Our school is currently offering free education to about 320 secondary pupils. When Catherine Omanyo founded Imprezza Secondary School in a Nairobi slum in 2001, her aim was to give all pupils a chance to go through school even if they didn’t have enough money. In 2003 Sarah Hulme, a student at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School, was so impressed with Catherine’s vision and determination to succeed despite. On her return to the UK she began to raise money to support Imprezza and the charity Operation Imprezza was born. Imprezza school was equipped with desks, chairs, a science laboratory, toilets, a kitchen and a library. A huge improvement was made to the health of pupils when the school introduced a nutritionally balanced breakfast and lunch for them 6 days a week, running even during the holidays. The school began with 100 pupils and by the end of 2007 had 220 on its register. This all changed when the elections at the end of 2007 provoked rioting and killing in the Nairobi slums and the school had to be abandoned. The charity agreed to remain in Western Province and bought six acres of land, the bungalow and a mud hut to re-establish the school. We have now purchased sufficient land to ensure we meet Kenyan Government requirements. The school is aiming to become self-sufficient by 2020 with 750 students on roll. The focus of the Academy at the moment is build, build, build! The new school is being built entirely by hand – there is no machinery or electricity in the area so even digging stones out of the quarry is back-breaking labour. We are very excited at the continuing progress. To date (May 2013) we have built 2 blocks of classrooms including laboratories, a toilet block, and a temporary kitchen. Currently under construction are the first of two dormitories. We have students in Forms 1, 2, 3 and 4 (equivalent to Years 10, 11, 12, and 13 in the UK). We also have a nursery class and one junior class (Year 1 equivalent in UK). (Information correct as of May 2013). How can you help? Please feel free to browse the information and images on this page. Check out our official website for more information about the work we are doing at the moment and how you can be a part of it. If you care to donate towards the cause, pr want to organise a fundraiser, please visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1010070
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