Kenya Shompole Teachers

Thanks to the generous support of our foundation family and match funding from Shompole Wilderness, we are currently funding the salaries of 12 dedicated teachers across 9 schools in the Shompole region in the Rift Valley in Kenya. This is directly impacting the accessibility of better quality education for 2,963 students and their families this year.

As one local leader put it:
“Even if you support one teacher in a school of 500 children, it is like you are helping 500 families.”

This is because not all teachers are paid by the government, and before this project, the burden of these teachers’ salaries fell to parents who were often unable to pay, which meant their salaries were not paid or were delayed for months.

Now this project is helping teachers Isaac, Fred, Joyce, Peter, Justus, Charity, Pauline, Elijah, Abraham, Jackson, Isaiah, and Jacob to feel secure and valued in their roles.

For example:

Joyce Leshashi

Joyce is a teacher at Lenkobei Primary School.

She said: “The salary has really improved my livelihood and that of my family. I can now pay school fees for my own children on time, provide three meals a day, and ensure we have proper clothing and shelter.”

She also said that this project has taught her that, “Conservation is not just about wildlife—it supports our schools too. Our children benefit through conservation fees and your support. It helps both people and wildlife.”

Isaac Koitankei

Isaac is also a teacher at Lenkobei and has used his salary, which has been supported through this project since 2021, to enroll in Early Childhood Education training at Baraka Joy College in Kiserian. He now feels more confident and effective in his role.

He said: “Without the salary, I wouldn’t have been able to study, or even pay for my wife’s dowry, as is tradition in our Maasai culture. Now we are happily married with two children, and I can provide for them. I’m proud of what I do every day.”

Thank you very much to those of you who have supported this project and these teachers so far. Your support has helped them and their communities in Shompole to directly benefit from wildlife conservation.

Donate

100% of your donation will go to this project’s costs, and your donation to our registered 501(c)(3) public charity is tax-deductible as provided for by law. Please contact us if you have any questions.