Girl's Dormitory

September 2005

In September 2005 members of staff from Burnside made a journey to Gorgor, Kenya. This was an initial planning visit to assess the the infrastructure and needs of the High School and the surrounding community. The teachers who visited soon became acutely aware that much of the community and the school itself were severely restricted in their development due to extreme poverty. For example, there is no running water in the school and extremely cramped dormitory facilities. Villagers are still living in primitive conditions including mud huts and the social issues of AIDS and female genital mutilation are major problems.

From the initial visit to Gorgor a list was devised detailing what and where support was required. The construction of a new girl's dormitory was deemed to be of top priority due to the cramped conditions and the serious issue of genital mutilation.
Cost: £15,000

September 2006

After a year of fundraising and donations we were able to transfer a proportion of the finance required to begin construction of the dormitory.

This was also followed by a second visit by Burnside and Beacon Hill staff. The staff saw how the money raised were being used. At this point work had begun on the dormitory.

The foundations had been set and lower brick work constructed.

March 2007

In March 2007 Mr Cheruiyot (Head Teacher at Gorgor High School )mailed copies of photographs of the progress being made in the construction of the dormitory.

As can been seen from the photos, the main structure of one building has been completed and construction of a second wing is under way.

December 2008

The final update from Mr Cheruiyot (Head Teacher at Gorgor High School on the progress of the construction of the Girls Dormitory was to confirm its completion.

The photograph (right) shows the completed dormitory in the background with the occupants and Mr Cheruiyot in the foreground.