Esinoni Impact Report - March, 2019

Esinoni Impact Report March, 2019 Creating Lasting Change

Thank you for our partnership.

We would like to extend a sincere thank you for your support and commitment to providing meaningful impacts in Esinoni. Through your contributions we are continuing to empower community members with the skills and resources to unlock a brighter future. Together we are providing capacity-building trainings and new infrastructure to under-deserved families in Kenya.

Included in this report are updates on the impact that your commitment is having on community members in Esinoni. The impact we are creating wouldn’t be possible without you. We hope you enjoy reading these incredible highlights, and we look forward to providing you with updates on the amazing impacts you will be making in the future.

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With your support, we have provided essential infrastructure for community members in Esinoni.

With your support, we have constructed seven new classrooms in Esinoni, outfitting each classroomwith the necessary resources and supplies to ensure that students and teachers have the resources they need to succeed. We have also constructed a library in the community, providing students with books for research or recreational reading and a dedicated area to study. We are also currently working on teachers’ accommodations in Esinoni. Often in rural Kenya, teachers must travel far distances to teach, which can create difficulties filling positions and lead to high rates of teacher absenteeism. By constructing accommodations directly in the community, the school can attract qualified candidates. It also allows teachers to provide support for students outside of regular classroom hours, improving the educational experience for students. The improvements in infrastructure are having a tremendous impact on the community. We are proud to share that students fromEsinoni recently scored in the top three of WE Villages primary schools on the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination.

An original classroom in Esinoni.

A new WE classroom in Esinoni.

The new library in Esinoni.

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Her lens, her story.

WE celebrated International Day of the Girl with a special project. Instead of conducting interviews and shooting portraits of girls as we see them, the girls took over their own stories. We put the camera in the hands of ten girls from Esinoni to see a day in their lives through their eyes—to give the girls the power to choose what story they want told. Globally, 15 million school-aged girls will never see the inside of the classroom. These are the tales of the girls who face that risk, up against early marriage, a son’s education prioritized over a daughter’s or a girl’s duty to her family eclipsing her studies. Still, all of them are in the classroom.

Our team ran individual workshops with students. The theme of girls’ empowerment threaded its way through conversations about role models, confidence building and support from the sisterhood. After some technical training on camera use (many of the girls had never used a camera before), the group crafted their own shot list. The end result depicted slices of life for girls in Kenya. The library at Esinoni Primary School in Narok County, Kenya, quickly became a playground for a game of photo tag. Students chased each other to snap candid portraits of their classmates. But the girls weren’t so outgoing at first.

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Given a camera and free reign, how would girls decide to showcase their everyday?

A collection of the photos taken by girls in Esinoni.

When theGrade Six andGrade Seven students walked in a couple hours earlier, they spoke in hushed voices. We wrote “GIRL POWER” in multicolored letters on white chart paper, taped to the board. Each student received a piece of paper and was asked to write down one word—the support she needed from her classmates in order to create the best learning environment. After a moment of silence, markers began to move in English, practicing the language they learn in school.

• Respect • Peace • Commitment • Teamwork • Joy

After each girl taped their word to the collective chart paper, they individually signed their names, agreeing that this “contract” wasn’t just for today, but how they will continue to support each other throughout their school careers. These support systems showed up in their photographs. Networks of friends and family who are the backbone, insisting this sisterhood stay in school.

To read more stories of impact please go to https://www.we.org/stories/

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Together we are ensuring children in Esinoni have access to education.

WE Villages creates lasting change across our five Pillars of Impact. Education Water Health Food Opportunity

Constructing essential educational infrastructure is a key component to improving academic performances and attendance rates, but there are multiple factors that need to be addressed to create lasting change. This is why WE Villages addresses the five primary causes of poverty with holistic and sustainable solutions that work in tandem to transform communities. Below are a few of the other projects we have completed to promote education in Esinoni. We constructed a community water system relieving girls of the burden of fetching water for their families, enabling them to access education. We conduct mobile clinics to provide children with access to basic healthcare, ensuring they are healthy and able to attend school. We established a school farm to teach students about nutrition. Food grown on the school farm supports student meals, improving their health. We facilitated the formation of four opportunity groups. These groups implement income-generating activities to improve household income, ensuring parents can afford to send their children to school.

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Thank You.

We are deeply grateful for your incredible support. Together, we are creating long-lasting change in Esinoni. Through your commitment to education, we are empowering students in the community with the skills and resources to achieve their dreams. With access to a high-quality education, students can break their family’s cycle of poverty and build a brighter future.

Thank you.

Together We Can Change the World

WE Global Learning Center 339 Queen Street East Toronto, ON M5A 1S9