THE STORY OF CORNER OF HOPE
The Corner of Hope
Following the post-election violence in Kenya in 2007, many people were forced to leave their homes and settle elsewhere. Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps emerged in different parts of Kenya, where conditions were poor and children lacked access to education. Through a close partnership with the training college in Nakuru, a request came in to AMI to explore ways to support access to Montessori education for IDP communities. After multiple visits and many conversations with the newly named New Canaan community, their camp was identified and the idea of Corner of Hope was born.
Preparations for the Corner of Hope school in New Canaan started in 2009. One year later, in 2010, the first steps were made, with 8 trainees from the community starting their Montessori training, supported by 2 mentor teachers. Whereas the first children were learning in small tents or outside in the open air, the Corner of Hope is now a beautiful school building, built and cherished by the community. The Corner of Hope model has inspired many other initiatives, bringing Montessori to resource-challenged contexts. On this page, you can find a timeline of some of the milestones that have shaped Corner of Hope during the past 10 years.
Corner of Hope tells a story of achievements and challenges, of learning, of collaboration and innovation, and above all, a story of resilience and perseverance.
TIMELINE
2007 – 2020
2007
Post-election violence
People are displaced as a consequence of the post-election violence in 2007. They move to the IDP camp in New Canaan, Nakuru, Kenya.
2007
An improvised school
After they arrive in New Canaan, Judy, Jane and Hellen start teaching the children in the camp on a voluntary basis, trying to give the children access to some form of education.
November 2008
The idea of Corner of Hope is born
Sister Angela from St. Ann’s Training College shares her concerns about the situation in New Canaan with Lynne Lawrence and her colleague Dipika Lakhani. The idea for Corner of Hope emerges through visits and conversations with the community.
2009
The plan takes shape
Through the collaboration between St.Ann’s Training College, the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, Association Montessori Internationale, an inspired philanthropist and the New Canaan community, the plan for Corner of Hope takes shape.
April 2010
The first training
The first Montessori training starts with 8 people from the New Canaan community.
April 2010
The construction starts
The school is constructed by the community with lightweight roofs and handmade bricks. It takes about 1,5 years to complete the 8 classrooms, a kitchen building and toilets.
May 2010
The first classes
The first 197 children attend class in tents on the airstrip, while the building of the school starts.
August 2013
Elementary training
With guidance of the AMI trainer Jean Miller the first 6-12 training on the African continent takes place at St. Ann’s Training College. 10 Corner of Hope teachers are participating with an additional 20 from Kenya and Tanzania.
February 2015
CoH Kisima
After a request from the families, a second school is established in Kisima as some families from New Canaan relocate to this location.
January 2017
Samburu Montessori
Inspired by the model of Corner of Hope, two mentor-teachers from Corner of Hope relocate to Samburu, where with the support of a local foundation remote tended children’s houses are set up and members from the Samburu community start their Montessori training.
June 2017
AMI 3-6 International Diploma Training
3 Corner of Hope teachers start their 3-6 International Diploma Course in Tanzania.
August 2017
AMI 0-3 International Diploma Training
A tutor from St Ann’s who has been mentoring at Corner of Hope since the beginning starts her 0-3 International Diploma Course.
September 2017
The first elementary classroom
Parents and children are excited when the first elementary classroom is established, children can now continue their education up to the age of 12.
2020
New roofs and a bright future
After 10 years, New Canaan gets a new roof and renovations are done at Kisima. The new roof facilitates the continuation of this success story and marks a new phase of growth and opportunities for the future.
November 2008
The conditions in IDP camp New Canaan are poor and children do not have access to education. Sister Angela from St. Ann’s training college shares her concerns about this situation with Lynne Lawrence, the Executive Director of Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), and her colleague Dipika Lakhani and it is decided that they will look into ways to support the IDP communities in Kenya. Throughout the year, many visits and conversations with the community take place to discuss ideas and possibilities. During the first visit to New Canaan, Lynne Lawrence and Dipika Lakhani meet teachers Judy, Hellen and Jane. In an effort to improve the conditions for the many children in the camp, these women are voluntarily teaching, outside and in a tent. These three teachers from the New Canaan community will be among the first teachers of the Corner of Hope school.
2009
Through a collaboration between St. Ann’s, the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru (CDN), AMI, the insipired philanthropist and the New Canaan community, the plan for Corner of Hope takes shape. After many meetings between the different parties, agreements are signed in 2010 which marks the beginning of Corner of Hope.
April 2010
8 trainees are selected from the New Canaan community, to start their training at St. Ann’s training college in Nakuru. With the support of two mentor teachers and the tutors from St. Ann’s, the trainees undertake their training in the mornings and teach the children in the afternoon. As part of their training, every teacher makes a full set of Montessori Materials, which enables them to teach wherever they go. This training in 2010 marks the start of ongoing training, in which eight trainees from the New Canaan community undertake the training every year.
April 2010
The construction of the school starts with innovative, light weight roofs, made by members from the New Canaan community. It is not certain that the community will stay in New Canaan, and permanent structures are not yet allowed. Therefore, the roofs have a special light weight design which ensures they can be moved if necessary. The New Canaan community takes on every step of the construction process with some expert guidance. During the process, the building team learns about construction, from building the roofs to making the bricks and putting up the walls. These acquired skills create opportunities for the builders to find employment. All the water for the use of the school is sourced by capturing rain from the roofs in watertanks.
May 2010
After only one month of training, the teachers start with classes in the morning, using the materials they made by hand during the training. The school building has yet to be built, so classes take place outside and in tents. The conditions are challenging, but the teachers are resourceful and passionate. With the support of the mentor teachers and the tutors, the teachers persevere until the school building is completed.
March 2011
After 10 months of hard work the school building is almost finished and ready for use. For this important occasion, member of the Peace and Justice Commision Samuel Kimotho takes up the role of master of ceremonies and parents are invited to the school. During the celebration, the construction team receive certificates as an acknowledgement of their learning and hard work.
August 2013
Parents are very positive about the changes they see in their children. They express the wish for their children to continue in Corner of Hope after the age of six. As a response to this request from the community, the first 6-12 training on the African continent takes place at St. Ann’s training college. 10 Corner of Hope teachers participate in the 6-12 training, that takes place in modules given over 4 years.
February 2015
When some families from New Canaan relocate to Kisima, they ask whether there are possibilities to establish a Corner of Hope school there, so their children can continue their Montessori education. On the premises is an old building that had been used as a pig shed. This building could have housed several families. However, having seen the positive impact of Montessori education, the community decides to assign this building to become a children’s house. With support of the philanthropist, the building is prepared as a second Montessori children’s house. Corner of Hope Kisima is officially open.
January 2017
Inspired by the model of Corner of Hope and with the support from a local foundation, remote tented children’s houses and teacher training in Samburu are launched. Samburu is a very remote region with limited access to education. Additionally, the Samburu are pastoralists, moving between settlements with their livestock. The training of local teachers and the creation of remote tented children’s houses aims to tackle these challenges and to increase access to excellent education for the Samburu children. Two experienced Corner of Hope teachers agree to move to the Samburu region as mentor teachers, to support a team of newly trained Samburu teachers.
September 2017
After the cohort of trainees complete the 6-12 training, the first Corner of Hope elementary classroom opens. The 6-12 classroom is fully equipped with materials that the teachers made themselves during their training. Parents and children are very excited that the children can now continue their education at Corner of Hope until the age of 12.
2020
The iconic, lightweight roofs have protected children, teachers and materials against the rain and wind for 10 years. When the roof starts to show signs of weathering, the time has come to replace them with a more permanent roof structure. The school is now at the heart of the community and is there to stay. With walls solid as ever, and a brand new roof, Corner of Hope is facing a bright future.