The Marianna Glorious Academy
Founded in 2002 by Freddy Kinyanjui Gachao and Mary Njoki, The Marianna Glorious Academy aims to provide children from below the poverty line with a good education, and to help them cope with the everyday problems they face as residents of a developing country.
Like many places in Africa, the deprived town of Mtwapa suffers from a woefully inadequate infrastructure, with no running water, electricity or sanitation. The Marianna Glorious Academy is the pride of this impoverished community and provides education to some 430 children aged between 2 and 12 years old.
The school stands by its policy of never turning away a local child, although many cannot afford the fees of £14 a term. This situation is obviously a major drain on the school's limited resources and fundraising is always an issue.
The school's objective is to provide quality education to the needy. In addition to the traditional academic subjects, the school encourages its pupils to engage in a wide range of extracurricular activities including music, drama and sports. It also provides counselling on pertinent issues such as drug use, HIV/AIDS, spiritual growth and reproductive health.
There is also provision for youngsters aged 18 and above, with training designed to equip them with the skills needed to live an independent life in the region.
The talented staff at the academy strive to provide a caring and loving environment for the needy local children, many of whom have been orphaned by the ravages of the HIV virus. Help and counselling is always available and is followed up with home visits and ongoing support.
The staff also organise social functions in the local community as well as video and cinema programmes for entertainment. There is a growing onsite library and there are plans for educational tours and exchange programmes with other academic institutions to help promote an awareness of different cultures and a sense of self-worth.
Some elements of the school's construction are currently being completed. As of October 2009, stages one to three of the construction process were finished, with just the final two steps to go. The foundation, ground and first floors are complete whilst the construction team is currently putting the final roofing materials and internal fixtures in place.
