What To Bring

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If you assume most of the children have nothing, its a good start !

Regarding materials, please plan to bring whatever your class will need. The Kenyan teachers will have a curriculum but, as a general rule, your classes can be designed completely by you.

We will have photocopying/ printing services during the orientation in Nairobi and can arrange a shopping trip before we leave on placements to pick up essentials you may need. On receipt of sufficient funding, many classroom materials will be donated, procured by UNICEF, so anything you personally require please bring with you. If materials are available in the school where you are now, and they agree to donate anything such as stationery, that would be fantastic.

Example wishlist :

Solar Mobile/cell charger (the whole group could share the cost then donate to your host)
Simple diaries for the older children
Big bottle of Advil / Nurofen for common cramps/ headaches (esp for the older girls during periods)
Spiral notebooks, pens
Umbrellas - the kind that fold up small - "it rained/poured the other day and the children all just got soaked"
Rubber bands for holding up school socks - "can't find any in market"
Simple cloth book bags
Toothpaste

Most primary schools have no electric or TV (ages from 6yrs old (standard one) to 12 or 13 yrs old (standard eight)). Many primary schools are only huts with most of the water available from wells and bore holes as well as from the streams, the children fetch water themselves. There may be a market within reach of the school. If there are nearby trading centres they may be equipped with internet access but even larger secondary Schools' rarely are. AVIF is hoping to change this.

There are good levels of english for upper primary kids i.e from standard 5 to 8.
Ratio of pupils to teachers is probably 80:1. Though Kenyan government stipulates 45:1, poverty says otherwise.
Most students have what we would class as "special needs".