ABOUT BAHATI
Bahati is a Swahili word that means 'good fortune'. The name was chosen by the founders in 2003 to mean that children who come to Bahati are fortunate because they fall into caring hands. Bahati Community Centre Secondary School is one of the most successful Projects of Bahati Community Centre.

Bahati Community Centre Secondary School is made up of bright children who see education as the way to a better future for them and their community. Parents of these children do not have enough to pay for their children's secondary education. Therefore, a group of young people in the community, who counted themselves fortunate for having been able to complete their secondary education, decided that their calling was to make this possible for others too. They were some of the youngest people ever to found a new school in Kenya, and they are grateful that their idea took off, and that the community has been prepared to contribute in terms of human resources, skills, material and finances to make the centre run.

Students perform an experiment in the new science laboratory built from funds successfully raised in 2007.










BAHATI'S ACHIEVEMENTS
In its six years' experience, the school and centre has achieved the following:

a) Created Forms 1 to 4 (age groups approximately 14 to 18), right up to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
b) Recruited 18 new Members of staff (teaching and non-teaching staff).

Bahati Community Centre Staff (teaching and non-teaching staff)

c) Enabled students to sit for their KCSE examinations from 2005 onwards and achieved good results.
d) Feeding Programme:The Centre also cares for the children by providing them with a hot lunch at low cost. Each child gets one meal a day to give them energy to study.
e) The Centre has recently established two simple hostels in the community to house the homeless. The homeless children fall into three main categories:

• Vulnerable Children: Those who live under difficult circumstances such as child abuse, neglect or abandonment.
• Orphaned Children: These are children rendered orphans either by HIV/AIDS or natural causes and have no relative to take care of them.
• Displaced Children: These are children who were affected by the post-election violence. They were displaced from the Rift Valley, Kibera, Mathare and Kariobangi slums where the violence was extreme. Some have gone through very traumatic experiences and require specialized attention to return to normal. Some of these traumatic experiences include witnessing murder, loss of parents and family, being attacked or insulted on ethnic lines, loss of property and being completely displaced from home and school.

VISION
Make education affordable, community-based and accessible to all children and youth, to empower them economically, socially, spiritually and intellectually for a holistic life.
MISSION
Educate, empower and impart orphaned and needy children with life-long social, spiritual, economic, practical and technical skills that will make them self-reliant.
MISSION STATEMENT
"Produce holistic, practical individuals."
CORE VALUES

• Godliness.

• Pragmatism.

• Initiative.

OBJECTIVES

• Cater for bright students who fail to join Secondary School due to lack of school fees.
• Provide quality and affordable secondary and technical education to students from poor or orphaned families.
• Create an educational centre where OVCs (Orphaned and Vulnerable Children) can be cared for, rehabilitated through guidance and counselling to make them successful, acceptable and productive members of the community.
• Provide after-care programmes aimed at equipping the youth with practical and technical skills e.g. tailoring, carpentry, masonry, dressmaking, knitting, hairdressing and technical and electrical courses that will provide students with self-employment.
• Enlighten and train youth in matters pertaining to personal hygiene e.g. basic health care and environmental cleanliness.

WHAT BAHATI IS DOING
Bahati works with relevant ministries, NGOs and CBOs to achieve its objectives. So far, Bahati has made the following landmark achievements:

Bahati Girls during an outdoor activity

a) Registration as a KCSE Exam Centre: This was achieved in 2007 through the Ministry of Education. KCSE Candidates 2007

b) Adaptation of Bahati Building: The School is in the process of buying the school building for expansion and modernization of the centre.

c) Recruiting new teachers: Every year, Bahati employs new teachers and staff to cope with expansion.

d) Expanding the classrooms : Funds were successfully raised to build a laboratory recognised for KCSE purposes, install electricity, and modernise the school facilities.

A student performs an experiment in the Laboratory Hall.

e) Increasing student intake : Students in 2008 number: Form One (110), Form Two (150), Form Three: (130) and Form Four: (134), i.e. a total of 524 compared with 470 in 2007. The latest student numbers include 35 internally displaced children, who sought refuge in Kayole during the post election violence in early 2008 and will be remaining in Bahati.

f) Increasing non teaching staff, such as cooks and caretakers.

g) Accommodation for homeless and displaced students : Hostel facilities for these were found in the community at short notice in early 2008. It has become necessary to improve and expand these facilities, and fund-raising is required for this purpose.

h) Increasing visibility of the school through :

• Culture and Academic Exchange Programme: Bahati is registered with the Globalgateway in Scotland as one of the schools in the world that engages in Cultural and Academic Exchange Programmes that promote global culture and understanding among children. This year 2008, Bahati is one of the schools that were invited to attend the International Children and Youth Culture Festival in Ankara,Turkey.



• Games and Sports: The Bahati Boys and Girls Football Teams are registered with the Nairobi Secondary Schools Premier League and are leading in their Group.



• Christian Union: Bahati has a strong Christian Union supported by the Global Youth Ministries (USA), Teens For Christ Kenya and The Eagles Landing (USA). Every year, the Christian Union, in conjunction with these partners, conducts Discipleship and Evangelization Programmes to promote the Gospel in Kenya.



• Haiku Club and its Activities: The Bahati Haiku Poetry Club ( known as the 'Bamboochas' ) started in January 2006 as part of the Kenya Saijiki Initiative, has already gained an international status, and has successfully encouraged neighbouring schools to join in the movement. Below, the Moderator of Kenya Saijiki awarding prizes to the winners at the Nairobi Arboretum ginkoo on Saturday 29 March 2008. In March 2008, the Bamboochas were invited to facilitate sessions on Haiku at the Embassy of Japan, Nairobi, during the Japanese Culture Week. More information here :
  
  http://kenyasaijiki.blogspot.com/2006/12/kenya-haiku-clubs.html
  

WELL-WISHERS' CONTRIBUTIONS
Bahati Community Centre Secondary School is grateful to the individuals and organisations which have been supporting it for the past few years.

UDP Team visit Bahati Community Centre, Novermber 2005

Above all, we wish to thank World Vision Kenya, and the Urban Development Programme (UDP) of All Saints' Cathedral Nairobi, who have at different times supported the school with project funding, with student fees and with its building programme.

The following projects currently under way would benefit greatly from your support:

1. Purchase and adaptation of the Bahati school building, which the landlady is willing and anxious to sell to the school. Cost : KShs. 2.2 million, of which KShs. 800,000 remains to be raised.

2. Purchase of neighbouring plots to expand the school, as student numbers are growing rapidly.

3. Sponsoring children : There are many. The cost per child is about KShs. 14,000 per term for fees, accommodation and food. This corresponds to about EUR 150 per child per term, all included.

More information on each of these issues can be provided via the following contacts:

CONTACT US:
+254 721 991413
+254 721 205397
e-mail: bahat934@yahoo.com

Bank Account Details:
Bahati Community Centre Secondary School
Co-Operative Bank of Kenya
Account Number: 0110039834900
Branch: Nacico
Branch Code: 11040
Country Code: KCOO-Kenya