Schools are located within communities and have in the past been used as grounds to advance new ideologies. For EPTF, our choice of working with Dandora Secondary School was informed by our vision of empowered entrepreneurs transforming communities. With a population of about 900 students and staff, Dandora Secondary School is located in a slum area and borders the largest dump site in Nairobi.
‘I teach Georgraphy and Agriculture,’ Mrs. Mwololo introduced herself to us when we visited the school to learn more about its entrepreneurship projects. She is among the teachers who went through our entrepreneurship training in September 2011 in order to come up with school projects that can raise more funds for their respective schools. ‘The training was very useful, informative and the skills imparted were quite necessary. Business planning before venturing into any project stood out, since to most of us a business can just start whether well thought through or not.’ she commented.
Together with some of her colleagues, she began planning for chicken and pig rearing projects for the school. The business plans were presented to the school administration and were both well received. ‘We want the projects to be for income generating purposes as well as impart skills on teachers, staff and students around the school. We are looking at these projects as a learning experience for the school and the community at large. We hope in the near future we shall be able to hold entrepreneurship open days for the community to see the possibilities around.’ she affirmed. As for the profits, the school hopes to support the neediest students pursue their education without interruptions.
The piggery is already under construction while the chicken rearing business is awaiting a go-ahead from the school administration. Mrs. Mwololo also noted that students and parents who have undergone the entrepreneurship training have their eyes set on achieving greater things.
EPTF in partnership with ICL and NavPartners Sweden seeks to replicate this model in Uasin Gishu County in the coming years as well as upscale training in more schools within Nairobi. By influencing schools to embrace entrepreneurship, we advocate for a better nation where youth will become job creators as opposed to job seekers.