This archive report was first published on 18 October 2019.
Located in Laikipia North Sub County and Laikipia County, Segera Primary School has become a beacon of hope for pupils from warring communities. The school, which has 325 pupils, has provided a safe haven for children from the Samburu, Turkana, Pokot, and Maasai communities.
For Samson Lenguya, a Standard Seven pupil, the school has been a sanctuary from the conflict and violence that plagued his community. Lenguya's family was forced to flee their home after herders raided their homestead to steal livestock. He remembers the chaos and destruction that ensued, but he also recalls the calm and peace that he found at Segera Mission, where the family stayed for several weeks.
“Everything was calm at the mission and I felt that was the only place I could live without attacks,” Lenguya said during an interview at Segera Primary School.
Today, Lenguya is an engineer in the making, and he dreams of building good roads for his Samburu community. He is not alone in his aspirations, as many of his classmates share similar ambitions. Immanuel Oloitiptip, a junior moran, said that if he were not in school, he would be preparing to raid and steal cattle from other communities. But being in school has made him see things differently.
“I am a junior moran. If I was not in school, I would be preparing to raid and steal cattle from other communities. But being in school makes me see things differently,” Oloitiptip said.
The school's director, Serge Musasilwa, attributes the region's violence to the lack of pasture and water. He believes that the school's efforts to mould the learners into peace-loving citizens will bear fruit in the future.
“The Turkana, Samburu, Pokot, and Maasai children will not fight over grass, raid others for livestock and kill. They are peacemakers. Someday, they will meet as lawyers, engineers, doctors, teachers, pilots, and nurses. They will think of their professions and not becoming herders,” Musasilwa said.
One of the unique aspects of the school is that all the pupils speak only in English, whether in school or outside. This has helped to unite them and foster a sense of community.
At the school, pupils are taught about the negative effects of female circumcision and early marriages. Boys are also taught to respect girls, and the importance of being a responsible member of society is emphasized.
Despite the challenges they face, the pupils of Segera Primary School remain committed to their education. They have to brave the dangers of wild animals, including elephants, to get to school. Head teacher Julius Mutura said that when more than 20 pupils miss school, it is usually because a dangerous animal has been spotted in the area.
Elizabeth Ngawon, a 14-year-old girl from Samaria area, said that she had missed school on several occasions for fear of meeting elephants along the way. She wants to become a journalist to highlight the challenges faced by the communities.
