Project Launch:

Narok is located in the Rift Valley of Kenya and dominated by the pastoral Maasai who depend on animals for their livelihood. A semi-arid area prone to droughts, residents exist on less than $2 a day. Children are largely left to their own devices. Some turn to petty theft or vandalism out of boredom, while others pass the time playing with garbage or discarded items. With a $498 grant from World Connect’s Kids to Kids Program in 2011, a project was launched that brings together the fortunate youngsters who attend Highway View Academy and others living in the neighborhood to work together at the arts center at Highway View Academy. Students attending the Academy gained a more well-rounded education from their participation in the arts and those from the neighborhood had an entirely different learning experience from their usual time-killing activities. In addition to learning to have fun with arts, the participants also learned about the importance of good hygiene and hand washing in particular. For some participants this was the first health instructions they had ever received.