Hope Menorah Primary School

State Recognition

In August of 2022 we moved and are now able to use a large compound with a “proper” school building.

With the new location Hope Menorah Primary School was offered the opportunity to become a state recognized private school. The advantage of a private school is that the students and their data are recorded in the Kenyan system, in which their whole school career is documented. They also take part in the national exams in order to receive a certificate and therefore be able to attend secondary school.

After multiple assessments by various authorities, we received the certificate of state recognition in December of 2023. Hope Menorah Primary School is the only officially recognised school among 43 schools in Nakuru West.

Everyday School Life

The students are at school from 8 a.m. to 3.15 p.m. In Kenya it is compulsory to wear a school uniform. Help for Hope e.V. provides these to all the children. The school uniform also includes a sports suit, which is worn twice a week.

The subjects taught are Kiswahili, English, Mathematics, Religion, General Studies, Physical Education, Music, and Art.

Food and Water

In the mornings the students get a cup of porridge during their first break. Lunch time is at 12.30 p.m. when the children are provided with a warm meal. The daily meals contain rice, maize, beans, potatoes and ugali (maize mixed with water). They are supplemented with fresh vegetables.
Not every property in Kenya has its own access to water, and neither do we. Therefore, Hope Menorah Primary School has a large water tank with a capacity of 10.000 liters. This enables our students to access drinking water throughout the day.

Not every property in Kenya has its own access to water, and neither do we. Therefore, the Hope Menorah Primary School has a large water tank with a capacity of 10,000 liters. This ensures that drinking water is available to the children throughout the day.

Saturdays and vacations at Hope Menorah Primary School

A lot of students tell us on Mondays that they last ate in school on Friday.
This is why we decided to give the children the chance to have a warm meal at school on Saturdays. The school is also open during the vacation time to ensure that the children get a warm meal regularly. On these days former students, who are now too old to attend Hope Menorah Primary School, are also welcome to come and spend the day with us. They come in everyday clothes.
During this time, the Kenyan team comes up with a sporting, creative or musical program, so “Hope” is not just a school, but also a place to come together and therefore prevents the children from spending time on the streets as this can be dangerous.

“Hope” is not just part of our organization’s and school’s name in Kenya, but “Hope” is also the basis on which Shariff and Rodgers founded the school. They dreamed of giving the children in the Rhonda Slum a better future. When we talk about “Hope” now, we do not only refer to the school building itself, but also to the community of all those who worked together to make the dream reality.

The Property

The property covers 12.000 acres. The building has three floors. When the school opened we rented two of them. The kitchen and the canteen are on the ground floor and the classrooms and offices on the top floor. We have the option of renting additional rooms at any time to accommodate new classes.

On the school grounds we have a big schoolyard with various play equipment such as a swing, bars, a seesaw and multiple climbing frames made from car tires.