Mama Marlene Learning Center
The Mama Marlene Learning Center is the Imani Project's preschool in Misufini, Kilifi County, Kenya, offering local children their first classroom experience, often just a walk from home. What began as a rundown, poorly maintained facility has been rebuilt into a welcoming preschool space for children ages 3 to 5. But a great classroom is only the beginning of what these children deserve, and we're not stopping here. Here's a look at the preschool's transformation, and where we're headed next.
Strengthening Our Teaching Team
A classroom is only half of what a child needs — the other half is a well-trained teacher standing in front of it. We know that every child needs a great teacher and areas to play and interact with their peers. Our current rented location does not offer large classrooms to allow for hands-on learning exploration or easy access to a play yard. The children now must walk a short distance to reach an open area. Our long term goal is to build a new school for our children that will meet all their needs. Bringing on a certified head teacher is one of our most immediate priorities: Kenyan government regulations require preschool teachers to hold a Certificate in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) from a recognized college, and this change directly raises the quality of instruction these children receive every day and lays the foundation for everything else we're building toward. This head teacher will mentor our current teachers while guiding and transitioning us into our new school.
Looking Ahead: A Permanent Home for Imani's Students
The refurbished classrooms you see above were always meant as a bridge, not a destination. As the number of children we serve continues to grow — and as Kenyan government facility standards for schools continue to evolve — the Imani Project is working toward a long term goal: a purpose-built educational campus near Misufini designed to carry students from Pre-Primary through Grade 9 under one roof. The vision includes dedicated academic buildings, agricultural and vocational workshops for students, guardians, and the community, a kitchen and dining hall, and sustainable infrastructure with solar power, rainwater harvesting, and composting so the campus can support itself for generations to come. Local materials and labor will be used to promote sustainability and community ownership.
Uniting Our Preschool and Sponsorship Programs
We will begin with a new preschool, but our dream is to build an entire new campus that will bring together our sponsorship program and our preschool program into a single, unified educational community — replacing the need for the current physical rented building we have now and allowing us to better serve our sponsored children on one campus. Securing a certified head teacher today and building this campus tomorrow are two steps on the same path: giving every child who comes through Imani's doors a real, lasting chance at an education.
The learning center signage commemorates the late founder Marlene Anderson, featuring the Baobab tree—a regional symbol of strength, wisdom, and interconnectedness.
Join Us in Building This Vision
We're currently seeking partners — foundations, impact investors, and individual donors — who share this vision and want to help us build it. Contact us https://www.imaniproject.org/contact to learn more.