Kenyan Girls Vocational School

With the successful launch of the Boys Vocational Campus on Mbita Island, Solace has broken ground on a vocational school for girls on the same island, some 5 km from the boy’s campus.

Dormitories for the will consist of six two-room structures arranged in a circle, much like a traditional Kenyan village. Design plans for the vocational training center are currently in production through a consortium of architectural students from the University of Arizona.

Construction on the dormitories and vocational building(s) will begin in the fall of 2009 after the property has been fenced for security. Supplies for fencing arrived at the site in mid-June, and the vocational students at the boy’s campus have begun production of the 2000 eco-friendly ferrous cement posts needed to complete this first phase of the project.

There are plans for training in nursing assistance and hospital administration through the planned clinic at the boy’s campus located 5 km to the North. Once the clinic at the boy’s campus is completed, volunteer medical staff will live at the girl’s campus and providing training in nursing assistance and hospital administration.

Located on 30 acres of land purchased in 2008, the school sits on the land of a banana plantation. The property still has a few viable banana trees, and Solace has agreed to let the old caretaker continue his work producing fruit. The key to the success of the school is the location of the property along a main road. The road gives access to the town center and market, will likely bring customers to the centers businesses, and provides electricity from lines running from the island utility.

The site will also be used for a fish farm. Simon Okelo met with regional administrators at the site in early July 2009 – including the Kenyan Minister of Immigration who is the parliamentary representative for the province. Simon received assurances that the government wholeheartedly supports the project, and Solace will receive government funds for fish production.