our work
our work
We help to educate Samburu children starting with preschool, to further education and employment.
In 2001, there were only 130 children at school.
Today, thanks to The Thorn Tree Project and the Samburu people's hard work, over 1,500 children attend school.
PRESCHOOLS
0
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
130 students
0 dormitories with showers and beds
0 libraries
200 point average for national test scores
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
0 PER YEAR
PRESCHOOLS
10
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Roughly 1,100 students
10 dormitories with showers and beds
3 libraries
300 point average for national test scores
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Roughly 20 PER YEAR
Preschools
Preschools
To meet the challenges of the Samburu's nomadic lifestyle, we create nomadic preschools that are situated where the Samburu live and are able to migrate with them.
Most of these PRESCHOOL children are the first in their families to ever go to school.
Elementary School
Elementary School
We support three government-run elementary schools in Northeastern Samburu. By building 10 dormitories and offering free room and board to all students, children of nomadic families can attend school all year long. We provide the majority of the funding for these students.
We are pleased to say that our schools are becoming among the best in Kenya.
Scholarship
Scholarship
Secondary school and higher education in Kenya is undaffordable for almost all Samburu families.
Thorn Tree Project offers scholarships to the top students to attend secondary school and university or trade school.
EMPLOYMENT AFTER EDUCATION
EMPLOYMENT AFTER EDUCATION
Our mentors work with the students right through to getting their first job.
Recently, the very first students who joined the Thorn Tree preschools in 2002 have begun to graduate from trade school and college. These students were the first person in their families to ever go to school.
results
results
We believe in applying the best business practices to the management of our programs. We are focused on the end results of our goal and on accountability.
We work closely with local Samburu leaders to create clear objectives for all of our initiatives. We analyze problems together, generate solutions, create effective strategies, and identify measurements by which to monitor our progress.
In 2001 there were no preschools for the nomadic children.
Today, there are 10 nomadic preschools.
In 2001 there were only 130 children in grades 1 to 8.
Today, we support about 1,500 students.
In 2005 not a single student graduated from high school, technical school or college.
Today, we have 120 students in the Scholarship Program.
In 2007 average mean grades across classes 1 to 8 were 200.
Three years later we increased mean grades to over 300 and it has held at this level.
EMPLOYMENT AFTER EDUCATION
Recently, the very first students who started school at the Thorn Tree preschools in 2002 have begun to graduate from trade school and college. These students were the first person in their families to ever go to school. There are 32 of them now with another hundred or more right behind them. They all have jobs and send part of their wages home. They have a great sense of duty and responsibility and they are very proud to be able to do this. Many are helping to put their younger siblings through school.
OUR GRADUATES INCLUDE:
- Local motor bike taxi driver who is able to ferry old and sick community members
- Local mason constructing houses
- Restaurant and shop owner
- Ndonyo Wasin grade school Math teacher
- Administrative Assistant at Ndonyo Wasin grade school
- Chef at Sarara, a 5 star lodge
- National Youth Service member
- Security Manager at one of Nairobi's largest shopping malls
- Local nurse at Ndonyo Wasin clinic
- First female ranger at Samburu National Park with a degree in tourism
- Associate of BOMA, a micro-finance organization helping women to start small businesses
- A local high school English teacher
- Mechanic at Kenya's largest grain farm
- Ranger at the Rhino Sanctuary in Sera
- IT manager in Nairobi
Education Milestones
Education Milestones
