Even in the world’s poorest neighborhoods, children deserve a safe and protected space to learn and grow. Yet, for the pupils of the Soma Nuru School in Nairobi, this fundamental security is under threat. A newly opened bar right next to their school brings a wave of dangers that are shaking the fragile foundation of their learning environment.
Read on to understand why this situation urgently requires your attention and how you can help.
For us, who grew up in Central Europe, it is hard to imagine the challenges of raising the monthly costs for food and drink, charcoal for cooking, school supplies, rent, electricity, teachers, a cook, and so on for the school, and then additionally having to endure drought and floods, as experienced in recent months.
But that’s not all.
The next threat is now literally right outside the school’s door: A bar has opened adjacent to the small school grounds, unfortunately posing various dangers to the children.
Lack of Hygiene
Drunk customers from the bar wander onto the school grounds and use the only toilet available, creating an additional health risk for the children and staff.
The school’s only water tank (for drinks and cooking) is located on the property line with the new bar, posing a significant risk of contamination and theft. Furthermore, the bar has no sanitary wastewater facilities, and dirty water now runs from broken pipes onto the school grounds.
Lack of Security
Due to the increased alcohol consumption, there is unfortunately more crime and danger in the neighborhood, particularly for girls and other vulnerable children. The risk of burglary and theft of school property – for which Soma Nuru fights month after month – is also now massively increased.
There is no protective fence around the school, and the new bar borders the school grounds directly, adjacent to the only playground for all children during breaks and playtime.
The Current Situation
Since the bar opened, classes have been severely disrupted. Constant noise, chaotic behavior, (vulgar) music, and unpleasant odors make concentration in lessons difficult. Especially from Friday onwards and on weekends, the bar’s activity starts very early, which extremely impairs classes on Friday and Saturday, as well as school games, learning activities, and theater rehearsals on Saturdays after school.
According to Dalmas, there is a high risk that the children will be tempted into alcohol and drugs themselves, as the bar advertises intensely and loudly.
The bar is in no way comparable to a typical bar in Europe. In the slums, alcohol is (illegally) distilled. This is dangerous for consumers as it contains toxic agents like methanol, which can lead to blindness, organ failure, and death. On the picture below you see a woman preparing the alcoholic concoction.
Adding to this, the contractual situation with the landlady of the school grounds has been very difficult for some time. There is always the danger that she will increase the rent or terminate Dalmas’s lease, leaving the school homeless.
Recently, the landlady cut off the school’s electricity because Dalmas could not make the payment on time. This happened even though he had already promised her a payment date a few days later.
The landlady also owns the land she rented to the new bar. For this reason, Dalmas has no way to ensure order and protection with the help of the police, as there is a risk that following a police intervention, the landlady would expel the Soma Nuru School.
What is to do now
We have discovered a new plot for rent in the same area of the slum, which formerly housed a school. The landlord is also a former teacher.
The new location offers the following significant advantages:
- Former School: More pupil-appropriate infrastructure with potentially 3 toilets exclusively for pupils & staff. Cross-ventilation through larger windows and rooms ensures better air quality.
- Trustworthy Landlord: A former teacher with an understanding of the situation, who has already significantly accommodated Dalmas with the price.
- Security: The entire property is surrounded by a protective wall. Learning areas and children are thus protected from noisy places like bars within the premises. Additionally, it is guarded by a security guard.
- Disaster Resilience: The buildings are constructed to withstand local environmental risks such as storms. The existing buildings were erected with robust building materials like reinforced concrete and masonry walls.
- More Space & Freedom of Movement: For children to learn & play, with the possibility to accommodate more children (over 300 in total) and teachers in the future, once the necessary funding allows.
For this reason, we have launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover the rent for the first year and renovation costs. Your contribution makes a big difference and could make a new, soon-to-be sanctuary possible for the students. Below you see a photograph of the new school building.
We are therefore asking you for support because we firmly believe that together, we can change the lives of the children of Soma Nuru in the long term.
Every contribution makes a difference, and we thank everyone in advance for any support & care..
