About Kariandusi School Trust

In 1992, tribal clashes started in parts of the Rift Valley with devastating effects. Many Kikuyu villages were burned and the occupants forced to move away taking nothing with them. Slowly, communities resettled in areas like Kariandusi eking a living and building basic homes. In 1993, Kariandusi Primary School was started with just 35 pupils taught in basic grass thatched classrooms. These were still in use when Col. Harry Vialou Clark visited Kariandusi in 2000 with his wife, Alison. Pupil numbers had grown to 135.

In 2002, the school roof was blown off and Col. Vialou Clark pledged to construct a new permanent stone-built school. On his return to England he and Charlie Hopkinson, Director of Dragoman Overland, an adventure holiday company, made arrangements to start up a charity in order to fundraise the £55,000 needed to construct the new school. This was the beginning of the Kariandusi School Trust (KST), now registered charity number 1101103.

The enrolment had risen to 567 in October 2008. From modest beginnings in 1993, that is over sixteen times the number of young people now receiving a good education at this lovely school in this Rift Valley community.

It was clear that there could be no better reason or encouragement to go on and provide more schools in other communities in the Rift Valley. With Harry Vialou Clark's vision and inspiration, the continued involvement of Dragoman, a dedicated board of trustees and loyal supporters, three more primary schools have been planned, built and opened - Langalanga in 2006 and Simba and Murindati in 2008. The total refurbishment of Ngeteti Primary School is nearing completion and will be officially handed over to the parents on 24 February 2009. At Ngumo Primary School, work is well advanced despite the difficult access and rocky site. Planning for another two schools is currently under way as Kariandusi School Trust goes from strength to strength. More information about all these projects can be found on the School's page.

The Kariandusi School Trust has already helped change the lives of thousands of Kenyan children. The work continues. KST prides itself on incurring minimal administration costs and passing almost 100% of moneys raised on to the projects in Kenya. Your support in any way, small or large, personal or corporate is all crucial.