Ngumo Primary School
Date started: 4 September 2008
Date completed: January 2010
Cost of project: £90,000
Size of school: Double stream school built for 720 pupils
One liner: This school has been built on a rocky ridge above the shanty town of Langalanga. Beautiful views across the Rift Valley. Some of the existing buildings have been demolished and many new ones built.
Pictures:
This is the exterior of Ngumo school.
Driving up to Ngumo school.
We had to build a much improved road to the school. No road... no new school!
Early Project work: In time for the Ground Breaking ceremony on 4 September 2008 the approach road up an almost inaccessible track was much improved thus allowing stores vehicles and visitors to arrive safely. The perimeter fence was also completed to prevent the zebras, goats, cows and sheep from further eroding the soil and damaging plants and the football pitch.
More info: The project is now complete and was handed over to the local community in January 2010. Some new classrooms had been occupied since May 2009. The school now has 14 stone walled classrooms, a library, staffroom, offices and stores. All rooms are provided with water harvesting gutters, downpipes. A very large 125,000 litre stone water tank delivers drinking water to the water off-take trough. Two additional classroom foundations have been built. These classrooms will be completed when the need arises in future years. All rooms have been provided with chased electricity ducts for use if and when electricity is connected. The roofs have all been painted green so the school is now not the eyesore that it was.
The handover ceremony was long and hot. It seemed political points had to be scored by some of the many speakers. All ended very happily, however, when children and adults were given a very welcome meal to keep hunger at bay. The long-term drought had caused much hardship to all. Soon after the ceremony the long rains started much sooner than expected resulting in relief and thankfulness. As we go to press (mid May 2010) the country is green and productive.
A playlet warning of the dangers of casual sex performed in front of guests, parents and school children.
A late, late lunch at last - but at least it is lunch!