September 2015 Newsletter

In September we sent our first newsletter to those who received and opened the initial announcement. This is the contents of that newsletter.

Dear Laibon/Old Yorkist
 
You are receiving this, the first OKT/MKT Newsletter, because you were one of the 165 ex-pupils of the DOY/Lenana school who received and opened our initial announcement e-mail, sent out last month, concerning the formation of the Optimum Kenya Trust and the Msaada Kenya Trust. We sent out 550 e-mails to what we hoped were valid e-mail addresses but only 160 were opened, a mere 30%. More on this topic later.
First of all, a correction. The UK Charity Commission has changed their website address from that which was mentioned in the initial announcement e-mail. The new address and the best place to start is www.charitycommission.gov.uk/find-charities. Our registration number is 1154051. There is not much information on there for the moment, as our income has yet to exceed £10,000 in any one year, but we sure hope to achieve that this year.
As of today’s date the Optimum Kenya Trust has received donations and pledges to donate amounting to £11,208.50 thanks, in the main, to a few very generous individuals. This Pound Sterling amount equates to 15,287 Euros, US$ 17,288, AUD 24,218 and KS 1,822,872. The only expenditure to date has been the cost of awarding the first 5 OKT/MKT bursaries, as mentioned in our initial announcement e-mail and on our website: www.optimumkenyatrust.org. Our grateful thanks go to all those who have made donations which have successfully started us upon our way.
Besides ourselves, there are several other entities also pitching in to help the new Headmaster restore the school to its previous prominence. The Kenya Government, no less, has stepped up to the plate and the Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Mr Belio Kipsang, as was reported in the Daily Nation on the 24th August, has committed over KS 50 million to build a new classroom block and a new library at the school. This will enable the school to both increase its student population but also reduce the number of pupils for some classes. Here is a photo of a model of the new block which will be located between Thomson/Kibaki House and Upper Junior/Tom Mboya House.

The Laibon Society are currently considering a proposal to repair and refurbish the school swimming pool. The East Africa Cricket Foundation is also refurbishing the school’s cricket facilities and has provided the school with the necessary equipment.
Some Msaada Trustees met with the Headmaster recently and agreed to fund an initial project which is to clear and make playable once more the 2 murram hockey pitches at the entrance to the school. You can see the current state of the pitches in these 2 photos.

Other possible projects were discussed with the Headmaster and cost estimates will be sought and priorities will be set. There will be an update in the next Newsletter.

Which brings me back to the subject of donations and e-mail addresses. I am confident that many of our fellow ex-pupils who did not receive and open our initial announcement e-mail will want to donate to the cause, but they did not get the opportunity as we had some out-of-date e-mail addresses and some of them may have had a spam filter turned on which rejected our e-mail. Whatever the reason, I would like to reach out further beyond ourselves. So, I therefore ask you, if you will, to kindly send us all the valid e-mail addresses for our fellow ex-pupils, of which you are aware. Over time, with the help of your feedback, we can extend our Newsletter distribution, perhaps re-connect with some old friends and also increase our financial commitment to the pupils and the school and eventually help Kenya to prosper. We appear to have our timing right. We have an opportunity to help with the redevelopment of the school. Let’s do it.

With my best wishes to you all.

First Bursaries Awarded by Optimum Kenya Trust and affiliated Msaada Kenya Trust

The first donation of 5 bursaries, each worth KS 100,000, were handed to the Lenana School Principal, Mr William Mwangi at a weekly roll call and assembly in front of the chapel and the school bell. Ronnie Andrews (pictured), representing the Optimum and Msaada Trustees delivered the good news to the lucky five students who had been selected by the Trustees to be the first recipients of the OKT/MKT Trust bursaries.

In handing over the cheque Ronnie re-stated the intentions of the Trusts to support high-perfoming but financially needy pupils, to contribute towards refurbishment of infrastructure at the school and perhaps, later, to assist outstanding performers with university scholarships. 

The Principal thanked the Optimum and Msaada Trusts and underlined the need for the Old Boys to be involved by assisting in the rebuilding of the school. He pointed out the on-going work in the refurbishment of the courtyards, boarding houses and dining halls and called for assistance in further development of the school.

Mr Mwangi also thanked the Laibon Society and particularly the Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Dr Kamau Thugge, himself an alumnus of the school, for his efforts in securing funds for the school's next phase of development.

Congratulations once more to our first five hard working students!

Ronnie with Mr. Boniface Ngure, old boy and member of the Laibon Society with the five recipients

Our photographer sneaks behind the scenes

From left to right: Isiah Kipngetich, Jack Muricho Kituyi, Kenneth Olendo, Oliver Wafula, Hosea Suter Kipkemoi

Tuck those shirts in!

William Mwangi now heads Lenana School

Mr William Mwangi in his office.

Mr Mwangi has been at the helm of Lenana School for just over a year. In such a short time, the school has leapt up the national rankings back into the top 20. Such an accomplishment says a great deal about the changes Mr Mwangi has ushered in, and gives hope that things will continue to improve at Lenana under his leadership.

School Visit January 2015

Here are just a few pictures which were taken during our all-too-brief visit to the school back in January 2015. They indicate some potential projects which, if funded, will improve the school and the lives of the pupils there.

The hockey pitches are partially covered in grass.

This is the Physics Lab. You can see that there is a lack of equipment.

This is the back of the Carey Francis/Tom Mboya (Lower/Upper Junior House) kitchens. Note the absence of glass in the windows and the return to wood-burning stoves.

The swimming pool has been unusable for quite some time.

The whole school and all the Houses need redecorating. The windows and roof of the main tuition block have, however, been repaired this last year.

It's not all doom and gloom. Here are a few positive pictures which indicate that things are getting better since Mr Mwangi took charge;

The sanatorium has a new roof and has been redecorated.

The pupils are still smart and will soon be helping Kenya to prosper.

In spite of often being around 50 to a class, the school's results for 2014, Mr Mwangi's first year, Lenana is back in the Top Twenty, having been lower than that for some years. The objective is Top Ten.   

Trustees Visit to meet the Headmaster of Lenana School

In January 2015, some of the Trustees of both Optimum Kenya Trust (OKT) and the Msaada Kenya Trust (MKT) visited Lenana School to meet with the Headmaster to assess the situation at the school and to discuss how best the various organisations can co-operate to help the students, the school and Kenya. 

Present at the meeting were, from left to right: David Kabeberi, Chairman of the Laibon Society, John O'Grady, Headmaster Mr William Mwangi, Nigel Gaymer and Ronnie Andrews

Prior to the meeting with the Headmaster, the Trustees of the Msaada Trust had met at the Nairobi Club to confirm their approach to the school. From the left; Gayling May, Chacha Odera, Ronnie Andrews. Jonny Havelock, Nigel Gaymer, Peter Gachuhi, John O'Grady. Dr Robin Mogere had also attended the meeting, but was called away to attend an emergency operation before this photograph was taken.