To reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the Government of Kenya closed all schools and universities on March 16, 2020. Schools were expected to implement online instruction. Teachers were advised to prepare work for students to do at home. However, the lack of broadband Internet and the cost of Wi-Fi cost in some remote areas limited the amount of e-learning available to students. 

Soon, the consequences of the extended lockdown became visible. With Kenyan schools closed, the rate of adolescent pregnancies skyrocketed. In some areas, the number of teenage pregnancies nearly tripled compared to the same period a year ago. Many children received no instruction, feedback, or interaction with their teachers. Recent studies show that even those who were able to frequently join class remotely studied fewer topics or less content through distance learning.

Schools in Kenya have recently reopened, including two AVSI-USA long-term partners, Little Prince Primary School and Cardinal Otunga High School. These two schools are a beacon of hope for children and young adults in the greater Nairobi area. In just a few years since its opening in 2005, Cardinal Otunga High School now ranks among the top 100 schools out of 7,000 secondary schools in the country. 

Most of the kids who attend Cardinal Otunga and Little Prince live in impoverished areas. Sometimes they don’t have electricity or sanitation. When they are not in school or cannot visit the Otunga and Little Prince libraries they do not have access to books . Now, back in class, they have a lot to catch up on. And books are essential. 

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Dr. Seuss

We, at AVSI-USA, like Dr. Seuss, believe in the power of reading. We believe that during these challenging times, reading is more important than ever. Reading can give us comfort and transport us to magical places. Books can teach us about our past to build a better future for us, our children, and our children’s children.

Help us donate 100 iBooks ($50 each) loaded with 100+ titles to Otunga High School and Little Prince Primary School so children and young adults in the slums of Kenya can dream, learn and build a better future.

Goal: $5,000, equivalent to 100 iBooks, and 600 students helped.