Student Civic Initiative (Strathmore University, Kenya)

The Student Civic Initiative focuses on improving the facilities of public primary schools, enhancing educational outcomes, and restoring the local environmental ecosystems in the marginalised rural Kenya. Leadership roles are held by a team of 25 Law School students in a given academic year; more students support the leading team by contributing individually 50 shillings daily, totaling 250 shillings per week, which amounts to 7000Ksh throughout the semesters. The initiative’s mission is to contribute to reducing the inequality that hampers educational access and community development, thereby positively impacting individual lives and the broader community. It originates from a commitment to fostering civic responsibility among university students encouraging them to turn their theoretical knowledge into practical actions that significantly benefit the common good of society.

The initiative started in 2022 and has so far run four successful work camps to renovate Enengeetia Primary School in Mau, Narok County; plant trees and carry out monthly tuition in support of the Junior Secondary School Learners to prepare them for the national examinations. Students have: repaired 15 classrooms; dug a well and connected an electrical pump and filtering system; installed electricity in all classrooms, staff room, and the school compound; provided internet access and a printer; financed tuition; tutored 500 junior secondary school (grade 7, 8, and 9) with a 90% transition rate to high school; provided exercise books to 36% of students in the school every year since 2023; and provided all the reference books for English, Mathematics and Kiswahili subjects for the Junior Secondary School teachers.

The primary community issues addressed by this program include improving educational outcomes, enhancing access to clean water and sanitation in poor schools, and mitigating the effects of deforestation. These challenges stem from the historical dispossession of land and repeated arbitrary evictions of community members during government-initiated Mau Forest evictions, affecting over 60,000 households. These actions have destabilised livelihoods, disrupted access to basic services such as education and health and led to widespread socio-economic vulnerabilities.

Since 2023 a total number of 480 students have participated which increases the number of alumni every year. Two alumni of the Civic Initiative have developed and implemented their own initiatives to support learning and meal provisions in underserved schools in the slums near their own communities in Nairobi.

Watch Strathmore Students at Work

2025 Workcamp Infrastructure Repairs

2025 Improving Literacy and Numeracy Through Tuition

Hear from Strathmore Students

Students who participated in SCI 2025 November workcamp at Enengeetia Primary School in Mau, Narok North, Narok County, shared profound insights into their personal and professional growth. These reflections, gathered from a google form shared at the end of the workcamp, show the initiative’s role in shaping their personal and professional perspectives and values:

Gamaliel Mugi Maina

“It exposed to me the flaw in the law. Our law doesn’t provide adequate education or education spaces for our future. We are not invested in our future. The ones who get decent education are forced to leave the country for opportunity. This has made me fully comprehend the need for and made me more passionate for change. I believe it will do the same for other law students. I loved this experience. It was so fun. The work was genuinely fun. I enjoyed hacking floors. I also enjoyed getting closer with my classmates.”

Lisa Kariuki

“It helps inform potential lawyers of the existing gaps in the law. How the law alone may not be adequate in solving societal issues. I would love to come back and tutor some of the kids since they aren’t receiving the proper education experience and it is unfair for them to compete nationally with other privileged students when they are already operating at a disadvantage.”

Peter Muturi

“As a law student, one would ideally be looked up to by society and even lead them. The students initiative allows law students to be in touch with the ground and see what exactly they’re legislating about, complaining about and researching about. One is more conscious of every pen they put down to pass a law, advocate for something or even write about…Whatever little I have is needed more here.”

Kimberly Lulu

“Civic initiative is important for a law student because it creates space for one to face the realities of theories learnt in School. For example, poor governance, corruption. It is only when one gets to see such atrocities get experienced, especially with innocent people like kids, that creates a momentum for deeper understanding and taking action. I would like to stay engaged with the student Civic initiative. I want to touch people’s lives because I have a sense of obligation to help and I genuinely want to see people happy and able to access opportunities, especially children.”

Lenny Njuguna Mwangi

“It is important because it forces you to look at yourself in the mirror. It is at your lowest that you realize you live life in a bubble, and the intense physical work and devastating state of the school, makes you realize the world is not sunshine and rainbows, it has thorns and shrubs as well. And it is a duty, not a choice, to clear the world of as many thorns and shrubs as you can, for a better life for yourself and your neighbour…. It is a great cause”

Sharleen Roberta

“As law students, and maybe potential lawmakers, it is important to see how the laws made impact the society. It is necessary because it’s an eye opener to the effects of laws and policies. Seeing the practical aspect helps to create better laws, ones that cater to the people….I would like to help make a difference in the lives of the students. ”

Ivan Kiriga

“It’s important because as law students we spend most of our lives in books on laws that bind people whom we don’t know and therefore cannot fathom their struggle. As future law professionals the civic initiative provides us with the chance to engage with the community therefore influencing the decisions we make as future law makers. It’s an opportunity to try to help and change a person’s life in any way possible, be it by making charts, hacking floors or painting walls. It has taught me that the smallest contribution matters and I would wish to continue contributing.”

Ibrahim Ali Ahmedin

“The initiative provides an opportunity that students will never learn in classrooms. It’s also a way of practically experiencing the common good. I would like to give back to the society in any way I could especially for the less privileged ”

Maria Bitange

“It makes people open minded. We grow up in environments that make us think we are entitled to everything but they are people who dream of the life you have. In as much as it may seem insignificant to you, it may be the best thing to someone. I love doing community work and I always hope to do something good for the society”

Monica Agwara

“I think that the civic initiative is quite important due to the fact that it, somehow, brings the law school students back to reality, and removes them from this utopic reality that things happen in a certain way. It helps us touch grass and actually realise how much privileged we are, hence the wake up call to actually do our best not to let ourselves, our parents and the society down, and once we realise that, then we start helping where we can and start touching more lives and not just doing nothing. I would love to stay engaged , personally because I feel like it is such a beautiful experience to know that someone somewhere is going to benefit from your tiny action and sacrifice. If I could I would give more and that’s why I would love to keep engaged.”

Kimani Angela Wanjiru

“The civic initiative is important for law school students for so many reasons…Firstly,it gives us  a chance to practically do the common good we are learning in class through the various activities we do with the aim of creating a better learning environment for the children, it helps us bond with our classmates, and even those we never talked to before, see our lecturer in a different light from the class one ..She is really so caring and loving. Acquire some practical skills like painting and hacking. It’s really wholesome. I want to keep impacting those kids again and again…And I believe that there is still more that can be done.”

Dirram Hassan Guyo

“I think this program is actually really important for law students because it helps us connect some of the things we learn in class with what actually happens on the ground to some extent. It also reminds us that the law is supposed to serve people, especially the marginalized ones. This is because when such inequalities are neglected they deeply affect the trajectory of people’s lives and the saddest part about this is the fact that there are leaders who have been chosen by these very people to REPRESENT them and ensure BASICCCC rights like education {which is actually a minimum core right meaning states have immediate obligations to ensure essential levels are met even with limited resources}, are met yet in most cases nothing is done!

Personally ,this initiative has taught me to be a more conscious and compassionate lawyer and that’s why I think it’s very important that other law students also experience it. It’s been a really meaningful experience, and I’d like to stay engaged with the Civic Initiative, though not necessarily by coming back to the field every time. I’d prefer to support in other ways, like making small monetary contributions when I can, because I still believe in the cause and what the initiative stands for.”

Simran Raja

“ For future policy makers/ fighters for justice, it is important for students to see the real life impact of policy decisions/insufficiencies so that they can get the drive to make the change and realise how dire the situation is.”

Thorne Kasili Barasa

“It helps teach teamwork and show that we all need each other to succeed and to grow, so by working together in the initiative it shows we can work together in the field. I subscribe to the cause which is to make life better from the education front and to impact a child’s life. ”

Leintoi Naikuni

“The initiative gives a better understanding to law students on why they should strive to offer services back to society and not just focus on looking for the big paycheck. I now appreciate the cause and I am willing to continue the contributions both monetary and physically.”

Faith Gakii

“It bridges the gap between legal theory and lived reality. By repairing classrooms, fixing desks, and painting walls, we saw firsthand how constitutional rights (like the right to education) often remain unfulfilled due to systemic inequality. Also, this experience grounded my legal studies in empathy and social awareness, reminding me that justice extends beyond statutes and courtrooms to the everyday conditions that shape people’s lives. It also made most of us more conscious of our own privilege as university students, reinforcing the idea that legal education carries a responsibility to serve and uplift communities. During the civic initiative work camp, I decided that it is important to me that I do my part in being the change I want to see in my country.”

Charity Gachunga

“It’s important that law students engage in community service in order to understand what goes on outside the bubble of law firms and research and court cases etc. it opens up one’s mind. Beyond that, the SCI is beneficial not just for law students but for everybody. I would love to keep making an impact on the children of Eneng’eetia Primary.”

Maina Lydia

“It’s important for them as it is an eye opening experience which provides great insight, considering the fact that the legal career also deals with identifying gaps within the law and looking for solutions around them. The initiative is such a selfless move as it directly impacts the community. It feels really nice knowing that someone somewhere gets to live a better life and aspire for a brighter future just because of the positive impact you’ve made in their life. It’s such a satisfying experience. Looking forward to participating in this outreach program once again!”

Grace Karukwa

“The importance of this initiative is seen in its inclusivity to all specs of people including law students. It offers a humbling hands on experience far from the theoretical classroom orientation.  It’s a great opportunity to bring back the texture of  humanity and make a good impact to another human being. It is a great opportunity for discipline and self-control as a constant reminder not to be overtaken by success and power and touch a young child’s life by making a difference.”

Wendy Mwangi

“The educational policy in Kenya is unequal as some areas seem to benefit while others like Eneng’eetia are left to fend for themselves due to lack of resources and empty promises from their National representatives. Every child has a right to education but that right does not seem to be protected by the State in the case of the children in Eneng’eetia. The impact it has on the children’s lives is very inspiring and I would like to continue with the impact in every way no matter how small it may seem.”

Princess Joan

“The initiative allows law students to realize the gaps that exist in the law, particularly policies on education. It allows one to acknowledge how the law plays a role in the creation of inequalities in society and how they can work towards solving them. The experience was exhilarating and beautiful. To have a chance to give back to the community is a wonderful experience that I appreciate and I would love to continue to experience the journey.”

These reflections demonstrate that the objective of fostering Civic Engagement distinguishes SCI from charity initiatives by emphasising deliberate, ethical civic actions aimed at systemic improvement, while remaining compatible with compassionate efforts.