Construisons une école ensemble!

Construisons une école ensemble!

Les cours de diaphonie, 100 enfants réunis dans une classe et un à deux enseignants maximum par classe devraient appartenir au passé. Afin de garantir la meilleure éducation et le meilleur soutien possible pour nos enfants au sein de l'organisation, nous avons décidé de prendre les rênes nous-mêmes. Avec toi, nous voulons changer l'éducation de ces enfants et construire une super école à Nairobi, au Kenya. Tu trouveras ci-dessous des informations sur nos projets et une possibilité directe de faire un don pour ce projet. Fais partie du changement et donne à ces enfants l'éducation qu'ils méritent !

Follow the process

05.02.2024

Patience, patience, patience

As for February 5, 2024, theoretically, today marks the day when the property should be fully paid for. However, there are changes occurring in Kenya regarding the land sale system, and the processes are taking longer than expected. While it’s not a complication, it simply requires a bit more patience on our end. We’ll keep you updated on any developments!

16.11.2023

Surveyed and marked our land

Fast forward to November 16, 2023, the property was officially surveyed and marked. Our surveyor and the seller’s surveyor met at the site to measure and mark the boundaries using surveying equipment. Small holes were dug at the corner points, and cement with a small piece of pipe was poured in as markers.

ULT_land
ULT_survey
ULT_land-corners

07.11.2023

Signing the contract

Moving forward to November 7, 2023, today marked the signing of the purchase contract! Lea, Bonface, and Grace were present in Kenya, meeting with the lawyers and the seller to review and sign the contract. Following this, we proceeded to the bank to transfer the initial 50% of the purchase price. In Kenya, 50% is typically paid upon signing the contract, with the remaining 50% due 90 days later (February 5, 2024). During this 90-day period, the seller will prepare the property for sale by clearing it, removing all the stables and kennels. Additionally, we scheduled an official survey of our plot since it’s a partial property.

09.07.2023

We will buy the land!

On July 9, 2023, we reached out to both a local architect in Kenya and Webuilding to assess the land together. After careful consideration, we concluded that while it may not be ideal, this is where we want to construct our school. The plot is conveniently located just a few minutes’ walk from the slum, making it accessible for the children. We have established a good rapport with the owner, who has also expressed the possibility of selling us the entire property in the future to expand our school project. Our next step involves working with our attorney in Kenya to finalize the purchase agreement.

11.05.2023

A new land?

On May 11, 2023, amidst our concerns about securing funds for the expansive plot of land, a new opportunity emerged unexpectedly. Through the father of Bonface’s wife, we were connected with a children’s home located near the slum area. The proprietor and supervisor of the facility expressed interest in selling a portion of their land, which spans 0.045 hectares. They have set the asking price at 7,300,000 KSH, equivalent to approximately €47,000. However, there’s a drawback to consider: the plot is slightly undersized and situated on a slope. The plot of land, up to this point, has been utilized for livestock, and there are still existing stables and dog kennels on the premises.

01.12.2022

Agreement

For our fundraising we got a new target. But how can we make sure that the land has not been sold on the one hand or has not become more expensive again on the other hand? The prices of the plots are still rising and they are very much in demand. We are not the only ones interested in the land. In Kenya, Bonface has already met with a lawyer and done research on the land. The land is being sold by the eldest son (four sons in total) for the mother. The mother inherited the land after the death of her husband and wants to divide the money gained from the sale among her sons. Bonface also talked to them and had the information confirmed. During the legal research it came out that the mother is listed as the owner in the documents, which also confirms the given information. Together with our lawyer we are currently working on an agreement to make a down payment and pay the rest of the money. We have already raised this proposal with the oldest son and his family and we were given the okay. The son agrees if a deposit of 8 million KSH is paid the rest of the money (6 million KSH) will be paid as soon as possible and in the next 6 months (after signing the agreement). Our lawyer is currently sitting on the drafting of such an agreement.

For us this means a fundraising target of 55-60k €, which we have to reach as soon as possible.

For the construction of the school we are already in contact with foundations to which we will apply for funding. For the purpose of building a school, there are many foundations worldwide that financially support such a project, but not the necessary purchase of land. We have also had the land surveyed by our architects. The plot is not perfect, we have to be honest. But it is the best we can get.

28.10.2022

Local architect

We have already made a plan with our architect how to build an elementary school on such a small plot.

Picture 1: ground floor, picture 2: first floor

But still decided to ask a local architect for advice. He visited the property on 28.10 and unfortunately told us that our plans with this property will not work. Because of the narrow width the school would not be approved. This set us back. That same day Bonface went looking for land again but there are no plots in the area we are looking in for the money we have. Prices have skyrocketed so much that the few plots that are for sale start at 14 million KSH. We now have our eye on this plot for 14 million KSH. Of course it is far beyond our budget but it is large and also close to the slum. Our plan B at the moment is another plot for 15 million KSH which however is not located in the nicest area. We will start researching in the next few days and get in touch with the lawyers.

01.10.2022

Research

We have started to research, appointed a planner and contacted the owner’s lawyer. During the research we found out the following: Unfortunately, the specification of 50×100 feet (which would have been small already) was not correct. Since the property was divided into several parts as soon as one of the lower lots is sold a small road must be built in the middle of the property which must be 9 meters wide. The final size of the plot was 11 x 40 meters.

19.09.2022

Lea in Kenya

I flew to Kenya and it was already clear that our whole focus has to be on buying a suitable plot of land. Already on the first day (even before we saw the children) we set out and Bonface showed us three plots of land that might be suitable for us. 

Unfortunately, all properties except one are too expensive for our budget. One plot however is in within very good walking distance and fits the price. On the property 3 parts are sold we were told it is 50×100 feet each. For the top one (on the road) they want 7 million KSH and for the other two 6 million KSH each. The lowest plot is at the level of a small river. To explain the price increase: The three plots of land right next to the ones now for sale belonged together just a few years ago. At that time the land was divided into 6 parts and the three left parts were bought in total for 0.5 million KSH.

24.06.2022

Next step is done!

That was not so easy! In order to be able to send funds to the Kenyan association, the constitution of the Kenyan organization had to be adapted to German standards and a sponsorship contract had to be drawn up. For outsiders, this may sound like a very small step, but for us it means a lot. With this basis, we can now finally buy a plot of land for our school and move forward with the construction of the school. We will now be able to look around more concretely and make offers. We are very excited!

01.06.2022

Ukraine crisis

The current crisis in Ukraine has hit Kenya hard. Food prices have skyrocketed causing food shortages. The Soweto Slum has seen incredible growth and our Saturday Food Program has to feed 100 more children from now on. As a result of the higher costs, schools have also increased the prices of their fees and thus our two main projects in the organization were suddenly affected by severe problems. Of course, the rest of the world is also affected by the Ukraine crisis and therefore we have experienced a strong decrease in new donors on the German side as well.

02.05.2022

This is how our school is supposed to look like.

A lot has happened !!

 

As we have mentioned before, despite the still missing 100% total amount of donations, the work in the school construction project does not stand still. Every day we deal with many topics around the school construction, be it searching for land, finding partners, collecting ideas and of course researching how the school should be run and look like.

 

Property search

This month Bonface has been on the important search for a suitable plot of land for us. It is important to understand that in Kenya there is no website with all the plots of land and the information about them. Together with Rio, another volunteer from ULT, Bonface is therefore faced with the arduous task of going on reconnaissance tours to identify vacant plots of land that are for sale and usually inquiring about the owner through neighbors or the like. However, in order to be able to buy a plot of land without risk, it still requires legal research per plot of land, such as the possibility for a deed of sale or the “destination” of the land. Not every plot of land may be built on with a school; some are designated for residential buildings only, for example. But this is not the only thing that makes it difficult for us to find a plot of land. The prices for land around the slum are currently increasing enormously and for us this means that we have to act quickly without running the risk of taking unnecessary risks.
To avoid this, Bonface is busy every day to find a plot of land and our members in Germany try to help through contacts and research. Two weeks ago we finally had an important appointment with an architect who wants to support us in the further planning and realization of the school. We presented him a selection of plots of land and with his advice we decided on a “direction” of size and shape of the school. With the new circumstances it was quickly clear to us that the school will not look as planned so far, but it will look even much better.

 

Planning of the school
At the moment it looks like we will have to settle for a smaller site. Prices have increased enormously and we have to consider all circumstances. Of course, we may still get a larger lot, but with the new school planning, nothing has to change in the look of the school. We anticipate a slightly sloping lot since all the lots are on a slope. The school will be built across the slope, as you can see on the drawing, so that even during heavy rainfall the water can run down the slope without any problems. Thus, there is no danger of a landslide at any point. Since the property is small, we are planning two floors with four rooms each. Since we want to teach the two preschool classes in one room, seven classrooms and an office or teachers’ lounge are planned. The rooms on the second floor can be accessed via two spiral staircases to the respective entrances of the rooms. In order to be able to increase the size of the classroom when the weather is nice, one wall per room will consist almost entirely of sliding doors. Tables and chairs can be moved farther out, and one raised bed per classroom will help the children learn about sustainable agriculture. The sliding doors are not only convenient for making the room larger, but they also allow the room temperature to be well controlled. In the upper floor, the roof will also be equipped with a ventilation device so that the temperature in the room remains stable.

 

Planning of the schoolyard
In the lower left corner of the schoolyard the toilets will be located and the rest of the yard will be used to entertain the children but also as a retreat to learn and read outside. At the entrance to the school there will be a small house for a security guard and the “Thank you sign” for all our sponsors.

22.03.2022

The money arrived safely!

After four month, the money is finally in our bank account. The court date was on the 14th of march and after this JustGiving had to give out the funds immediately. They charged us around 2.400 € but we are just happy and relieved that the money is here. We can now finally search for a land and work on this project like we have planned.

11.03.2022

Fundraising

On 14 October 2021, we launched the fundraising for the school construction and spread it on all channels. I (Lea) was currently in Kenya myself and spent my days planning both the fundraising and the actual project. I was able to see once again the need for this project and started the fundraising with that drive. A sponsor of ours from the UK was so enthusiastic about our idea that he even started his own fundraising campaign in his community. For this purpose, he opened a donation page on JustGiving (an international donation service provider) where the donations are collected. Within a very short time, an unbelievable amount of money was collected and I can tell you that I almost fell off my chair when the contributions added up. There were small amounts as well as large donations from the cryptocurrency community, in which our school sponsor himself is very active. By Christmas, the target of £64,300 was reached and I couldn’t have imagined a better Christmas present.
Unfortunately, JustGiving has since been uncooperative and does not want to transfer the sum to our sponsor’s account. Here’s why: Because the cryptocurrency community places a very high value on its anonymity and therefore does not want to release contact details (which we understand 100%) JustGiving cannot fully match the donations. Unfortunately, they also only respond to our emails every few weeks and have not yet come up with a solution on how we can best resolve this situation for everyone. For reasons of transparency, we have already included the total of donations from this campaign in our own count.
As many weeks have now passed, our school sponsor has decided to involve the police, who are now looking into the case. We as an association will be kept informed of every step and will be put in CC with every mail. The resolution route will now probably be to transfer the donations back to the donors (only from this explicit fundraising in the UK) and then have to donate again. This case went viral in the cryptocurrency community on Twitter and we have been experiencing great support ever since.
It looks like there is finally a way forward and hopefully we can start our work soon. We keep you updated.

 

Our work begins

Of course, we as an association do not sit around while the problem is solved with JustGiving. The project is already in full progress for us and we are in the process of gathering information and experience reports from associations that have already built in Kenya. We are currently looking for a building partner in Kenya, ideally a donation-based non-profit organisation just like us. This will allow us to benefit from a partner who already has experience in building schools and of course it will also mean a great cost saving.

It is incredibly important for us to approach the project with the best possible knowledge to match your donation and support. We are very much looking forward to the time ahead and will keep you updated via the following page.

 

Further donations are needed

The donation contingent has still not been fully reached and we have once again listed the link to donate here for you. Maybe you are interested in supporting us again with this project and share it with your friends and family.

With your help we will build a wonderful school and give the children the education they deserve.

25.02.2022 + 26.02.2022

WeBuilding – Workshop “Building in the Global South”

On 25 and 26 February, we (Annika and Lea) participated in an online workshop organised by WeBuilding.

In the 2-day workshop – WeBuilding gave the participants space for individual advice on current or planned building projects. We were able to present our own project and gain a lot of new knowledge.

For us, it is very important to approach the building project with the best possible knowledge and to work with experts who accompany us throughout the process.

WeBuilding

We-Building is a non-profit association of experienced architects who provide financial and technical support to local non-profit organisations in Latin America and Africa to build sustainable schools and other public buildings in disadvantaged areas.

14.10.2021

Start of our fundraising campaign

On 14 October 2021, we launched our fundraising campaign to build our own school in Nairobi. Very quickly, we were pleased to receive positive feedback and support.

Continue to participate

Questions?

Si tu as d'autres questions sur notre projet, n'hésite pas à nous contacter via le formulaire de contact ci-dessous :

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