In 2014, we embarked on a groundbreaking education venture. Could we build a school in the midst of Kibera? Could this school break persistent models of education and mold critical thinkers, problem solvers, pace setters, innovators while staying grounded in values of service and community? The Kibera School for Girls was so successful we built a second in Mathare and today our students excel at top institutions around the globe. Our partnerships with leading high schools and universities in America have brought with them innovation and global thinking around educating the whole child. Deans of Admissions at the world’s most prestigious schools are frequent visitors to our campuses in Nairobi and the refrain is always the same, “How can you send us more students like these?”
What if
it was
Different?
An Idea for a Different School
Hope is built with vision and grit.
From Kibera and Mathare, two of the largest and most marginalized informal settlements on the African continent, to top schools and universities around the world, our students are fundamentally shifting the mindsets of extraordinary learning institutions. They are valedictorians, athletes, innovators, leaders, and, most importantly, changemakers in their communities.
We became parents and began thinking about the education we wanted for our own children.
We imagine a future where they don’t just have “new world” jobs, but where they are creators of new industries, of new opportunities.
Where do we go?
Where in Nairobi can our children, and children from all walks of life, learn together in a school that is excellent, inclusive, deeply Kenyan, and truly future-ready?
We couldn’t find that school, so we decided to build it.
Nurturing learners and leaders for a world where all thrive
Sankoré International is a center of excellence where every child is loved, understood. It is a school where beyond the basic skills, students emerge equipped to think critically and creatively, are passionate to bring about change, and can deftly navigate the intersection of cutting edge technology, innovation, arts, sports, and entrepreneurship.
Our school a best in class, future-ready center of excellence and uniquely and unapologetically Kenyan. Kennedy grew up in the Kibera slums. Through a combination of luck and vision, he has become a globally recognized leader and change-maker. He has learned as much from life on the streets in Kibera as from presidents and world leaders.
We have designed Sankoré International to be Africa’s first (and one of very few globally) mixed-income international school. We have experienced first-hand the richness of learning and growing alongside children who did not have, as Kennedy often speaks about, “their lives handed to them with a silver spoon.” Our students from SHOFCO Kibera and Mathare exemplify so many of the qualities we wish for our own children. Grit and grace. Hard work. Persistence. Gratitude.
Sankoré is an institution where we cultivate a dedication to developing our talents and passions toward true excellence.
Our school is a mixed-income community offering an unparalleled learning environment for students both with and without with privilege. All students will share the same experiences, play on the same sports teams, and perform in the same school plays. Together they will discover the joys of reading, of building a computer, frolicking on the playground, and designing community service activities. Bridging these divides will not be easy or without discomfort on both sides; but we will build this integrated community with thoughtfulness and intention; informed by over a decade of integrating world-class students from the slums into leading institutions around the world.
Our school community is a microcosm of what we wish the world to become -a community comprised of people from vastly different walks of life but powerfully bound together in the shared journey and vision to raise their children to live happy lives, discover themselves, and make a difference for those around them. Being a parent is a unifying experience. We all want the best for our children.
Sankoré is that best as we know it. Welcome.
– Kennedy & Jessica Odede
Founders, SHOFCO + Sankoré International School
