Located in Siaya County in Western Kenya, Uyoma Primary School has 450 students from pre-school to 8th grade. The majority of families are low-income subsistence level farmers in an area with high rates of malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Providing uniforms to needy school aged children has been demonstrated to improve attendance and academic performance. Kenya Connection provides jobs for HIV affected mothers to sew uniforms for children at Uyoma. Before the school uniform program began, many students wore tattered clothes to school. Uniforms offer a sense of dignity, pride, and belonging.

When Kenya Connection first began partnering with Uyoma Primary School, there was only one academic textbook available for each class. The District Education Officer cited this as the greatest need for the school as a single textbook was shared by the teacher and fifty students. By providing textbooks for all subject areas we enable all students to access school books.

Active involvement and support of the local community is key to development and success at Uyoma. Kenya Connection actively engages parents, neighbors, teachers, and community members and works closely with the Board of Governors and Parent Teacher Association. Recently concerned neighbors dug a well for the school and helped repair several classrooms.

Many students walk long distances to school and spend the day without food, resulting, in poor concentration and performance in the classroom. Kenya Connection is working to mobilize local farmers to provide a nutritious school lunch to children. We currently serve about 50 students.

Many girls miss school each month during their menses. Most families cannot afford sanitary towels and this forces girls to stay at home. By providing low cost sanitary towels we can help girls stay in school.