Amri School Survives Kenya’s Political Uprising


Regardless of the devastating political crisis that ravaged Kenya throughout the early months of 2008, the small Amri School, now located in Thogoto, Kikuyu, Central Kenya, managed not only to survive, but to thrive.

Through generous donations, Amistad provided enough funding for the school to bring water to their school’s new location, to purchase school supplies for the 120 students, and to support the school’s daily feeding program, which is a crucial element of its success.

“The children were fed in spite of the food shortages,” writes Pastor Joel Nganyi Amutabi, the founder and manager of Amri School. At a parents’ meeting, many admitted that they would not have continued to send their children to school had it not been for these meals.

But even with the necessary school supplies and regular meals, the students of Amri School face nearly incomprehensible struggles every day. Most have to walk a great distance to get to school, some even traveling up to 12 kilometers one way.

Amistad has helped the school supply some of the students with the required uniforms, as well as other clothing articles such as shoes. Amistad has also provided a bicycle to help with transportation. Pastor Amutabi writes, “We want to thank you for the support you have [given] to Amri School. It’s through you that we managed to stabilize the lives of these needy children.”