EducationUrban Primary School

Urban Primary School is located in the busy market town of Embu, just south of Mt Kenya. Urban Primary provides education for hundreds of children from urban slum communities in Embu. Moving Mountains has been working in partnership with the school since 2002 when we first began coordinating support for street children and vulnerable children from urban slum communities in Embu.

We support the school to improve facilities and provide volunteers to assist with the development of the curriculum, particularly in non-examinable subjects (like music, sports, drama, and art which are not core requirements and generally not taught in Kenyan schools).

Gilbert Njeru, our Projects Coordinator in Embu continues to work closely with the school management to reintegrate street children back into education where possible and ensure that vulnerable and disadvantaged children from slum communities who attend the school are given the necessary assistance to enable them to pursue their education. This involves working with their families and with the wider community and also supporting them through our Embu Rescue Centre and Black Cats sports and rehabilitation programmes. Around seventy supported students from Urban Primary visit the Rescue Centre each day to receive a hot and nutritious breakfast and lunch, ensuring they don't go hungry and are able to concentrate in class and pursue their education.

Urban Primary is a community hub in Embu, the school allows Embu Black Cats to train on their football pitch in the evenings and allows community members to use facilities for groups, events, and meetings where appropriate.

History of the Project

2002 - Moving Mountains began collaborating with Urban Primary to support education for street children and vulnerable children in Embu

2010 - Renovation of classrooms - refitting of window panes and painting of classrooms

2014 - Provision of four European Voluntary Service volunteers to assist with the development of extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs, and non-examinable subjects

2014 - Painting of outside of all school buildings and installation of goal posts on school football pitch.

2014 - Embu Black Cats began using the pitch at Urban Primary for evening, weekend and school holiday training sessions. 

Main Donors

Northern Ireland Explorer Scouts

European Voluntary Service - Youth in Action

Get Involved

Volunteering - teaching non-examinable subjects such as music, sport, arts, ethics, plus running extra-curricular clubs and providing small group reading lessons, mentoring and group therapy work. 

Future Aims

Moving Mountains will continue to work with the school management committee at Urban Primary and with the education authorities to improve facilities at the school and assist them in developing the curriculum, particularly through the provision of volunteers.

We will continue to work with the school through Embu Rescue Centre programme to reintegrate street children back into education where possible and ensure that vulnerable and disadvantaged children and their families are provided with extra support and guidance. 

In order to do this, we depend on the generous support of our volunteers and donors. Join the Moving Mountains family today by making a tax refundable donation to our educational programmes in Kenya.