Pacemaker International is a non-profit that adds value to the Kenyan 8-4-4 education system, majoring with the junior levels, registered in July 2013 as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
Contents
History
Plans to start Pacemaker International were laid between March and September 2012. It was founded between September–December 2012 and early 2013 by Peggy Ocholla.
Vision
We envision a Kenya where access to a high quality education is the norm for all children and where young people are empowered, and then engaged to lead change in their local communities.
Mission
To create equitable learning opportunities for students in rural and slum areas of Kenya.
History
The Promoting Access to Community Education (PACE) is a program created by Pacemaker International in January 2013. During this period, the PACE team begun recruiting volunteers through regular visits to Loreto Limuru, Loreto Kiambu, Buruburu Girls, Aquinas High School, Starehe Boys Centre, Lenana High School and Pangani Girls High School. A total of 63 applications were received in this first round.The same month, PACE trained its first bunch of volunteers, 24 of them, assisted by TAC Tutors from Teacher Advisory Centres in Nairobi, Kenya.
This pioneer class was sent to four schools in Nairobi: North Highridge Primary(PARKLANDS), Edelvale(KAYOLE), Farasi Lane(LOWER KABETE) and Moonlight Primary(KIBERA). By April, the Pioneering class had achieved 1721 hours in volunteer service.Pace won the Most Promising Project award-Dell Social Innovation Challenge in April 2013. The second bunch in the class of 2013 was trained in May. By August, the cumulative number of volunteer service hours increased to 2929 hours.
Led by Carol Theuri, Pace held an Amazyng Race Fundraiser in support of Youth Volunteer work in Kenya.Pace also partnered with Nation Media Group in the Nation Media Groups' Newspapers in Education program. During the August 2013 Graduation Ceremony, Pace graduated its first class of Fellows into Alumni.Pace was featured in the Clinton Global Initiative-New York as a leading example of young people innovatively making a difference in the global arena, in September 2013, and also in October when PACE's volunteer impact was featured on the International Day of the Girl Child publication. By December 2013, a new record had been set: 5235 hours in Volunteer service!
Between January and July 2014, a class of 110 volunteers contributed 13880 hours. Pace won the Harvard Graduate School of Education Bridge Pitch competition and was featured as finalists in the annual Transform Kenya Awards.
In 2016, a total of 127 volunteers set a new record of 100,000 hours of volunteer service.
The Program
It involves youth, especially those that have graduated from high school during their gap year before joining university. During the 9-month gap period after completing the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education(KCSE),Pacemaker International trains them to become Teaching Assistants in underprivileged primary schools. This program creates a win-win situation for the Youth and the schools under this program. The youth are engaged in development projects during this 6–9 months in the schools where they serve as Teaching Assistants.
Teaching Assistants start development projects in their schools and assist teachers with teaching related activities such as marking books, supervising exams, extracurricular activities to alleviate too much burden on the teachers. They submit signed time cards to the PACE office on a weekly basis. Besides,they fill weekly reports online to give feedback to their Teaching Assistant Coordinators to allow for their progress to tracked.
The high schools graduates apply to the Program through a competitive application process. The successful applicants are selected on the basis of academic performance, demonstrated leadership qualities and the desire to improve the quality of education in underprivileged communities. They undergo an intensive one-week training program before becoming Teaching Assistants. After the training, they are posted to respective schools close to their places of residence and disbursed with a regular stipend on a regular basis. They are expected to offer service for a bare minimum of 15 hours per week.
The community engagement in this program is currently limited to Primary levels of education apart from Longewan Baptist Secondary School Baringo
As Teaching Assistants, these youth are absorbed into a Fellowship,and called Fellows, where they undergo training s every fortnight to develop and sharpen their leadership skills. After their contracts ends, these fellows graduate into Alumni.
Partner schools
Drive Inn Primary School - Thika Superhighway near Alsopps. Bohra Primary School - Westlands North Highridge Primary School - Parklands Kawangware Primary School - Kawangware Jogoo road primary- Jogoo road Edel Vale Primary School - Kayole Dagoretti girls Rehabilitation school- Dagoretti centre Wangu primary-Dandora Tom Mboya Primary- Dandora Madaraka Primary- Madaraka Farasi Lane Primary - Lower Kabete Oloosurutia Primary - Kajiado Pangani primary- Pangani Jogoo road primary - jogoo road Kiwanja Primary - Kasarani Njathaini Primary - Kasarani Kamuiru primary - Kihara ACK Karura primary- Karura Mathari primary- Thika road General Kago Primary- Thika Athi river prison primary- Kitengela Komarock Primary- Komarock Uhuru gardens primary - Lang'ata Joseph Kang'ethe primary- Ngong road behind Prestige plaza.
Partners
Global Education Fund-Since 2015 Nation Media Group-Provide newspapers and reading materials for Reading Clubs Akili Dada-connects Young Women Leaders to PACE 25 Public Primary schools
Awards
Clinton Global Initiative University-Education Commitment of the Year,2012 Dell Social Innovation Challenge-Most Promising Project,2013 Harvard Graduate School of Education-Bridge Pitch winner,2014 Transform Kenya Awards-Finalist,2014
Current projects
The launch of PACE Alumni Board during the August 2016 graduation to: 1.Increase the ability and interest of high school graduates to serve as teaching assistants 2.Increase awareness among youth on the benefits of volunteering 3.Promote a culture of community engagement and continuous learning among the youth 4.Create an alumni network of youth who are informed, passionate and empowered to continuously contribute to expanding educational opportunities for at risk students The launch of the Afser Africa project directed towards the implementation of Social Development Goals(SDGs) Increase the number of volunteers and fiscal capacity of the organisation through its #ChangeForChange campaign.