Clean Energy Project delivered in Kenya by Ysgol Iolo pupils
Ysgol Iolo Morganwg recently celebrated a milestone in the scheme to deliver a Clean Energy Project at their twin community of Endonyiosidai in Kenya. As part of the ‘Wales for Africa’ initiative the Cowbridge Welsh medium primary school has established a Gold Star Community link with the remote Masaai speaking school, supported by the purposely created Moses Project Charity.
The schools have been learning and exchanging ideas about each other’s culture, heritage and life styles and thanks to a recent visit organised by The Moses Project, have been filming and exchanging videos so that they can share their experiences and communicate through film.
Teacher Mr Owain Jones who recently travelled to Kenya said:
“The videos proved to be a real insight, and have been of real value particularly this week during International Study week. The content can be used across all aspects of the curriculum – not only in Global Citizenship and Environmental issues – but is real for the children because much of it concerns issues surrounding the project the children have been working on.”
In 2007 Moses Kipaliash was teaching 50 children, aged 4 to 14, as an unpaid volunteer, in two daily sessions in a small mud hut on the Masaai plains south east of Nairobi. The hut was not officially recognised as a school by the Education Authority, despite it being the only school within a 2 hour walk. His motivation to do this was based on his belief that their young children needed an education – through the Masaai language, in order for future generations to be aware of their Maasai heritage, proud of the Maasai culture and able to speak the Maasai language. Moses is studying to qualify as a teacher.
Chairman of The Moses Project, Richard Owen, met Moses in Kenya through a mutual friend in 2007, and created the Cowbridge based educational charity. The Charity began by assisting in building a 4 classroom school which has now been formally recognised by the Kenyan Educational Authority as a place of learning.
The Moses Project prioritises empowering the children of the two linked schools to take decisions that will benefit both school communities; help facilitate the ongoing international learning process within the two schools, and ensure that the success and the ownership of this and all future projects will belong to the children of Ysgol Iolo and Endonyiosidai School.
The children realised that power would greatly enhance the opportunities at the Masaai school and so set about raising money. All 200 Ysgol Iolo Morganwg children ran 1K every Tuesday for 10 weeks in the 10K for Kenya fun run and local MP Alun Cairns joined in, running alongside the children. Coffee mornings, donations, gifts and parent’s 200 club have ensured that the total money raised reached close to a fantastic £5K.
A WCVA Clean Energy Grant was recently received for £12,400 which enabled the children to plan a larger scale project that will provide two solar wind generators at the two local Masaai primary schools. Laptops will allow SKYPE calls between the two schools as well as internet access to online educational resources; an electric pump will bring clean water to the school and lighting will allow one school to offer boarding facilities to older pupils who walk 2 hours a day to reach the school. The Moses Project team in Kenya have been trained in IT skills and will be providing ITC education for pupils at the schools as well as adult learning sessions.
The project will also providing 300 fuel efficient stoves for the community, and since Mums currently spend a large amount of their time collecting wood – this will create free time for them to further support their families.
If you’d like to find out more, just visit www.themosesproject.org.uk.