Schools of Hope

As laughter and singing echo through a community school in Mathare, a slum in the heart of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, the vital role of quality education becomes unmistakably clear. “It’s not that dropping out of primary school due to lack of sponsorship didn’t affect me, but I’m hopeful for a brighter future now that I’m back in the classroom,” said Hanif Mwangi, a 12-year-old seventh-grade pupil at the MCEDO Beijing School, in an interview with ChinAfrica.
August 11, 2025
Students of MCEDO Beijing School celebrate the school’s 16th anniversary on 23 June 2023 (XIE SONGXIN)

As laughter and singing echo through a community school in Mathare, a slum in the heart of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, the vital role of quality education becomes unmistakably clear.

“It’s not that dropping out of primary school due to lack of sponsorship didn’t affect me, but I’m hopeful for a brighter future now that I’m back in the classroom,” said Hanif Mwangi, a 12-year-old seventh-grade pupil at the MCEDO Beijing School, in an interview with ChinAfrica.

On his way home from school, Mwangi navigates a rugged path winding through rows of shacks tightly packed within the sprawling Mathare Township. With a growing number of vulnerable children in Nairobi’s second-largest slum, the rising rate of school dropouts in Mathare compounds the struggles of a community already burdened by widespread illiteracy. It is the second-biggest slum in Nairobi after Kibera. Most parents in Mathare can’t afford to provide basic needs like food and shelter.  

Despite significant progress in Africa towards improving access to quality education and ensuring the completion of basic education, disparities remain for children from the poorest backgrounds, particularly those with disabilities. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), many of these children reside in informal settlements.

In response, the Kenyan government, in collaboration with UNICEF, recently launched a programme called “Operation Come to School.” This initiative targets children aged 6 to 13 in 16 counties and informal settlements where the risk of dropping out is highest.

Supporting this effort, Transsion Holdings, along with other Chinese companies operating in Kenya, is enhancing the lives of children in Mathare’s slums by providing access to quality education.

“I became homeless after my parents’ untimely death. I took refuge at an orphanage in Nairobi which made it possible for me to get back to a Chinese-aided school,” Grace Odongo, a pupil at the MCEDO Beijing School told ChinAfrica.

Odongo believes that schools which support education among young learners in informal settlements are seen as a blessing to help to lift poor people out of poverty.

 

A blessing for impoverished kids  

In 2012, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya introduced the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association (KCETA) to the MCEDO Beijing School as a development partner. Thanks to years of financial support, student enrolment at the school has grown from 200 to over 500.

KCETA, an umbrella organisation of Chinese enterprises operating in Kenya, is bringing hope to young learners attending the MCEDO Beijing School in Mathare.  

Recently, the association donated approximately Sh6.83 million ($52,741) to the institution to support renovations and provide meals for students.

Benedict Kiage, the school’s director, noted that prior to the institution’s founding in 2001, access to education in Mathare was a significant challenge, leaving many children illiterate.

“The desire to see children in the slum access basic education motivated us to establish the school. One of the school’s initial goals was to keep Mathare’s children in the classroom,” Kiage explained.

According to school authorities, the management has implemented a school meals programme that provides each student with two meals daily. This initiative addresses the nutritional needs of students, many of whom only have one meal a day at home, while others often go hungry all day.

Like many informal settlements plagued by violence, crime, and gang activities, learning centres such as the MCEDO Beijing School are a beacon of hope for the younger generation in Mathare.

Zhang Zhizhong, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, recently highlighted the longstanding friendship between China and Kenya, noting that the embassy has supported the school’s students for the past 17 years.

“We will also provide new desks, chairs, and other facilities, and every student will receive a new backpack to support their studies,” Zhang announced after donating over $38,000 for school repairs and renovations following damage caused by heavy rainfall and flash floods.

MCEDO Beijing School receives a donation from KCETA on 23 June 2023 (XIE SONGXIN)

Indispensable contribution

Elijah Mungai, basic education director for projects in Kenya’s Ministry of Education, expressed gratitude to China for giving the country’s children the opportunity to return to school.

Mungai added that Chinese firms have consistently provided essential learning tools, such as desks, chairs, and free meals, since 2019. Powered by the Dream Building Service Association, a non-profit organisation founded by young Chinese volunteers in 2014, the Hanka Education Centre hosts more than 400 young learners. It is one of 15 learning centres established within the sprawling Mathare slum, all of which have benefitted from programmes sponsored by Chinese firms.

Hanka Education Centre’s Head Teacher Esther Dodo recently emphasised the transformative role played by Transsion Holdings, a Chinese tech company renowned for its smartphone brands, including Tecno, Itel, and Infinix, in improving the lives of children in Mathare.

Transsion Holdings has implemented several corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at improving education in Kenya and other countries. Among these is the Educate a Child programme, which seeks to enhance education for African refugee children. Additionally, Transsion’s public welfare projects, such as the Dream Sports Bag and Rural Multi-functional Classroom, aim to improve educational conditions for rural children.

Parents like Monica Akwino have recognised the positive impact of Chinese-funded learning facilities in Mathare.  

“Chinese grant-aided schools have created a conducive learning environment in our community. My child is not only able to read and write, but is also provided with books and meals during school hours,” said the mother of two.