Recognizing Vermont
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Kenya
KENYA
Go Global VT has developed several projects in Kenya over the last few years. This was accomplished through several site visits which resulted in strong cross-cultural partnerships with schools and university sites, Most recently, Go Global VT has facilitated a partnership with the University of Nairobi. Learn about our work in Africa.
ST CHARLES LWANGA SECONDARY SCHOOL
The students at St Charles Lawanga Secondary School live and study in a safe and supportive school on the outskirts of Nairobi. Many are orphans who were living on the streets because their parents were not able to care for them. When they came to St Charles Lwanga, the school became their home, their family, and their place to study. Over 300 students live at the school, founded and supported by Brother Kennedy Oronjo and the Catholic Brothers of St Charles Lwanga. Although students study very hard and in small, crowded classrooms, St Charles Lwanga is a happy place to visit! It is filled with resilient young people eager to improve their lives and the lives of others.
Learn more about the school and the children of St Charles Lwanga Children's Centre and Secondary School by visiting their website.
Go Global VT partnered with St Charles Lwanga in 2016 when its founder and director, Brother Kennedy, urged our organization to create a partnership which would benefit Vermont students as well as his Kenyan students. After visiting the school, Go Global VT and the University of Vermont Community Development and Applied Economics Program (CDAE) developed a plan for reciprocal learning projects. Since that time, UVM has traveled to Nairobi with a group of CDAE students. The UVM students teamed with 12 peer mentors from St Charles Lwanga to do work at a sister school near Lake Victoria. UVM CDAE will return in January 2019 for a second community development project and will partner with an additional group of high school students. Much of the exchange is coordinated by Brother Kennedy and School Social Worker Florence Wairimu Maina (read bios).
In September 2018, Go Global VT offered training to St Charles students to empower them to become global partners through a virtual connection. Currently, three Vermont Schools partner with St Charles Lwanga students as collaborative leaders for world action using the UN Global Goals for Sustainability (SDGs) to help develop community projects that do good. Their motto is "Think Globally, Act Locally!"
RODI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
As a result of the initial partnership with St Charles Lwanga, Go Global VT became involved with the Rodi Community Development Project in a small village near Homa Bay. The Vianeey Centre was founded there and a sister school has been established to meet the needs of the community. Both adults and children learn at the Vianeey Centre, a small collection of buildings housing a primary school and now classrooms and dormitories for older students.
Go Global VT and University of Vermont has worked with the women of the community to support entrepreneurial projects. A volunteer water quality engineer has collaborated with community members to plan a water collection system for the Vianeey Centre. Others have been working with Thomas Thiongo, a young gardener, to plan and develop a garden system to increase food security for the residents. Thomas has now become a Trainer-of-Trainers with the Permaculture Research Institute of Kenya, and grows a majority of the food for the Vianeey Centre. The Vianeey Centre has just begun accepting both male and female boarding students and has installed fresh running water. It is currently seeking to bring electricity to the Centre so to provide students access to light and energy.
NYOGOKO SECONDARY SCHOOL GLOBAL PARTNERS PROJECT
Nyogoko Secondary School has been partnering with Peoples Academy in Morrisville, VT for several years. VT educator Kate Toland and Kenya teacher Mr. Horace have been engaging and communicating regularly with their students and have enjoyed sharing cross-cultural experiences. Recently, the conversations have focused on the UN Global Sustainability Goals. After a visit to Nyogoko in September, Go Global VT made the commitment to link additional classrooms at Nyokogo with Vermont students engaged in the Global Partners Seminar Series. Go Global VT will travel to Nyogoko in early January 2019 to offer student workshops on the SDGs and ways that students can think globally, and act locally to accomplish the goals. Students will link with Vermont classrooms to share projects, build relationships, and support each other. Students from Burke Town School District, Northfield Afterschool Program and Williamstown Afterschool Program will become their partners.
EARLY EDUCATION PROJECT (UVM CDAE)
We are engaged in professional development through reciprocal conversations about philosophy of education, curriculum reform, and teacher dispositions and practices. This requires observation and research about Kenyan Curriculum Reform. This project is aligned with the work of the SDG Global Goals.
FOOD SYSTEMS PROJECT (UVM CDAE)
We incorporate a train the trainer program through our demonstrations on canning, jarring and preserving foods. Specifically, we focus on cabbage and porridge production. We exchange knowledge of food storage and preservation techniques to increase food variety, safety, and teachable opportunities not only for caretakers but children in the community as well. Our long-term objective is to work together to decrease foodborne illness and gastrointestinal distress through a varied diet consisting of fermented foods. Desired outcomes include food sovereignty, experience-based education, training the trainer methods, sustainable growth, and development, capacity building. We are working toward the SDG Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production.).
ENTREPRENEURSHIP/WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROJECT (UVM CDAE)
We design and teach three entrepreneurship modules. Each module consists of a “classroom” learning component and a “real-world” challenge. We use an interactive approach as well as kinesthetic learning strategies to keep our students engaged and open to learning. This project is integrated with UN SDGs Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), and Goal 10 (Reducing Inequality).
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT THROUGH TEAM SPORTS PROJECT (UVM CDAE)
The world’s language, soccer, can ignite change for girls and women living in rural communities. Our program sets out to create a healthy, positive environment where females can step away from their domestic responsibilities and have an opportunity to reach their potential. Female leaders in the university soccer community and licensed female coaches traveling with us will encourage growth through play, identifying future female coaches in the area to ensure sustainability. Our efforts are in response to the community’s desire to become more inclusive with soccer, as well as addressing several UN SDG Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellness), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), and Goal 10 (Reducing Inequality), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
TRAIN THE TRAINER PROJECT (UVM CDAE)
We are committed to capacity building under the UN SDG. All of our projects are based on expressed need from our partnership communities. By aligning with the UN SDG Goal 17 – Partnerships to achieve the Goal, we will follow the train the trainer model for each project. In collaboration with a high school in Nairobi, we will provide training of upper-level secondary education students who will then accompany us to the rural community. There, our young Kenyan partners will lead these projects with our support.
