THE SARARA FOUNDATION’S

Nomadic Education
Program

Education is the most powerful tool which can be used to change the world - to conserve our wildlife and natural spaces.

To bring this to life, we deliver the best-in-class educational model, which is culturally relevant, to serve and educate both nomadic and centralised indigenous Samburu communities.

The world’s first nomadic Montessori Schools

Our vision has always been to create a school system that celebrates the Samburu's indigenous culture, heritage and nomadic lifestyles, while honouring the landscape and biodiversity.

We needed a pedagogy that suits the nuances Samburu’s culture and in 2019 we opened the first rural, Montessori schools in the world.

Samburu Age Sets

One of the many traits that make the Samburu culture so unique, is that they do not have ages, but age sets. The Samburu’s age sets encourage camaraderie, community and unity; characteristics that have helped the indigenous Samburu people thrive.

A school structured around grades would be in conflict with the Samburu’s cultural framework, and very confusing for young child.

A nomadic, non-permanent school

The Samburu are nomadic pastoralists who move with their livestock in search of grazing. The schools had to be mobile with the ability to be collapsed and moved to where the Samburu move.

The resident seamster at Sarara Camp made the school tents which are collapsed at the end of each semester.

Feeding Program

We recognise the difficulty and stress that the prolonged drought in Northern Kenya has on families across the valley.

In order to support the students with a meal that the teacher can prepare with limited water, all the children attending our Nomadic Montessori schools, receive a nutritious porridge during school hours.

Our Impact

2024

Pre-Schools

The Sarara Foundation has 4 Nomadic Montessori schools for pupils aged 3 - 6 in Namunyak Conservancy: Lengusaka, Ntaparani, Tintil, and Louwai Obo. The latter was opened in 2023.

Teachers

14 Qualified Montessori teachers.
Our permanent staff include 7 male and 7 female teachers. We supported 6 new teachers in completing their training in 2022 and 3 teachers qualified to further their training in Tanzania.

Graduates

Over 1,000+ children have received world-class early childhood development since 2019.

Enrollment

In 2024 a total of 185 children enrolled at our 4 Nomadic Montessori Schools with a near-equal split in genders:
96 boys and 89 girls.

Teacher Development

3 teachers are busy with their 3-6 International Diploma course in Tanzania.

4 teachers are pursuing the 6-12 International AMI Diploma in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Bursaries

1,962 high school and college learners from Namunyak received bursaries in 2023

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THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM

By investing in the education of the next generation of indigenous Samburu leaders, we aim to enhance their capacity and capabilities, ensuring the protection of this precious environment and its endangered species.

The Samburu are the guardians of some of Africa's largest remaining wilderness areas and many endangered species. The long-term survival of these ecosystems depends on supporting the young children born within these lands.

Before our Montessori preschools, there were no preschools within the Mathews Range, where Namunyak is located. While we're proud of the early childhood development foundation we're building, the next step is to support these learners as they continue their education in primary schools.

Government primary schools are available in some remote areas, but they are scarce in Namunyak Community Conservancy. Most families lack the resources to send their children to distant schools, resulting in many children discontinuing their education to look after livestock.

Teacher Judy Mugambi, the Head of our Education Program, regularly checks in with children now in government primary schools and their teachers. They are all doing exceptionally well, which makes us very proud!

News from our schools

NEWS FROM SAMBURULAND

18 Months later: How the trees at our Nomadic Montessori schools have grown!

Last May, our Eco Rangers planted 100 trees across three locations in Namunyak Community Conservancy and we’re thrilled to report that despite the tough conditions in Northern Kenya, they are thriving. Have a look!

Building futures – the vital role of teachers for Samburu’s indigenous children

This World Teachers’ Day, we’re honouring both our Montessori teachers and our Elders. In our Indigenous community, they are both essential – our Elders grounding us in tradition, and our teachers guiding us toward the future.

Teacher Stella Shines at International Montessori Event

When Teacher Stella Lenangoisa was recently invited to deliver a speech at the Annual Global Meeting of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) in the Netherlands, her presentation on our Nomadic Education Program held the audience spellbound!

The Year in Review: The Nomadic Education Program

Join us as we look back on 2023 and relive the highlights of our Nomadic Montesorri Program.

Meet Teacher Meshack Naiboro

Meshack Naiboro is one of the inspiring teachers in our Nomadic Montessori Schools! For Meshack, teaching is his life’s calling and he loves helping children from his community to develop and grow.

Celebrating bright new futures!

Our hearts filled with joy as we celebrated yet another educational milestone this month with the opening of The Sarara Foundation’s fourth nomadic Montessori School.

Healthy bodies, healthy minds!

Here in Namunyak, it’s not just our teachers who are committed to the growth of our future leaders – the entire community supports them as they reach many important milestones in their young lives!

Teacher Terry speaks at the 29th International Montessori Congress.

Congratulations to Terry Koskei, one of our Montessori Teachers, who was recently a standout speaker at the 29th International Montessori Congress in Bangkok.

The Sarara Foundation’s fourth nomadic Montessori school set to open soon!

We are overjoyed to share that The Sarara Foundation will be opening our fourth nomadic Montessori pre-school here in Namunyak Conservancy in the coming weeks.

Montessori teachers attend Language Training Workshop in Nairobi

Teaching is a challenging profession, and it requires a unique set of skills to be an effective educator. Recently, three Montessori teachers attended a language training workshop in Nairobi, where they learned about various aspects of language and how to apply it to their teaching environments.

Head Teacher of the Montessori Institute in London visits Sarara

We were thrilled to have Poinsy Pino, the Acting Head Teacher of the Maria Montessori Institute in London, visit Sarara

201 bursaries for students from Namunyak Conservancy

The Sarara Foundation issues 201 bursaries to high school and university students from Namunyak Conservancy

How we designed our schools to suit the indigenous, nomadic Samburu.

Creating a school system for indigenous, nomadic community requires its own set of rules. This is how we designed a school to celebrate the Samburu's indigenous culture, heritage and nomadic lifestyles.

Meet Teacher Terry

Teacher Terry Kosgei has been with The Sarara Foundation since inception and today, she is one of seven teachers teaching 130 children in English, Swahili and Samburu!

Meet Teacher Judy

From teaching under a tree in a camp for Internally Displaced People, to becoming Head of our Nomadic Montessori School Program, Judy’s story is nothing short of inspiring.