Kilmani - The VIP Legacy Begins

Our arrival at Kilimani was once again filled with tears of joy. Headmaster Benson and Teacher Nancy greeted us with open arms. Immediately, Ellen and JoAnn felt inspired and a deep warmth from and acceptance by Kilimani’s inclusive community. They were pleased to give us a tour of the campus and to share in their many successes over the year, one namely being chosen by the Discovery Channel as an exceptional Kenyan public school, given 3 flat screen TVs and a comprehensive academic video library accessible to all 1,100 students.

Another highlight came during our tour of the library and media room. Previous to our arrival, students used two laptops that FFT and the Henderson community provided last year to access the internet. However during our visit, we were able to assess some previously donated machines and develop a plan to revitalize their computer lab. We discovered that with updates and networking, the majority of the machines will have internet access. This will allow multiple students to engage in computer learning activities simultaneously as a result of VIP – The Legacy.

We joyfully ended the day by visiting the Henderson and Kilimani candlenut trees. As VIP has strengthened and grown over the past year, so have the candlenut trees. We planted them a year ago as seedlings and already they are taller than us. It was a beautifully symbolic way to begin our time at Kilimani and it left us all feeling encouraged for the work ahead.