Research Team’s visit to Sweetwaters Secondary School
Written by Jamie Jarger
The research team went to Sweetwaters Secondary School where we interviewed several teachers and students about their knowledge of Ol Pejeta conservancy. We asked these people what they knew about Ol Pejeta’s involvement with its surrounding communities, including the projects they have contributed to. We asked one teacher, Ester, about her knowledge of Ol Pejeta and how it has contributed to Sweetwaters Secondary School. She responded that Ol Pejeta has contributed through funding the building of the science laboratory block and funding for everything included in their science lab from potions to tables and chairs. They have also contributed to their school by providing the boys soccer team and the girls’ volleyball team with matching uniforms with chimpanzees on the front of them. Ol Pejeta has also provided several books to the school having to do with chimpanzees and wildlife. In addition to supporting the school and its students, Ol Pejeta also maintains several of the roads throughout the community including the road in front of the school. The children that we spoke to knew about Ol Pejeta conservancy and the Chimp sanctuary within and they had recently heard a speech about the conservancy and its wildlife and about conservation from an Ol Pejeta representative. The students were grateful for the funding that has been provided by Ol Pejeta and for the donated uniforms. However these children have heard that there have been books donated but they have not yet had the chance to view the books. We talked to Ester and the deputy Principal, David, about this and they stated that the children can check them out for a couple of days if they want to view them, but they must take initiative if they want to view these books.
We also talked to both the teachers and the children about how they can continue to sustain funding and continue to move forward without funding from Ol Pejeta or reliance on them for completing projects. We learned that the school can continue to send children on field trip, buy books, and build new blocks through the use of community help. For example, if a child cannot afford to go on a field trip their parents or the student may be able to contribute to the school in another way such as cooking lunch for a day so that a cook would not need to be hired. Other options would be to maintain the property or contribute to the building process of a block, or painting a room.
Interview with David Muchemi: Deputy Principal Sweetwaters Secondary School
Dialogue written by David Rosberg
“I am the Deputy Principal of Sweetwaters Secondary School. I know that Ol Pejeta Conservancy deals with conservancy of different animals. The wildlife is an asset that brings the tourists. I know they help the neighbouring communities and the social amenities therein. There are many schools in this area. This school is located in a very poor agricultural area, this region depends on agriculture, and it is very dry. There are not many economic activities. It would be very difficult for the community to even be able to build schools, hospitals, and so on without the assistance of Ol Pejeta. So the way Ol Pejeta comes in and assists is something commendable. In fact I wouldn’t like to think of how it would be without them. This school started around 2002 and it started very simply, very simple structures, and it has been growing year by year. ”
“The small contribution we ask of the parents, it is not easy to come by. Like now we are about to send students home because of schools fees. The school fees they pay are only to cover the food they have at school. They are paid for tuition, their books are paid for, and the teachers are paid by the government. They only have to pay for the lunch they have in school and even for them that is a problem. We charge the parents for one year for the development of the school and for them this is prohibitive. A parent is supposed to pay 8,000 Ksh per year and 10,000 Ksh is paid by the government. The school is expanding. Next year we will have another Form 3 class. So how will we build that class room? Used to have one class of each level. We are expanding to 2 classes for each level. We don’t have a dining hall and we need to build a kitchen . Don’t have a library. We want to build these.”
“So now you see the school is being painted, the new phase that is happening in the school, all of this being done by Ol Pejeta.. So I don’t know what I would do without them. I have taught in other places where there is no support at all where you find timber structures and so on. But now you look at his school and it is a very modern school, especially bearing in mind the economic ability of the people. So I know Ol Pejeta is a good blessing to this area. When you look at this road that leads to town there was a time when it was practically impossible to travel over and the same group organized to have it improved and maintained. So considering all that and many other developments it is a very good project and we appreciate it so much.”
“Ol Pejeta built us a very modern laboratory last year. Now the students are able to study and prepare themselves very well for their science exams and perform well and with accuracy. As a result of having this Lab now they are like any other students at any big school and can compete on an equal basis. They are fine now.”
“Also we have about 5 students whose tuition is sponsored by Ol Pejeta. If there is a student from the community that whose parents cannot afford tuition and wants to attend our secondary school then we make contact for them. Paul, the community Director of Ol Pejeta visits us often and he is the chairman of the school and we then present our problems to him and he follows it up very fast.”
” We expect that Ol Pejeta will continue supporting us in the same way. They do different things for us each year. Like this year they painted the classes they built the verandas to give protection from the sun and rain and before it was very difficult with all of the mud directly up to the door of the classroom. They painted the school, and they built a science laboratory. We don’t have specific expectations but we hope they continue helping us in whatever ways they find appropriate.”
“I have never been to Ol Pejeta but a man came 2 weeks ago from the Pan Africa Sanctuary Alliance and spoke to us about it and gave us some t shirts and balls for our football and volleyball teams and we are very grateful. When PASA visited us the benefit was more spiritual than physical. It made the students and teachers feel there are people with us. I see the students felt very motivated as a result from their visit.”
“We have a conservation club that is starting with around 20 students. You see this place is dry and our club will be planting trees and studying principals of conservation.
I think it is important to teach conservation. Their used to be no trees here around our school and now there are many.
We don’t use computers because we have no power. But in the next few months we should have power. We have a few computers and so we hope to use them soon. It is a very useful tool. I think it will be very good for us. We will be able teach computers right from form 1.
Thank you for coming. We like our visitors. “
