Kenya’s number 1 student, Tom Wanderi King’ori (left), and principal Mr. David Gideon Kariuki, surrounded by other students from Alliance High School celebrate the school’s outstanding performance.

The Global Peace Foundation reported four high schools implementing the Foundation’s Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI) ranked among the top 10 in the nation. The results of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam were released on March 3, 2014 by the Kenya’s Ministry of Education. According to the Standard Digital, Alliance High School was ranked first.  Tom Wanderi King’ori, from Alliance High School, was Kenya’s highest ranking student. Mr. David Gideon, principal of Alliance High School, serves as a member of the CCI National Advisory Council. Remaining six CCI schools also ranked highly, with mean grades of B and above.

The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education is an examination for fourth form students prior to entry into higher education. Students are tested in several subjects ranging from English, Swahili, Mathematics, and History, to Agriculture, Music, and Business. Exams begin in October and conclude in December. The results determine the student’s eligibility for higher education.

The March results showed Alliance High as number 1 in the country with a mean of A – (81.783). Maryhill Girls High School ranked second highest girls school in Kenya with a mean grade of A- (76.826). Kenya High School ranked third highest with a mean of A- (76.030). Nairobi School was ninth strongest boys school with a mean of A- (75.6). Starehe Girls Centre was the ninth strongest girls school with a mean of B+ (73.418).

Prof. Jacob T. Kaimenyi, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology commented, “I am pleased with the work of Character and Creativity Initiative for their collaboration to increase collective impact in changing school culture for greater results,” according to the Global Peace Foundation story. He continued, “Culture drives excellence! The change of institutional culture of under-achievement and indiscipline in our institutions of learning is crucial in creating a transformative culture of ethics and excellence.”

The Character and Creativity Initiative strives for school wide cultural transformation to focus on nurturing ethics and creativity in high school youth. This is in line with providing twenty-first century employment skills. Last year the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) issued a 3 year evaluation of school performance factors that included academic performance, school climate, student and teacher satisfaction, and student discipline. The results showed marked improvement in all areas for CCI schools. Many CCI schools reported underachievement and discipline problems prior to implementing the program.

The Character and Creativity Program has expanded to Nigeria, Uganda, Paraguay, Brazil, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Nairobi and Kiambu Counties in Kenya.

For the original story visit: www.globalpeace.org

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GPF received special recognition as a nominee for the UN Awards this year.

This year, the Global Peace Foundation was among organizations nominated for the UN Award for its significant contribution in sustainable development and peace for youth. They will receive a certificate on UN Day later in October.

Global Peace Foundation has been on the ground in Kenya since 2008 engaging local residents in community driven development.  Dr. Moon has emphasized that community driven development should be collaborative efforts with the local population that “taps into their creativity” and “empowers them to be owners of the solution rather than participants of a process.”

Through other initiatives like the Character and Creativity Initiative, U-Gen, and the National Youth Summit, GPF has taken on the issue of youth empowerment. Avenues have been opened for youth participation in government, community engagement, and entrepreneurship, as well as cultivating 21^st century job market skills.

A recent highlight of GPF’s ongoing investment into Kenya is Mutate Village in Molo of the Rift Valley.

Molo was at the heart of the post-election violence in Kenya in 2008. The violence burned down the village primary school and many homes. The village became deeply divided amongst tribes. Today, Mutate the Village is a hub of community driven development and reconciliation.

The primary school was rebuilt through the sponsorship of Global Peace Foundation Senior Advisor, and CEO of Comcraft Group, Manu Chandaria. His one condition was that the school teach members from all tribes. Mutate Village has also been the center of the Rift Valley Peace Initiative.

Last year, Mutate became the first All Lights Village in Africa.  100 solar-powered lamps were distributed to families of children attending Mutate Primary School, and solar powered street lamps were installed on the village streets. Service for Peace and Global Peace Foundation-Korea revisited the village in July to assess progress and map out the next stages of community development.

Timothy Gachucha of the Global Peace Foundation Kenya marveled, “I can’t believe how much change has occurred in the Mutate Village over the last year because of the solar lamps. It is encouraging to see how much the community has been able to accomplish.”

Health has markedly improved, especially for the children of the village. The fumes from the traditional kerosene lamps are particularly harmful for children, and caused causing asthma and lung disease.  A year later, many of these symptoms have decreased.

The All Lights Village in Mutate Village has shown remarkable developments in just one year.

Additionally the lamps have promoted education and literacy. Mr. Joseph Kimani, the Deputy Head teacher at Mutate Primary School told GPF,  “For the first time our school produced six students with over 300 marks in their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams while there was only one last year.” Teachers are now able to assign students homework which students can complete by the light of their solar-powered lamps.

Moreover, money formerly used to purchase kerosene can now be invested into other things that improve the quality of villager’s lives.

Furthermore, the solar-powered lights have brought the community closer together. Families with lights have shared their small blessing with other families from other tribes. And the community street lights have reduced theft and other crimes.

The solar-powered lights are only the first stage of development for the village. The essential point is that the villagers are the ones who are driving it. The next phases include improving access to education, developing livelihood, and cultivating community ownership.

Service for Peace and Global Peace Foundation expressed their long-term commitment in creating a model All Lights Village in Mutate.

Such ongoing efforts are empowering the people of Kenya to secure stability and development for their country, as well as rise to become a model nation in East Africa.

The original report appears on www.globalpeace.org.

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The 68th General Assembly hosted a special session today to scale up efforts for the Millennium Development Goals, eight time-bound, measurable goals to end poverty. According to the President of the General Assembly, H.E. Ambassador John W. Ashe, there are only 850 days left before the 2015 deadline. The United Nations is starting to draft post-2015 goals. H.E. Ambassador Ashe urged member states to consider a common goal “of which we can be proud, that leaves a lasting legacy, and establishes norms and frameworks that improve human well-being and dignity.”

At such a juncture, it is fitting to recall the Jakarta Declaration, issued on October 18, 2010, at the close of the Global Peace Leadership Conference, a remarkable assembly of religious leaders that convened in Jakarta, Indonesia.

At the conference, Dr. Moon called on religious and faith leaders to champion human rights and the fight against poverty while providing the moral leadership needed for this task. He said:

“The role of faith is vital in establishing moral and innovative leadership, because it serves as the bedrock for society’s collective conscience and sense of virtue. All around the world, the activism of such leaders are affecting their communities on political, social and economic issues ranging from championing human rights to fighting to maintain traditional values as well as engaging the Millennium Development Goals. Faith leaders include not only clergy, ministers, priests, rabbis, imams or monks but also lay men and women who are guided by their faith.Whether engaged in the profession of education, business, media, NGOs, politics or religion, they are motivated by faith and conscience to serve as moral and innovative leaders. Faith has always been a powerful motivating force in movements to positively transform society for the greatest good. Today, it is all the more important for people of faith to rise together, beyond our religious differences, and tackle the common challenges that are facing our communities, nations and the world.”

At the close of the Conference, Declaration signers committed, “with courage and resolve to forge vibrant and meaningful interfaith partnerships and programs for promoting universal social cohesion based on our common identity, shared values, principles, and morals,”  and to create “action oriented interfaith partnerships” that generate innovative programs to tackle issues such as health, education, poverty, environmental sustainability and the strengthening f families. 

Innovative initiative like the Power of 10 Rupiah, All Light Villages, and the Character and Creativity Initiative have resulted from these partnerships. Essential to these projects are the principles that guide and motivate these projects.

The Jakarta Declaration references spiritual leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and K.H. Abdurrahaman Wahid (Gus Dur), who set forth examples of the basic principles of most religious traditions as they worked beyond their religious community to serve humanity.

Dr. Moon also observed, “the founders of all the great religions were advocates for peace who championed the ideals of self-discipline and a selfless love for humanity. They taught and lived a life of tolerance and understanding, charity and brotherhood, righteousness and justice, and, most of all, principles and values. Their lives were a testament to the ideal that humanity is “One Family under God.”

Thus, key to fighting poverty, protecting the earth, or advocating human rights and dignity, are the basic principles and values that make up the foundation of a world of peace and prosperity. And central players should be religious and spiritual leaders.

Read the Jakarta Declaration here.

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Top: (left) H.E. Mwai Kibaki, former President of Kenya and Dr. Hyun Jin Moon during GPC 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. (bottom) Principal sponsors at the release of KIPRA’s CCI report, (left to right) Mrs. Mary Kimonye, CFO, Brand Kenya Board; Prof. Leah Marangu, Chairperson, Character and Creativity Council; Dr. Manu Chandaria, Corporate Sponsor and GPF special advisor; Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, Cabinet Secretary for Education; and Mr. Daniel Juma, Executive Director, GPF-Kenya.

The Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI) has expanded to Uganda and Nigeria. CCI was first adopted in Kenya at the close of the Global Peace Convention (GPC) 2010 in Nairobi. During the Convention, then President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Mwai Kibaki charged the audience to “leave something behind”. CCI is one of many outstanding outcomes.

In an interview on the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, Global Peace Foundation-Uganda Country Director, Milton Kambula said CCI is critical for the future of Uganda and Africa. According to Mr. Kambula, African youth lack places and role models to develop their character. “African children need to be nurtured, growing in the family and community, growing in school, and now from the school coming back to the community to lead and transform our nations.” Mr. Kambula is confident that CCI in Uganda can fill that need. “We have an opportunity. With the character and creativity initiative in schools, will now raise moral and innovative leaders that will drive the Pan-African agenda.”

When CCI began in Africa, starting with select secondary schools in Nairobi, Kenya, the nation was still recovering from the 2008 post-election violence. At the center of the violence were youth and unemployed young adults. Today, the landscape is different. Schools that were reporting arson incidents are now coveted by parents who line up from around the city to enroll their children. In August 2013, the Kenyan Institute of Research and Analysis issued the results of a three year study of CCI. It reported increased academic performance from students at CCI schools, decreased disciplinary problems, and improved teacher and student satisfaction.

At the heart of CCI is the conviction that educating the brain is not enough to produce future leaders. Dr. Moon has emphasized, “Education should not be just cognitive, it should mold character and cultivate the heart.” CCI is a unique, non-curriculum based initiative that engages multiple education stakeholders, from educators, administrators, students, parents and community members to create whole school culture transformation based on basic universal character qualities.

Below is Mr. Milton Kambula’s interview on the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.

For more information visit: LeadIn.org. The original report appears on www.globalpeace.org

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1st Visionaries meeting in June, 2013 at KCA University.

Global Peace Foundation announced the latest project of it’s Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI), a program called Leap Hubs, “Entrepreneurship & Leadership Incubators in Schools”.

Leap Hubs is a mentoring program build upon the core belief that “high school and university students are capable of learning successful leadership and entrepreneurship skills at a young age for economic independence, self-reliance and social impact for themselves and the larger community.”

The program provides “Hubs” where supportive and positive role models encourage innovative. The involvement of universities, businesses and community organizations open resources and avenues for entrepreneurial advancement.

It is supported through a partnership between GPF Kenya, Africa Nazarene University and CCI schools such as Moi Forces Academy, Buru-Buru Girls’ Secondary School and Alliance High School.

Leap Hubs, features students like 17 year old Brian Kirotich and 18 year old Martin Siele of Alliance High School in Kiambu County, Kenya. The two students invested their own time and capital to create a learning module called eMasomo. Their hope is that is can be used as a learning aid, particularly with students who are struggling with their academics.  And Stephen Njoroga, who has been dubbed, “Mattai’s successor.” Stephen and his We Care Club has planted over 10,000 trees to better the environment.

The CCI program is operating in Kenya, Uganda, and Paraguay with tangible results. Not only has it boosted academic moral,  it has been effectively transforming the school culture, as examples like the 1% club that encourages students of Moi Forces Academy to donate 1% of their time, money and talent to their school and community. It is a cooperative efforts between teachers, students, administrators, parents and the community to cultivate essential values for success in life.

Executive Director, LeadIn; VP, Global Peace Foundation, Tony Devine, likes to point out, “A person’s character quotient plus creativity quotient exceeds their intelligent quotient.” CCI is ensuring that the next generation of business, academic, political and media leaders are equipped with all three competencies.

The original article appears on www.globalpeace.org

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(left to right) Opening panelists for the CCI Forum: Jose Altamirano, Director of IDPPS, Lilian Samaniego, Paraguay Senator, Alfredo Jaegli, President of the Paraguay National Congress, Luis Scaso, OEI representative, and Hermelinda Alvarenga, vice-minister of Higher Education.

Dr. Moon has emphasized character education as a crucial part of educating the whole child. The following is a report on the work of Global Peace Foundation and its partners to implement character education in Paraguay.

Since 2008, Paraguay’s Ministry of Education and Culture, in partnership with Global Peace Foundation has placed added emphasis on character competency education.  With the belief and understanding that is commonly held by organizations including the YMCA and the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, that academic competencies are not enough to equip students with the tools necessary for a successful future, additional  curriculum has been introduced. This includes areas that focus on character and leadership skills such as communication, mediation and service.

In early June of this year, Phase I of the Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI) program was successfully completed. During this initial phase over seven hundred teachers were trained and educated in the CCI curriculum.

On June 17th, following the conclusion of Phase I, newly trained educators, students, teachers and administrators, convened for a forum on “”Character Formation of Paraguayan Youth”” at the National Congress of Paraguay, a sponsor of the forum. Global Peace Foundation, Ministry of Education and Culture, the Office of Congresswoman Lilian Samaniego, Together for Education and the Organization of Inter4American States (OEI) at the Congress of Paraguay were additional sponsors.

What was meant to be a modest gathering of educators, students and legislators, turned into a full house.  500 plus individuals, from all 17 states of Paraguay, gathered to share their experience and input on how their schools have been changed through the character education curriculum.  They also voiced their hope for continued implementation of the curriculum. This unexpected turnout forced organizers to “bring hundreds more chairs” to accommodate those who found themselves “standing at the rear and on the steps of congress.”

The forum was opened by the President of the Congress, followed by the unveiling of Phase II of CCI by GPF’s CCI Director, Juan Carlos Tominaga. Phase II will focus on nurturing creativity and building a transformative school culture. Ministry of Education officers, principals and teachers expressed their enthusiasm for the next phase of CCI.

As can be seen with the enthusiastic turnout at the CCI Forum in Paraguay, the curriculum is showing the importance of educating the whole child, both their minds and hearts to secure the success of future generations.

– To view the original article visit: www.globalpeace.org.

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Students at Lagata High School, a secondary schools implementing the Character and Creativity Initiative in Kenya.

While Dr. Moon was attending Harvard Business School, Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, came to speak. Dr. Moon recalled a student asking Mr. Buffett, “What type of person are you looking for to inherit your foundation?” Mr. Buffett responded that he didn’t know what he was looking for, but he knew what he was not looking for. He did not want a very smart, very well-educated person who did not have character.

As Warren Buffett’s reply demonstrates, academic competency is not enough to prepare students for their futures as heads of households, employees, owners, leaders and good patriotic citizens in a rapidly changing world. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 65% of today’s grade school students will end up at a job that hasn’t been invented yet.

When addressing the issue of education, a firm knowledge base is just one facet of the whole issue. Students also need essential character competencies. Skills such as communication, motivation, focus, dependability, and strong principles and values are the foundation for success and happiness.

A study by the Pew Research Foundation found that a majority of Americans say it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values. Yet, the spiritual component is rarely brought to the table when dealing with the issues of education.

Recognizing the importance of spirituality, Dr. Moon points out that effective character education has a spiritual core. Because humans are both physical and spiritual, without acknowledging the whole person, character education becomes shallow.

Students cannot grapple with fundamental issues such as human rights, freedoms and character without acknowledging the spiritual dimension of humanity.

Therefore, whether their future careers will be in technology, entrepreneurship, politics, non-profit or education, Global Peace Foundation is working to ensure that students are equipped with the character and moral and innovative leadership competencies that are guided by universal principles and values for the success of their lives, communities, and nations.

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Global Peace Foundation reported the success of the Character and Creativity Initiative in Nairobi Secondary Schools.

Dr. Manu Chandaria (center) with some of the school’s best-performing students.

In recognition of the successful implementation of GPF’s Character and Creativity Initiative at Maina Wanjigi Secondary School in Nairobi, the school welcomed GPF senior advisor and Kenyan corporate leader Dr. Manu Chandaria as the chief guest at a ceremony on June 26, 2013.

Addressing students, teachers, administrators, and dignitaries at the ceremony, Dr. Chandaria praised the Character Competency Initiative, which emphasizes qualities such as respect, personal integrity, and determination as part of the curricula, and said that plans are underway to engage the Ministry of Education to expand the initiative from 40 secondary schools to 400 secondary schools nationwide.

 “Without knowledge and character, we will not have bright future as a nation,” Dr. Chandaria told the assembled guests. He had previously opened the event by formally inaugurating the school’s new administration block, which was built through the support of a Constituency Development Fund.

Other invited dignitaries included Hon. Yusuf Hassan, a Member of Parliament representing Kamukunji, and Hon. Maina Wanjigi, a former Member of Parliament and patron and namesake of the school.

Hon. Wanjigi brought students and parents to attention when pointing out, “Luck is the extension of ability,” and “ability is the first child of discipline and determination.” He commended the good work that school is undertaking in guiding the students. And he thanked parents for entrusting their children to the school.

Hon. Hassan urged students to resist the appeal of drugs and criminal activity. He advised parents to be vigilant in monitoring their children and also pledged additional support in modernizing the school’s infrastructure.

Hon. Yusuf Hassan, a Member of Parliament, encouraged parents to stay involved with their children.

The school was established in 1989 as a mixed day school to address the urgent needs of the surrounding community through basic education and literacy classes, and special programs to combat crime and drug abuse. In a testimony to the school’s impact since the school’s founding, a majority of graduates have continued their education at local and international universities.

 This article originally appears on www.globalpeace.org.

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The following announcement was made on the  Global Peace Foundation website.

 03-Jun-2013 |

Global Summit on Character and Creativity

The Global Peace Foundation will be hosting its 5th annual Global Peace Convention December 5-8, 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in partnership with Malaysia’s Department of National Integration and Unity and the University of Malaya.

An all day Global Summit on Character and Creativity will take place prior to the convention on December 5, 2013 at the University of Malaya.

The Summit will be a networking opportunity that engages global educators to nurture character and creativity in their schools and effectively prepare students for success in life, work and their community.

International delegates include Ministries of Education, Leaders of Educational Associations, School Principals, Superintendents, Lead Teachers, Sponsors and other Stakeholders.

The Summit will also enable educators and experts from diverse backgrounds to share best practices. In-depth and interactive discussions will occur on the needs and approaches that empower global educators to effectively promote, develop and implement wholesome school cultures that nurture character and creativity.

This in turn improves academic performance, teacher satisfaction, and student motivation and decreases discipline issues and an array of social problems.

Countries (Partial List): Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, India, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Paraguay, Brazil, Ireland, USA.

For information on joining, sponsoring and partnering, contact:

Tony Devine Ed.D.
Executive Director, LeadIn; VP, Global Peace Foundation
tdevine@leadin.org +1 203-521-8648 www.LeadIn.org

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The recent article by the Chosun Daily on the  Global Peace Foundation’s work in Kenya commended the impact of the  Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI) in Kenyan schools.

The following is the presentation that Tony Devine gave at the Global Peace Convention 2012 held at the Carter Presidential Center on the  specific projects that CCI has sparked in schools around Kenya.  Some  have even garnered recognition from the UN.  LeadIn, the lead organization for CCI also has pilot programs in the United States and Ireland.

Global Peace Convention 2012 Opening Plenary – Character and Creativity Initiative

by: Tony Devine

Good morning everyone. It is a pleasure to be with all of you today.

Tony Devine, Executive Director of LeadIn, a Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF) initiative, presents at the Global Peace Convention 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Stephen Covey who wrote The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People always said, “Keep the end in mind,” So in the world of education, what are employers of the 21st century looking for? Two recent reports, have come out called Job Outlook 2012, by the Association of Colleges and Employers, and Are They Really Ready to Work by the Conference Board and the Partnership for the 21st Century Skills.

What are these employers, whether it be small businesses, medium, or large looking for in their employees? They are looking for young people; looking for employees who are ethical. They are looking for ethical workers, people who can be trusted with their clients and so on. They are looking for people with good communications ability. They want people who can actually learn on the job, and continue learning – learning does not stop when you graduate from college or high school. They want people who are motivated, who can actually take initiative. They are looking for people who can work with others, have the ability to solve problems, have good interpersonal skills, have a positive attitude, and are dependable. Now you don’t see here in this list, “We want people who have an A in geography, an A in math, a B+ in science.” These are the qualities that are desirable.

In Kenya, there are six million young people who are out of work. We have university students shining shoes on the side of the street. In response to both of these points, the Global Peace Foundation together with the Ministry of Education, Oxford University Press, and other really terrific partners, have come together, and have decided to tackle this issue of education by putting an emphasis on non-cognitive skills, building character and creativity. Something that schools do a very poor job of globally.

This initiative empowers students to be successful, not just in school, but in the world of work, even in their own lives, in their community. It focuses on building character strengths that are even more important than IQ. And also to have the freedom to develop creativity and leadership. , This is done by creating a high performing and caring culture in the schools. It’s supported by a national council that is made of the Ministry of Education, Brand Kenya and many other terrific partners.

What are some of the outcomes of this? You have teachers coming into schools now with a smile on their face, teachers who are going beyond the boundaries and restrictions of their role of teaching, to care, and to raise the whole child.

In Our Lady of Fatima High School in Nairobi, one teacher started an initiative called “Talk to Me”, where students can come up to her at the end of her class in the evening and talk not just about academic issues they are struggling with, but even personal, familial issues. It’s bridging this gap between teachers and students in a caring way.

At Moi Forces Academy High School in Nairobi, it’s a military school, all of the 960 students are doing the One Percent of Change and

Dr. Moon addresses members of 1% for Change and Peace at the Moi Forces Academy during the Global Peace Festival in Nairobi, Kenya in 2010.

Peace. They are actually dedicating one percent of their time, talent, and resources to improve their school and the community surrounding their school. Now in Kenya the academic year has ended.  These students are going back to their communities across the country and they are doing the One Percent of Change and Peace in their local home communities.

Right across the nation of Kenya, social enterprise has begun at Langata High School. A group of students got together and they created a small company. They produce eco-friendly charcoal out of waste paper, and they sell that to the vendors and people surrounding the school. In the process, they are learning these 21st century skills of character, leadership, creativity.

This is Supporting Peers in Need. In our partnership with the United Nations Environmental Program, this student from Our Lady at Fatima High School got invited to go to an environmental conference in Indonesia last year. When she came back, she was so inspired by all of this. She didn’t have a birth certificate in order to get her passport. She never left her community and all of a sudden she’s representing Kenya at an international conference. When she came back to her school, she started a program to raise funds to help pay for the fees of needy students who come from the slums surrounding this school. She put together a committee of students, high school students.  Not only did she help pay for the fees, but also for food for students who are coming from needy families, and even pay for a pair of shoes.  They decide and determine who gets what.

Stephen Njoroge has been dubbed  Mattai’s successor at the age of 12 for planting 10,000 trees through the We Care Club at his school. He was recognized last year at the UN International Day of Peace. (Photo credit: SARA MOJTEJEDZADEH, Nation Media Group)

You have a case of this twelve year old student, Stephen Njoroge, who felt that something more needs to be done to improve the environment. He started an initiative by planting a few trees.  This led to the planting of 10,000 trees through a group of fellow students, his own age that they call the We Care Club.  It was recently recognized by the United Nations.

In Buru Buru Girls High School, the girls in that school are planting trees, and they are associating virtues with the trees. So for example, one student might call her tree, the new sapling, the virtue of generosity. When she goes out to check on the tree every few days, she is also assessing,“Am I growing in my sense of generosity to others?” in a comparable way to how the tree is growing.

Over the last year and a half, 900 teachers and school principals have been trained in the Character and Creativity Initiative. We focused in on seven capacity building schools. This year this has expanded to almost 2/3 of the high schools, the public high schools in Nairobi County. And in August of this year, it is expanding to all 48 national schools across the country.

The program is being evaluated by the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis.  We have some preliminary results, the formal report will be coming in about a month.  But according to data from the Ministry of Education, the schools that are doing the Character and Creativity Initiative have demonstrated improved academic and student achievement compared to their cohorts. Also, they have reduced disciplinary problems. In one school, the disciplinary problems have been reduced to zero. So the vice principal has nothing to do anymore, he’s out of a job. And of course, it improved the learning environment.

Partners are coming out of their organizational silos to increase a much larger impact on student achievement. I want to thank you very much on your attention.

Thank you.

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