Over the years our educational partnership with the Dioceses of Embu, Kirinyaga, Mbeere, Marsabit and Meru in Kenya has gone from strength to strength.
Through this successful project hundreds of members of staff and thousands of children have experienced and enjoyed cultural diversity and have discovered for themselves what it means to be a global citizen.
The schools in both countries have benefited in rich and varied ways as the emphasis is on learning and cultural exchange. An underlying principle of the partnership is mutual learning for both staff and children. Many of the schools in the Chelmsford Diocese are small and rural and it can be a struggle at times to convey to their pupils an understanding of cultural diversity.
Similarly, in the rural schools of Kenya, pupils and students often have a limited view of the world outside their village and the opportunity to meet and talk with people from a different culture prompts huge excitement and curiosity. Members of staff are able to return to their schools having had first-hand experience of another culture. As with anything, if one is hearing someone’s own story it is so much more powerful and inspiring than reading about it in a book or searching for information on the Internet.
Our schools still keep in touch with partner schools in Kenya and leverage many benefits that come from that fruitful relationship:
"Establishing links with a Kenyan school has benefitted out school in many ways. Children are more aware of global challenges and have developed an understanding of courageous advocacy."
"It was a great experience for our link teacher to go to Kenya and our children’s understanding of different living and school conditions really increased."
"This partnership has really helped to reinforce our Christian values within the school."
"It’s very special to our school and our children value it dearly."
