On Wednesday 5th March the Aga Khan schools in Kenya collectively presented a cheque of Ksh 1.2 million to the Kenya Red Cross and UNICEF to support internally displaced persons (IDPs). Numerous food and clothing items were also donated. The presentation ceremony took place at the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi. Students from the Aga Khan Schools performed songs, poems and peace messages for the Guests of Honour and the parents and students in the audience.

Kenya Red Cross representatives Dr Simuyu Tabu, Head of Disaster Preparedness and Response, and Mrs. Dolat Premji, Chairperson of the Parklands Branch, as well as UNICEF Communications Specialist Pamela Sittoni, attended the event and received the cheque. The ceremonial presentation of the cheque was done by the students who raised the highest amount from the Aga Khan Junior and Aga Khan Senior Academies.

Aga Khan Education Service, Kenya teachers were also recognized for the service provided to IDPs at various camps in Limuru and Nairobi in January and February. The teachers provided recreational and educational activities for children in the camps. Over one person-month of hours were donated by AKES, K teachers in this effort.

Kenyan Vice President, Moody Awori, consented to be the guest of honour at the Aga Khan High School Mombasa’s prize giving day held on June 23 2007.

Students provided entertainment during the event, and the three students placing in the KCSE 2006 top 100 received special mention (Idris Hassanali, 10th place; Caroline Mutuku, 13th place and top girl; and Aziz Rajabali, 61st place).

In Hon. Awori’s speech, he congratulated students and gave further recognition to the nation’s top girl, Caroline Mutuku. Following the event’s official ceremonies, Awori had lunch with staff and parents of Aga Khan High School, Mombasa.

Aga Khan High School, Mombasa now provides industry-certified training in Information and Communication Technology through the globally acclaimed CISCO Networking Academy Programme.

Since IT education is a highly valuable asset to potential employers looking for talent with the latest technical skills, the CISCO Networking Academy, created by CISCO Systems (a global leader in design and manufacturing of networking equipment), enables its participants to gain an edge when joining the job market.

The Harvard Business Review comments on the CISCO Networking Academy, "Cisco has used its assets and expertise, along with its worldwide presence, to create a program that no other education institution, government agency, foundation, or corporate donor could have designed as well..." (December 2002).

CISCO Networking Academy programme was launched in January 2007 and has been very successful. Over 20 Form 2 and Form 3 students are taking the first course - IT Essentials I - and hope to continue on to the CISCO Certified Network Associate courses next.

These CISCO certified courses are ongoing and interested participants are invited to call the school and arrange for an appointment to tour the school and learn more about the programme.