MAASAI MARA SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Sunday "Free Time" at Talek Primary School Library

In the Maasai Mara of Kenya, we develop libraries at the rural schools in greatest need. They quickly become learning centers for the whole school and beehives of activity. We work closely with teachers to determine what's needed — with high standards of quality and relevance — and then purchase everything in Kenya through partners including Text Book Centre in Nairobi. We also run a capacity-building workshop at each school to train teachers and students on maintaining the resource and creating programs that will inspire the next generation to read, learn, and grow.

Talek Primary School: Library

Aitong Primary School: Library

Enturoto Primary School: Library

Nairasirasa Primary School: Library

Maasai Mara Secondary School: Library & Science Lab

Mara Girls Leadership School: Library, Laptops & General Support

Talek Library

Mara Girls Leadership School

The first school we worked with was Mara Girls Leadership, an extraordinary upper-primary school for motivated and talented Maasai girls, a program of Basecamp Foundation Kenya. We developed a comprehensive library, and provided other resources including laptops for teachers and intranet servers. We also began our scholarship program at this school, to help some of the needy students proceed to secondary school.

We now focus on large, under-resourced public schools and apply learnings from this successful girls' school.

Aitong Primary School

At Aitong Primary, we renovated a neglected storage building in the center of Aitong Primary's campus and converted it to a beautiful library and learning center with 2000 books, digital resources, and conservation materials for 1100 students. This became a model for other primary school libraries.

Aitong Primary School Library, a Dream Come True

We launched a vibrant library and learning center at Aitong Primary School, where Amos went to school as a youngster!

Amos Kipeen

5 min read

See the transformation

What's in the libraries?

We balance school subjects with extra-curricular. Everything is purchased in Kenya, with the exception of some of the children's picture storybooks. When the library is set up, we provide a 3-day capacity-building workshop for teachers and student librarians.

Curriculum enhancement texts and encyclopedias ("revision books") for all subjects and grades. These books support the Kenyan curriculum at a more robust level than the standard textbooks. They are produced in Kenya.
Storybooks in English and Kiswahili for all grades and reading levels, meeting our goal of inspiring a love of reading for pleasure. Multiple copies for group reading.
Picture-rich nonfiction about nature, science, inventions, and architecture; and biographies of inspiring people who have brought positive change.
A "conservation corner" with the flora, fauna, and environmental books and guides recommended to us by Wildlife Clubs of Kenya. This supports the school's Conservation Club.
For primary schools, also children's picture storybooks to encourage early reading and to make the space enjoyable for the youngest ones.
Globes, puzzles, games, maps, and educational posters.