own transformational impacts.
Sikirar region has taken strong ownership of development efforts, improvements to education, and the increased ability of community members to take care of themselves and their families. The impact of that is clear.
Over the course of our partnership, school attendance has increased over 300%, showing a sincere and significant commitment by the community to the education of their children. We also saw girls’ participation rates increase to over 50% of the school population, with many of those girls going on to attend Kisaruni Secondary School. Over 70 educators participated in professional development, improving their skills and knowledge to assist their students. The community also actively participated in programs such as “School Pride,” competing with other communities to show their commitment to a positive environment in which their children can learn. WE Charity has also supported 2 nearby regional high schools by renovating existing infrastructure including classrooms and a staff room.
Community leaders in Sikirar extend this stewardship of community projects to access to clean water and keeping families healthy. Since WE supported the construction of a borehole water system and piping, the community management committee has successfully sustained management and maintenance of the water source so that 100% of community members have access to clean drinking water. This is complemented by WE’s health programming, where we have seen successful adoption of the “10 Habits of a Healthy Home,” in which each household is able to decrease the prevalence of preventable disease within their family and community.
The following photos represent the 24 schools or school rooms constructed or renovated by WE Charity in the region of Sikirar. Each of the photos corresponds to a unique room including classrooms, teachers’ accommodations, administrative offices, and/or a school kitchen.
The following highlights reflect a small sample of the impacts from our partnership with the region of Sikirar.
EDUCATION
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305% increase in student population since our partnership began, with nearly 100% of all primary school aged children in attendance
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Balanced enrollment rates between girls and boys
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The school’s standardized test scores have improved since baseline and ranked within the top ten among WE partnered schools from 2015-2017
WATER
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100% of community members have access to clean water through implementation of a community water system, piping, and community access points
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Improved access to sanitation facilities for learners at school
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Conducted community and school water and sanitation trainings to promote safe water purification practices and clean water harvesting techniques
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Trained and empowered a water management committee to ensure the sustainability of clean water projects in the community
HEALTH
The 10 Habits of a Healthy Home program trains members of the community to implement basic health and sanitary indicators in their homesteads.
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85% of all households in Sikirar have participated in the 10 Habits of a Healthy Home program
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Community members have improved access to quality healthcare through Baraka Hospital and Kishon Health Centre
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Conducted community and school trainings to encourage sustained safe health practices, which have realized a reduction in vaccine preventable diseases and maternal complications during pregnancy
FOOD
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Access to large scale farm for provision of sustainably grown diverse foods and the opportunity to learn first-hand about new techniques and crops
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Supplemented school nutrition program
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Over 1,000 total agricultural trainings held over the course of partnership
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Community members empowered to provide their families with a more diverse diet, improve food security for their families, and are equipped with modern farming skills and knowledge that will sustain them for years to come
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
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Over 130 community members have participated in an Economic Empowerment group, with over 750 total economic empowerment trainings completed
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All participants have developed financial literacy skills and have joined in both group and individual income generating activities, which have improved their household incomes
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Some participants have become trainers, helping to support and train new economic empowerment groups within the community and promoting the cycle of economic sustainability
WE CHARITY'S FIVE PILLAR DEVELOPMENT MODEL
WE Charity’s five-pillar development model empowers communities to break the cycle of poverty over, on average, a period of five to seven years of construction and local skill-capacity building, with a goal of long-term sustainability. Projects are focused on education, clean water, health care, food security and economic empowerment.
This holistic model starts with education, usually building schools or school rooms (including classrooms, libraries, kitchens, teachers’ accommodations, and school offices), that are then supported by other infrastructure needs key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
Building new schools or school rooms (or renovating existing structures where possible) are not the only inputs into the five-pillar development model. To date, WE Charity has built or renovated over 850 schools or school rooms in rural Kenya. Each school room is furnished with the necessary supplies, such as desks and chairs, libraries with books, and other essential items for teachers’ offices and accommodations. Funds are also allocated to critical program needs that ensure quality services are delivered. For example, teachers must be trained and housed, students need healthy meals, and health care facilities (training and supplies) are necessary to look after the health needs of both faculty and students.
This model and needs extend to all the pillars, such as training for those maintaining water projects; education of community and family leaders on agriculture and healthy food; recruitment, training, and housing of medical staff; and the cost of economically empowering the women of the communities to ensure the development model is financially self-sustainable.
Primary school rooms and regional high school rooms may include the following: a classroom, a library, teachers’ accommodations, an administrative office, a science lab, a student dormitory or a school kitchen, which are all key elements of our education programs. All educational infrastructure is designed for the best learning of students.
WE Charity’s records and finances have been reviewed annually by independent auditors, and WE Charity has undergone a special review for its international activities from a respected forensic auditor, confirming that WE Charity operates with the highest financial integrity.
The following photos each document a unique school or school room used for educational purposes which was constructed or renovated by WE Charity. Most of the buildings are stand-alone, while some school rooms are adjoining, in multi-room structures (where indicated).
Renovations (where indicated) may often include structural and foundation repairs, walling and floor rebuilding or repairs, roof rebuilding or repairs and the provision of important educational infrastructure including desks, chairs, and blackboards to ensure a conducive environment for children to learn. Learn more about renovations to education facilities, here.
Part of a multi-room structure
Part of a multi-room structure
Part of a multi-room structure
Part of a multi-room structure
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
Renovation
EXPLORE A MAP OF THE REGION