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ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Who We Are
Iruri Primary School-Sharing a Vision is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Iruri Primary School in Karatina, Kenya, including providing full high school scholarships for top performing graduates and helping to improve the school environment.
Our History
Catherine Survillas, Director of the Board, first established contact with the Head Teacher, Geoffrey in the summer of 2010. At that time Geoffrey set out goals that he wanted for the school over the next several years. In these few short years we have been able to successfully complete many of them.
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Scholarship for top performing 8th grade students for high school (43 currently on scholarship)
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Cementing floors of the remaining classrooms, including kindergarten wing (December 2015)
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Putting on class doors and window panes for all classes (completed in fall of 2015)
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Plastering walls of classes and ceilings
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Roof painting of all classes
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Putting in ceiling and painting of Administration block
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Scholarship for top performing 8th grade students for high school (43 currently on scholarship)
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Construction of the school gate (2018)
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Establishing a library (has been established and is ongoing)
​Additional projects:
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Keep Girls in School Project (ongoing)
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Tree reforestation project (ongoing)
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Annual safari to Ol Pejeta Conservancy for top 3 students from each class
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Annual Feast for the whole village to celebrate the completion of another successful year
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A STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) project with 1 or more classes
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Building of student toilets to replace outhouses for students (2017).
Scholarship Students
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1 sponsored student 2012
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5 additional students 2013
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5 additional students 2014
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5 additional students 2015
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7 additional students 2016
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9 additional students 2017
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16 additional students 2018
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12 additional students 2019
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10 additional students 2020
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Pictured: Geoffrey with Martin, our first sponsored student
Accomplishments - 2019
The year started off with a smooth administrative transition from Head Teacher Geoffrey Kerigu to
John Maina, continuing an enabling environment for learning. Other accomplishments were:
John and Catherine
Installation of Wi-Fi which has eased communications locally and internationally.
This has also helped in research for teaching materials.
Walls surrounding the school gate completed by painting and branding.
Nutrition program expanded to include the older students with a hot meal prepared in the school and this has led to good performance.
Introduction of new uniforms. Grades 2, 4, 6 and 7 have been fitted with the new uniforms already. The best performing class gets new uniforms every term and this has led to higher competition.
New roof and walkways covered courtesy of Hon. Rigathi Gachagua. the open walkways were a hazard to the students.
Accomplishments - 2018
2018 saw continued improvement of the physical school, but also some changes and opportunities to help our students physically, too. Probably the biggest project was the visit to the school by Dr. Bob Bechtel, pediatric ophthalmologist. He did vision assessments of over 300 students and 13 students are in need of glasses. Prior to his visit, only one student was wearing glasses. This was a joint effort of the Rotary Club of Elk Grove, the Nyeri Club of Kenya, our organization, and donations from supporters.
​Also improving the health of our students was a project to add protein to the daily porridge for the preschool and kindergarten. The head teacher, Geoffrey, reported that it has been one of the healthiest years. This project is made possible through the generous support of Keith and Jelena Simmons.
Another addition to the campus was a school gate, which adds security and increases school pride. The gate will be eventually painted with the school colors and logo, etc.
Other improvements included plastering walls, tiling floors, adding ceilings to additional rooms, fixing the steps into the administration office, and buying the office a printer.
​After the grade 8 students took the KPCE government exams at the end of the year, we had 12 new scholarships to give out for the upcoming year, with girls qualifying for 10 of those 12 scholarships.
