Giving back to communities

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Africa House Trust (AHT), the charitable wing of Africa House Safaris. The trust has been established to allow us to reinvest in the communities we visit – a fulfilment of the commitment we have for our region.

Our ambition is to raise funds through the cost of Africa House Safari Tours and from donors who share our vision to improve access to quality education here in Kenya, starting with our flagship project Spreading the Word.

In a time of rising costs and limited finances for books, bricks and mortar, library provision in most schools in Kenya remains a dream. The majority of public (Government) schools lack teaching resources and the actual quality of learning is low. Only a startling 2% of Kenyan primary schools have libraries. As a result, children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in both urban and rural areas are not mastering the basic skills of literacy while at primary school.

The Spreading the Word project has been established to address this inequity. Our initiative is based on the principle that investing in books and libraries is at the heart of educational reform, and that creating literate environments and societies is essential for ensuring sustainable development.

The Africa House Trust will initially set up and resource libraries at two schools; one in Lewa Downs in northern Kenya, and another in an urban settlement within Nairobi. Our partnering schools will be meticulously screened to ensure proper governance and effective utilization of donor funds. An Africa House Education Officer in conjunction with the Principal and teaching staff at both schools will be accountable to the Africa House Board of Trustees.

In addition to providing much needed resources to approximately 800 children aged 6 to 13 years, the Spreading the Word libraries will act as creative hubs for learning, through the delivery of in-service teacher training and workshops organized by fellow educators, guest speakers, local artists, and visitors willing to share new ideas and specialist skills. The libraries will also offer a much needed space where conservationists and community groups dedicated to addressing environmental and health issues can hold talks for students and parents. Where possible, the provision of ICTS will offer unprecedented opportunities to both students and teachers by making them better equipped to embrace globalization and technological change.

At Africa House Safaris, we have always upheld high environmental and social standards, and the Africa House Trust, is a natural extension to our position as an ethically responsible travel operator.

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