Shining Star Ecdc and Orphans School

• Shining Star ECDC and Orphans School is located in Migori County, Nyatike Sub-county, Muhuru division, Muhuru -East location in Tagache Sub-location, along Muhuru-Migori road.

• The School was founded in 1999 by Mr. Hevrone Killmess Mairah due to lack of access to educational institutions in the area due to its remote setting, challenges posed by orphans the majority of whose parents are ravaged by HIV/AIDS pandemic and the high illiteracy levels within the community coupled high unemployment.

• In 2000, the school had a good number of children and 3 teachers and the community enjoyed the being of Shining Star.

• In 2001 the school was temporarily closed due to the conflict within the local community until 2002 when this was resolved and the community agreed to host the School at the local Church due to lack of classroom buildings.

• 2003 the land was bought and demarcation done.

• In 2005 the first classroom was built by a volunteer called Steffi Rahn a 19-year old from SCI-Germany.

• 2009 started hosting volunteers from KVDA courtesy of the Germany Government sponsored program “Weltwaerts” that afforded young Germans an opportunity to volunteer in Kenya for the duration of one year.

• 2011 Shining Star was registered with the Kenyan Government as a learning institution.

• 2012 started building dormitory for both orphans and those having parents with the help of former KVDA volunteer from Germany named Daniel, which structure has since been completed.

• 2013 the School started goat farming and poultry farming that is still underway. It also set aside space for an orphanage home and new toilets that are already finished.

• There are more plans in the pipeline e.g. Agriculture, Business loaning for the widows and youths, competitive sports between local clubs and the School where trophies, balls and other gifts will be awarded to the participating teams

• The School has a population of over 360 children, 11 teachers and 5 support staff.

• The School has classes from Kindergarten to Standard eight.

• Shining Star ECDC and Orphans School is a community based education institution and caters for the needs of the orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) that had been rendered destitute.

• Fishing is the mainstay of the local community thanks to the expansive Lake Victoria.

• Due to the easy cash courtesy of the Lake, young people have been lured to drop out of School to engage in fishing and this has negatively impacted on the community since it has resulted in early marriages, school drop outs, early and unplanned pregnancies not forgetting the spread of HIV/AIDS that has resulted in increased number of OVC’s in the community.

• Community empowerment is crucial in achieving the overall objective of attaining sustainable development.

Project activities

• Early childhood development basic primary school education

• This year 2015, the School has launched the secondary school section with the first students’ intake launched in February 2015.

• Care and support orphans and vulnerable Children and HIV/AIDS families

• Enhancement of community empowerment trainings ICT promotion and development in the local area and capacity building for community based organizations.

TYPE OF WORK CAMP: CHIL/EDUC

Manual work and Intercultural activities:

• Teaching

• Playing with children

• Participate in development of club activities in the school

• Promotion of sports and extra curriculum activities such as physical education

• Working in the school garden

• Home visits to experience challenges of development at the grassroots