Sandra och Peter Ruysenaars are the driving force behind the school in Mshiu Village, south of Mombasa in the Shimoni region. Both were born and raised in Kenya by British and Dutch parents who came to Kenya in the 1940s. Sandra herself has worked in the local school in Shimoni, but for several years she has been more than fully occupied with her own school. The aim of the school is, of course, for the children to learn to read and write and to be encouraged to continue in school for as long as possible. Another important aim is to prevent early marriages, and to convey knowledge about the environment and sustainability, as well as nutritious food and health. 

Kesho means ”tomorrow” – the school of tomorrow.

Construction began on the school building in August 2018. It was completed in June 2019 and opened for students in mid September. Many of the workers who participated in the construction were local residents. They made every building block in the house themselves from cement. All of the windows and doors were produced by local blacksmiths.

The building has eight classrooms, two of which are for preschool. Sandra plans a maximum of 40 students in each classroom, so a total of about 300 children.

There is a computer room, a library, a music room, a teachers' room, a room for the principal and an office that Sandra uses. On the second floor there is also an open pergola where guests can be received and refreshments can be served. The school does not need heating, but it does need to be cooled during certain times of the year. The ceiling is prepared for the installation of fans, but that will only take place if it is deemed necessary for the children to be able to concentrate on their schoolwork.

Today there are about 200 children at the school. There is no religious orientation and the children are about 50/50 Christians and Muslims. They live in the villages in an area of ​​about 5 km around the school. The children are between 4 and 16 years old. The preschool children are between 4 and 6 years old and there are currently two preschool classes. Kenya has a three-term system that starts in January.

An important part of the curriculum is learning English. Sandra wants the children to become familiar with computers, so a computer-based pedagogical system is used in teaching and only English is spoken at the school. Several times a week the students participate in Zoom meetings with volunteers in the USA and Switzerland, and they discuss a current topic. These meetings have become very popular with both the children and their parents.

The students pay KES 200 per month, which is about SEK 5 per week. It is a symbolic amount but it is so that the families and the children understand that there is value in schooling. Kenyan students wear uniforms, and at Kenya Kesho it is a blue and white dress. The uniform is free but students must take care of it and wash it regularly.

There is generally resistance to sending children to school, especially girls. When a girl reaches the age of 11, she is traditionally expected to contribute to the family's livelihood by earning KES 100/day. The most common way is to collect firewood and grass and sell it, but they are also sexually exploited for a small payment. If the girl fails to earn the money, punishment awaits her, which can sometimes be harsh.

Another part of the project is to involve the families. They live on small, simple farms. They learn to grow sustainably and to grow the right crops. They receive instruction from gardeners and get to participate in the work in the school's greenhouse. They learn to compost and take care of their own waste such as plastic and other rubbish. There is also beekeeping on the school grounds.

The school has purchased some sewing machines that can be used to make bags, toiletry bags, dolls, knitted and crocheted items, etc. that can be sold. They have also made baskets. Here too, the families are involved, especially the women.

During the school holidays, activities are arranged at the school that aim to stimulate the children culturally. The children were involved in the creation of murals at the school, and they draw, paint and create various kinds of art.

SAS YOU ASSIST has contributed to the school building, school materials and computers for teaching. Our most recent contribution was a playground.