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.
