ENAF, Malaysian High Commission Unveils 18th Mobile Science Lab at Kibera Primary School
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 30 – In a major boost to practical science education and student welfare, the Echo Network Africa Foundation (ENAF) led by President and CEO Dr. Jennifer Riria in partnership with Malaysia High Commission to Kenya through H.E. Ruzaimi Mohamad have officially handed over its 18th state-of-the-art Mobile Science Laboratory to Kibera Primary and Junior School and distributed dignity packs to support local learners, marking a significant milestone in regional educational development.
In alignment with the global celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day under the theme “Together for a period friendly world,” this strategic rollout marks the unveiling of the 18th mobile laboratory deployed by the Echo Network Africa Foundation (ENAF).
The initiative is designed to revolutionize the delivery of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) by targeting and upgrading educational resources across 14 distinct counties.
This signifies the second mobile laboratory sponsored directly through the diplomatic partnership with the Malaysian High Commission, following their inaugural donation to the Ngala School for the Deaf in Nakuru County during the ENAF Thanksgiving celebrations.
The initiative highlights a strategic intersection between practical STEM learning and gender equity, breaking down systemic barriers such as period poverty, social stigma and institutional under-resourcing that traditionally cause girls in underserved communities to miss school and fall behind in scientific pathways.
“We cannot expect students to compete globally through theoretical learning, yet a girl cannot utilize a state of the art laboratory if period poverty forces her to stay at home”.
Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Kenya, H.E. Ruzaimi Mohamad said the mobile science lab donated for the use of students at Kibera Primary and Junior school will be of great help for them to proper understand science well and improve learners education.
“We hope this donation of mobile laboratory will help them better understand science which is very important for the students to become successful in future “, said Mr Mohamad.
ENAF President and CEO Jennifer Dr. Riria in her remarks highlighted the link between infrastructure and dignity under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“Access to practical science infrastructure through these mobile laboratories is absolutely essential to ignite innovation,” said Dr. Riria.
“However, institutional investments in STEM must be protected by investments in human dignity. A girl cannot utilize a state of the art laboratory if period poverty or social stigma forces her to stay at home”.
“We can’t do it alone, We all have to come together provide an equipment like this in school, it is those challenges that we are trying to address, schools are going through a difficult time”, said Riria.
“We have already been in 17 schools, there is much that need to be done, I call upon Kenyans to come along and support”.
Samuel Onyango, Head teacher Kibera Primary and Junior and junior school thanked ENAF and Malaysian High Commission for the mobile science laboratory describing it as a good initiative that will be of great impact to learners in Science learning.
On global Menstrual Hygiene, Mr. Onyango said with a population of 1,800 quite a number of girls are set to benefit from the sanitary towels.
“We have some students in lower classes are almost above the age and it covers along the board, some you will get them as lower as grade 4 through grade 9 a big number from grade 6 upwards”, said Mr. Onyango.
He added that there’s struggle to get sanitary towels and a times they get from the ministry but are never enough calling upon stakeholders and other organisations to chip in and support.
ENAF through “Our Girls Excel Initiative” they pair STEM access with dignity support with this quarter alone, distributing 7,678 dignity kits to 3,855 girls to address school absenteeism.
“No girl should ever miss a practical science lesson because of her biology”.
“Our deep gratitude goes to H.E. Ruzaimi Mohamad, the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Kenya, for this second lab sponsorship, following the Ngala School for the Deaf deployment”.
“We invite corporate partners and policymakers to co-invest with us in building a sustainable pathway for girls in STEM”.
