The HOYWIK school is located in the Kibeira slums, about 5km outside Nairobi. The students are between 3 and 14 years old, some of them are orphans, others are street children. Some of the more than 250 children and young people are also affected by AIDS.
Before the project, classes were held in a suboptimal learning environment on clay floors and in classrooms without electricity. Classes start at 6.30 a.m. in the morning, many students used to bring candles to school to prepare their assignments by candlelight.
As planned, 6 classrooms now have access to electricity, as well as cemented floors. The school is now equipped with textbooks and learning materials, geographical maps and 20 new school desks. 45 desks and chairs have been repaired. 6 new computers and a computer laboratory enable the middle school students now to acquire essential computer skills.
The learning environment has also been improved through a new outdoor playground.
The importance of a playground should not be underestimated. As soon as a slide was built, the children did not want to leave the recreational area of the school. The teachers finally had to send the kids home late in the evening. In Kenya, mostly only children from wealthy families have access to playground equipment. A playground in the middle of the Kibeira slums is therefore a huge attraction. Some children accepted a 5km walk to be able to play on the playground.
Thanks to the playground, 70 new pupils have newly enrolled at HOYWIK school. The teachers also noticed that the pupils stopped skipping classes. Many children said they wanted to go to school because they could play there. The new playground changed the school atmosphere and the children's attitude towards school and lessons in a way not seen before by teachers.
The construction of the playground in the Kibeira slums attracted a lot of attention from the community, local companies, as well as from the kids of the neighborhood. The construction of the playground also gave an economic boost to local companies, which did not exist before in this form. Overall, the status of the HOYWIK school as an institution was raised, which strengthens the sustainability and importance of education in the Kibeira slums.