Replacing a dangerous school building, thanks to Schools for Kenya
Our wonderful long-term colleagues have funded the rebuild of an entire classroom block, to facilitate learning at one of our partner schools in Amboseli.
A plaque on a wall might seem a small thing but, take a closer look. The work it commemorates will have a lasting impact for hundreds of students, for years to come.
“Thanks to Schools for Kenya, our partners for nearly two decades, learners at Enkii Comprehensive School now have a safe and productive environment in which to learn, amongst the shady trees planted by their environment club,” said our delighted Head of Community Engagement, Laura Eastwood.
Last year, in partnership with the county government, public works and education offices, Born Free facilitated an infrastructure health and safety risk assessment for all the schools we work with in Kenya. The aim was to help us, and our partners, understand both immediate and long-term structural needs, and inform any work needed.
You might ask, why would a wildlife charity worry about school buildings? Well, we know that local people – not least children – are intrinsically linked to conservation, and an essential part of our efforts to protect Kenya’s natural heritage. But education and awareness are hampered by poor learning environments. By working with schools, and taking practical action to consider their needs, we can create platforms for lasting change.
“Our detailed 2025 report alerted us to a serious problem in one of our partner schools, in Amboseli, in southern Kenya,” explains Phoebe Odhiang, our Community Engagement Technical Lead in Kenya. “Enkii Comprehensive School had a severe crack in one of their classroom blocks, which apparently had been a problem for years.
“But, little did we realise that the damage went far beyond ‘just’ a crack in the wall and floor. We discovered the entire building was unsafe, and threatening to collapse on both learners and teachers. Simply fixing the crack was no longer a possibility.”
Our report actually described the damage as ‘a time bomb’, with one teacher explaining the unsafe classrooms made the students feel unvalued. In windy weather they would have to cover their faces against the dust being blown around, making it incredibly hard to concentrate during lessons. Something had to be done.
Before: The classrooms were unsafe and needed to be completely rebuilt
This is why in early 2026, thanks to an amazing donation from our long-term friends and colleagues at Schools for Kenya, work began to demolish and rebuild the entire classroom block at Enkii School, including the teachers’ staffroom.
“Over 19 wonderful years of partnership, Schools for Kenya has raised over 40 million Kenyan shillings to support Born Free’s work with schools,” said Laura Eastwood. “At today’s exchange rates, that’s more than £230,000 donated – remarkable!”
During this time, the charity has contributed to major infrastructure developments in four schools in Amboseli, as well as one in Tsavo. This support includes new classrooms, solar power, dormitories, toilet blocks, borehole and water storage systems and computers.
“Very sadly, this is the last project Schools for Kenya will be part of,” Laura continued. “The charity has made the hard decision that it’s time to close their metaphorical doors. We cannot thank them enough, on behalf of Born Free, all the schools and thousands of students, for their hard work, dedication and support for nearly two decades.”