Kiwimbi International
Creating Educational Opportunities Through Locally Run Libraries and Community Learning Centers
Fast Facts
Kenya
Brian Hegarty
2024, 2025
Job Training and Education
How Kiwimbi Is Making a Difference
Kiwimbi is an education-focused nonprofit operating in one of the poorest counties in rural Kenya to develop libraries, run outreach programs and operate a model community learning center to serve the region’s villages and settlements. Kiwimbi believes improved education can create a ripple, spreading from student participants in an ever-expanding wave of impact locally and beyond.
Kiwimbi partners with these underserved communities to establish their own locally-run libraries and community learning centers, providing academic support for primary school students, math and English skills for middle school students, and vocational training for young adults. Kiwimbi also offers facilities for increasing appreciation of the arts.
The Work of Kiwimbi
- Provides a variety of educational and vocational programs for primary-grade students and young adults through locally-run libraries, outreach programs and a model community learning center.
- Operates its Prep for Success program for 8th graders, focusing on improving their math and English language skills, and also provides nutritious lunches for students.
- Furnishes students and communities with a variety of school supplies, including laptop computers.
- Employs successful educational models from around the world, such as the renowned Teach at the Right Level (TARL) method, to ensure that students receive personalized instruction that matches their individual skill levels.
Initiatives Supported by Project Redwood
2024: $40,000 to fund a new computer lab to support the Prep for Success program, enabling the purchase of laptops and software, the hiring of a teacher, the funding of other school supplies, a portion of staff salaries, and school lunches for students.
2025: $30,000 to fund the Kakemer Village Library Project that aims to renovate a donated building into a fully functional, free public library to serve the educational needs of rural communities, improve literacy levels and support academic achievement, thereby enhancing overall community development. The project includes procuring English language reading and reference books from Kenya’s Textbook Center and utilizing local vocational training programs to construct custom bookshelves and install essential furniture.