Building the Dream

Construction of classrooms, residence facilities and infrastructure for 3-year olds through eighth graders has been funded and is nearing completion.

The facilities are safe, clean and inviting.

As the school was being built, the contractors and architects used natural resources as efficiently as possible, keeping the carbon footprint to a minimum.

Architectural Design

The construction is designed for efficiency and permanence that will enable it to stand the test of time and become a symbol of stability to the region. The school is designed to easily convert classrooms to dormitories, as more space is needed for the coming grades. The first constructed building has both classrooms and dormitories for up through 3rd grade. The second building phase is constructed to meet the needs of the 4th – 6th graders.

Over the years a school farm was added, sewing center, laundry facility, science lab, housing and class room wings for students up to the 8th grade, teachers housing, a guest house, school nurses office, generator and is fully functioning up to the 8th grade for the since 2016.

Environmental Elements

We are studying "off grid" ways of pumping water from the ground, solar energy to power electricity, cooking and heating water. We are using an innovative and inexpensive sand filtration system to ensure pure drinking water. The agricultural program will look into the latest hydroponics planting techniques for maximizing crop yields. Our school farm, dairy unit, chickens, pigs and tilapia ponds not only feed our children but also provide a micro economy selling back to the community milk and eggs. This creates financial sustainability.

At long last the Nambale Magnet School will have a bio-digester to turn the effluence from the farm animals and human population to bio fuel in order to heat the water. A roof rain water collection system harvests rain water when there are rains and stores them in a series of cisterns to store water. A solar pumping system pumps the water to water towers for consumption. NMS tries to incorporate as many ecologically friendly building best practices as possible for a small footprint. These measures also contribute to greater financial sustainability.

Financial Sustainability

Many financially sustainable measures have been implemented to decrease operating costs.

Measures implemented today include:

School farm that feeds the children and sells goods back to the community: the school farm alone has decreased operating costs by 20%.
Sewing Center that sews the students uniforms and also derives income for sewing uniforms for other schools
Adult education computer classes in our computer lab
Incorporating a 2/3 ratio of paying students to vulnerable subsidized students. This model of inclusion also serves to destigmatize the subsidized student population
An internet tower to boost bandwidth for the school has a large enough capacity to rent space back to the community.

A major factor in Financial sustainability will be a community center that will serve the community and also serve as a major income flow to support the schools activities. As in most private schools anywhere in the world, endowments and donations will allow the school to expand but the day to day operational costs will be covered with these built in income streams.

Accomplishments to Date

2003: Birth of the concept of the Nambale Magnet School.
2005: Acquired a seven acre building parcel of land.
2006: Architectural Design and Drawings completed.
2007: Groundbreaking Ceremony.
2008: Completion of buildings for K- 3rd grades. Includes classrooms, dormitories, dining hall, kitchen facilities, bathing and bathroom facilities.
2009: Doors opened to our first elementary class January 12, 2009.
2010: Dairy unit and cow
2011: Chickens and chicken coop
2012: Expansion built to accommodate the 5th and 6th grades.
2013: School open to grade 5 and highly ranked on the 4th grade district exams.
03/2014: Computers and new computer lab funded and created
11/2014: Head masters house construction
02/2015: New classroom added
05/2016: Additional adjacent land purchased for teacher housing
06/2016: Karibu guest house construction completed
12/2016: Teacher housing renovations
01/2017: New tiling for hallways and dining room floors
04/2017: Electrical generator funded and installed
07/2017: NMS top graduating students now in some of the best high schools in the country
09/2017: New sewing lab, more sustainability for the Nambale Magnet School
10/2017: First adult computer class graduates
11/2017: Eighth grade class posted highest scores to date on Kenyan national exam
12/2017: Food storage building/warehouse construction
05/2018: Internet (wi-fi) booster mast antenna funded
07/2018: Waste to fuel biodiogester and full water collection systems funded
09/2018: NMS sustainable farming model takes root, FEATURED IN THE PRESS
11/2018: NMS students score highest in all of Busia County on the national exam
12/2018: NMS students graduate with flying colors!

Construction Stages

Construction of any one building on campus will not begin until all funding is obtained for that building. Future construction will include:

Additional Teacher housing on campus
Building for high school students. Land will also need to be acquired for the high school. We estimate a need of additional, to hold the high school, vocational and agricultural centers, and the Conference Center.
Construction of the Community Center. This element is critical to meeting our financial self-sustaining goal. In addition, The Center will enhance community involvement. There is a significant demographic need for a gathering place in the Busia District for civic organizations, business groups, and church retreats. This community and retreat center will fill this gap within the community. This center will serve as a meeting place where information is gathered and shared among the community. Adult education from this facility will create financial sustainability as well.

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