Tender Foot Self Help School
Tender Foot Self Help School was founded in 1996 by Esther Wamai, a former teacher at Mama Ngina Children’s Home.
On moving to Kangemi on the outskirts of Nairobi Kenya, she was distressed to see children as young as three years old roaming the streets unsupervised. With groups of local women, she formed a self-help group and organisation and registered with the Ministry of culture and Social Services.
The Tenderfoot Self-Help School began with eight street children being fed, clothed, and taught in a corrugated iron shack.
Through the sheer hard work and determination of Esther, now the school’s head teacher, Tenderfoot gradually grew into a functioning primary school for the Kangemi slum children.
The school aims to provide basic nursery and primary education to the eighth grade, homely skills, personal hygiene, food, clothes, and love to the children living in especially difficult circumstances.
The community of Kangemi has been directly affected by HIV/AIDS and consequently many children are homeless, orphaned or have only one parent.
The school relocated to a new building and purchased the adjoining property for future expansion funded by donations from agencies around the world.
The Rotary Club of Emerald & District Inc., Victoria, Australia District 9810 has been involved with the school over a number of years donating the furniture and a school bus.
Over a number of years the Rotary Club of Diamond Creek has made substantial donations to the Tenderfoot School. The club continues to sponsor individual students annually.
The Program is a RAWCS (Rotary Overseas World Community Service).
For more information visit: www.tenderfootrotary.org.au/
