We support people in need in Kitui, Kenya. 

We work to provide the marginalised with clean water and access to education, and to empower them by boosting their economic independence. 

Migwani Special Needs School

The new Dormitory for the Special Needs Unit is now complete!

For up-to-date information visit the Migwani Childrens Dormtory Project site HERE

Congratulations to Jim and Judy Senka and their wonderful supporters!

One such person is Jim Senka, of Smithers, British Columbia in Canada.

Jim set up The Migwani Children's Dormitory Project  to help Child Focus Africa build a dormitory for special needs children attending a special education unit in Migwani Africa Inland Church (AIC) sponsored primary school. The Patron for the Migwani Dormitory Project is Fr Benson Kityambyu.

The Dormitory will be funded entirely by Migwani Children's Dormitory Project. While Friends of Kitui is not directly involved in the project, we were asked by Jim to visit the project in February 2009. What we saw there was hugely impressive: the need is great,  and we encourage you to get involved and support this very worthy cause.The project is a tremendous example of what can be achieved by co-operation between the Canadian sponsors, the local community, CFA, the local Catholic church, and the AIC-sponsored school.

(Top) June 2009- walls rise from the foundations!

(Bottom) May 2009 The foundations for the new Dormitory.

This is an entirely voluntary effort which shares Friends of Kitui's approach in ensuring that 100% of all funds raised will go directly to the project without any deduction for administration costs.

We are delighted to be able to make a small contribution to this very worthwhile cause.

(Right) Emer tells the SNU that their phiolosophy of locating the unit alongside a "normal" school is very advanced thinking

The Head Teacher of the Special Unit describes the philosophy behind adding dignity and self-reliance to the children.

The management structure of Child Focus Africa displayed on the  wall of the CFA Office, which is located in the St Patrick's Catholic Mission compound.

The Children perform a special song in English for the visitors

Migwani AIC Primary- Special Education Unit

Migwani AIC Primary has a special education unit, which caters for developmentally challenged students. The facility has 54 learners (February 2009). It is one of only three such units in the entire district. The Migwani Special Education Unit was established in 1988 and catered at the time for five learners who were day scholars. In 2000, it had fourteen learners and the school opted to turn this into a boarding facility. One classroom was turned into the first dormitory. Besides boarding, the students need special care, food and clothing. The community and parents lack orientation on the developmental needs of these challenged children. As is common across Africa, and indeed elsewhere, the children are isolated at home and are sometimes locked away as they are considered a burden and a nuisance. By boarding these children, the school constantly supervises and trains them on how to develop and adapt to the challenges they face.

Though the government realizes that education and training will contribute to national development, the special education unit suffers from inadequate funding and a lack of clear policy framework. The new (2003) Free Primary Education policy has made primary education compulsory to all school age children, forcing the unit’s enrolment to go up. The government however only pays for instructional materials (IM) to facilitate classroom learning. The school relies on the parents and well-wishers to meet the boarding and feeding expenses. There are only a few qualified teachers who are able to handle children with special needs while facing a lack of teaching and learning resources, among other challenges. In 2007, one teacher was selected for special training on the needs of the children and is currently in charge of the unit. The special unit charges each parent a fee of KSH 1600 (€16) for every school semester (three months). Though few parents can afford this, the children are not sent home when the parents cannot afford or are unwilling to pay.

Neither the primary school nor the Special Needs Unit  receives any external funding other than per capita grants from the government, based on enrolment. While the Instructional Material (IM) funds are adequate, the General Purpose (GP) funds are not enough to pay for monthly expenses including salaries for the non-teaching support staff and expenses, including cooks, security men, communication bills and emergency expenses. The overall school enrolment figures do not include the children in the Special Unit who pay a fee of Ksh1600 or €16 per term and only receive support on IM. The school has reached out to local sponsors including Christian Children’s Fund (CCF), Child Focus Africa (CFA) and Twana Twitu to help raise funds or support poor students. These non-governmental agencies do not give funds direct to the school, but have in many occasions supported individual students and families. 

The Special Needs Unit in Migwani AIC received some Community Development Funds (CDF) funds to procure instructional materials. There is a high cost of equipment for special needs and it will take time to equip this unit. More teachers need to be trained on coaching these developmentally challenged learners. Only three non-governmental agencies are present in Migwani and their programmes are aimed at developing and supporting vulnerable individuals and family. While this helps in general, it is limited to individuals and the school support remains at the same level, year after year.

(Left) Another view of the site for the new Dormitory 

Child Focus Africa and the Special Needs Dormitory Project:

Child Focus Africa (CFA) is a local Kenya-based NGO which includes in its objectives the support of the Special Needs Unit. The first project to be supported is the construction of a dormitory for the students. The budget for this project is approximately €13,000. 

CFA is supported in this effort by a Canadian group run by Jim & Judy Senka. Migwani Children's Dormitory Project (MCP), a fund-raising project based in Smithers, British Columbia, is wholly made up of volunteers  working to provide the funds necessary to build a dormitory for handicapped children in Migwani. As all involved in the fundraising are volunteers the group is able to ensure that 100% of the funds raised will go directly to the building materials. 

CFA have an office in the compound of St Patrick’s Catholic Mission in Migwani, approximately 1km from the location of the Special Needs Unit. The Patron of the project is Fr Benson Kityambyu, the priest-in-charge of the mission, who has agreed to manage the bank account for the project. 

Fr Benson and the Principal of the Migwani AIC Primary School, will together ensure full accountability for funds donated to the project. CFA does not handle any funds.

The local community have raised funds for the purchase of the site for the dormitory from the adjacent landowner. The dormitory is located directly beside the existing special needs unit SNU). In turn the SNU is located alongside the Migwani AIC primary school, and the children are fully integrated with the primary school students, sharing the same playgrounds and other facilities.

Existing facilities of the SNU comprise one block of four rooms, originally intended as classrooms. Two of these rooms are now used for sleeping accommodation. The classrooms are small and undersized for the attendance. Facilities, while limited, are above average for the district if judged in the context of a normal primary school. For use as a SNU, the facilities are totally inadequate and make no concession to the needs of children with learning or physical disabilities. The accommodation unit has no electricity or lighting for night-time use. Toilet, washing and water facilities are totally inadequate.

Part of the main school is used as a dining facility, and also used for meetings and training.

Future Plans:

The School would like to construct another Dormitory for the Boys, and also to construct a Workshop in which life skills could be taught in appropriate conditions.

Right: There is full integration between the Primary School and ther Special Needs Unit

Congratulations to Jim and Judy and their supporters in Smithers, BC. 

Find out more about the project HERE

Find out more about Child Focus Africa HERE