Eco-Education - Kenya

Eco-Education runs a program at a private school, Springville, for the urban poor, vulnerable and orphaned children. This activity is introducing children to environmental education. The activity is linked to the United Nation Environment's (UNEP) Tunza Children Initiative and the Clean Up the World Campaign from Australia.

Key facts:

Springville currently has 170+ children enrolled between the ages of three and 14;
So far, 3,000 trees have been planted in schools, churches, around homes and along the roads since 2011.

The problem

In Kenya, over one million primary school aged children are not in school often due to the lack of a school uniform, shoes or fees. Around 30% of the population ages 15-24 are illiterate and only 20% of those who enroll in primary school complete all eight years. Only 5% of Kenya's two million orphans have hope of completing a minimal level of education.

The solution

Springville started in 2011 as a community initiative to support underprivileged children. The school provides education, books, meals, stationary and medication to students who cannot afford these things. Currently the school has seven teachers working as volunteers. As part of the Eco-Education activity, students are forming partnerships with other children from Scotland and England and completing environmental projects that include planting trees in their surrounding areas, cleaning up their community and passing along environmental awareness to their peers in the surrounding schools in the Dandora slums of Nairobi, Kenya.

Helping the planet

This activity is placing a high importance on the environment and how it should be protected.

Helping people

The project also reaches out to slum dwellers with eco-information through seminars and workshops held on a regular basis. They use two teaching manuals: the junior manual for the students and the senior manual for those not attending school.