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Tabaka Academy in Kisii County is transforming learning by taking pupils into the community once a month to engage in outreach activities focused on supporting the elderly.
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The initiative, in partnership with local churches, uses sign language training and community service to promote inclusion, empathy, and civic responsibility among learners.
A school in Kisii County is redefining classroom learning by extending education into the community through monthly outreach activities focused on serving elderly residents.
Tabaka Academy has introduced a programme that takes pupils out of class one weekend every month to engage with older persons, including those living with disabilities.
The initiative, run in partnership with local churches, includes visits where pupils and teachers use sign language—taught within the school—to communicate with deaf elderly residents and share information on national issues and government policies.
“We have teachers and pupils who teach and learn sign language in our school, and we decided to use our knowledge to serve those who are forgotten in the village,” said Geoffrey Ogeto, a teacher in charge of pupils’ and staff welfare. He added that learners are also involved in cleaning public spaces to build a sense of civic responsibility.
Ogeto credited the programme’s success to the school director, Mogendi Tamaro, noting that the institution is guided by Christian values that emphasize service.
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Speaking during the International Old People’s Day celebrations at Nyamarambe playground in South Mugirango, Tamaro said the school was founded in honour of his late parents, both teachers, whose legacy he seeks to preserve through community service.
The event featured cultural and church choirs performing for the elderly, while more than 200 senior citizens aged 70 and above received support items including maize flour and cooking fat. In a separate act of goodwill, Roseline Nyakona assisted an elderly wheelchair user with a blanket and food supplies.
Nyamarambe Assistant County Commissioner Benard Chenoi assured residents of security in the area but cautioned against isolated criminal cases, urging the public to remain vigilant and report suspects.
Pastor George Michira, representing the Abagusii Council of Elders and Development, emphasized the role of children in society as both cultural heirs and family pillars, calling for a balanced approach to youth upbringing in a changing world.
A message from the Principal Secretary for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs, Joseph Motari, read by Peter Ochieng, praised Tabaka Academy for integrating service into learning.
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He encouraged the media to highlight the challenges facing vulnerable groups in rural areas, including children, the elderly, and widows, to inform policy action.
The PS also reaffirmed government commitment to protecting older persons through the Inua Jamii Cash Transfer Programme and ongoing legislative reforms.
The initiative highlights how schools can move beyond academic instruction to nurture empathy, responsibility, and community engagement among learners while supporting vulnerable members of society.
By Enock Okong’o
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