Blair in Kenya Inc

Hi everyone!

Following the amazing success of our Bridging the Digital Divide campaign last summer, we are launching another dedicated fundraising campaign for key infrastructure upgrades to provide critical support for the students at Blair Serem School in Iten, Kenya.

Bridging the Digital Divide Campaign

The previous campaign raised over $12,500, which funded the buildout of the satellite internet equipment and a 25-desktop computer lab for the school. This provided many students with their first access to the internet and computer learning, and the teachers report that the educational results have been incredible so far. The project was a testament to the dedication and execution excellence of the school’s staff.

Critical Infrastructure Transformation Projects

While computers are a key technology for the school, it is equally important to invest in the core infrastructure that supports the student population. Energy, utilities, transportation, and school facilities are all essential components for educational success. We want to strive to meet the needs for students and provide a stable foundation for years to come.

Based on this need, we are excited to launch the Critical Infrastructure Transformation campaign, which will provide much needed upgrades to the school’s services. This ambitious $80,000 fundraising effort will support multiple projects, outlined below.

As a reminder, all of the funds from this campaign will go towards Blair in Kenya, the US 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports the Blair Serem School. Donations are tax-deductible and 100% of the proceeds go to the school.

Critical Infrastructure Transformation

Solar Panels ($5k)

Modern Plumbing ($20k)

Dining Facilities ($40k)

Transportation ($15k)

Links:

Blair Serem School

Serem's Story - New York Times

Blair in Kenya Foundation

Thank you for your support! We will provide regular updates as the infrastructure projects progress.

My name is Alana Reddy, I’m from the Northern Beaches in Sydney, Australia. Recently, I had the chance to travel to Kenya on a medical internship. It was a life-changing experience. I witnessed the challenges many communities face in access to education, facilities and healthcare. Volunteering in local schools and hospitals showed me how powerful small acts of support can be.

I’m currently in the U.S. preparing to start college on a Division 1 Basketball scholarship at Lehigh University. This past year, I’ve been attending Blair Academy, where I’ve grown both academically and athletically, getting ready for Lehigh.

While at Blair, I met one of my teachers and assistant basketball coaches, Quinten (Quint) Clarke, who co-founded a non-profit called Blair In Kenya, supporting two schools in Kenya. One of the schools is run by Kelvin Serem, a Kenyan who once attended Blair Academy in the US on a scholarship, then continued to study and run Division 1 Cross-country at Lafayette (my future college rival!). After graduating, Kelvin returned to Kenya to run the school full-time, dedicating his life to empowering his community. His story truly inspired me.

Now, I want to help in any way I can. After having a conversation with Q and Kelvin I realised that I can use my passion for basketball to try to make a difference in these kids' lives. Right now, the kids play in the same clothes they wear every day, even during tournaments. With limited access to resources, they make the most of what they have—but I’d love to give them the chance to feel proud and united as a team. As a player, I know how much a uniform can mean. It’s not just about looking good—it’s about feeling confident, valued, and part of something bigger, no matter where you come from.

So, my initial goal is to raise $1,500USD ($2,000 AUD) to purchase basketball uniforms (approximately $600 USD) for the students at the Blair Serem School in Kenya, as well as books to help launch a literacy program. The uniforms will give the team a sense of unity and pride, helping them feel part of something bigger. Meanwhile, the literacy program will provide students with access to reading materials that can expand their knowledge, strengthen language skills, and open doors to new ideas and opportunities. I’m deeply passionate about both basketball and education, and I believe everyone deserves the opportunity and platform to pursue both.

Any donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. Even just sharing this campaign would mean so much.

You can learn more about the school at www.blairinkenya.com, or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/blairseremschool/.

Thank you so much for your support, any small act of kindness can create hope and joy! :)

Hi all!

I'm raising funds to help bridge the digital divide at Blair Serem School in Iten, Kenya. We are partnering with a non-profit called Bridge the Gap that specializes in building computer classrooms for rural education centers in Kenya. The funds will go towards establishing internet connectivity at the school, sourcing 20 high-quality, pre-owned computer kits, and sponsoring a deployment/training team to set up a the classroom for computer learning.

The name Blair Serem School comes from Kelvin Serem (or as he prefers, just "Serem"), my former Lafayette Cross Country teammate who attended Blair Academy. Unlike most other students, Serem made his way to Blair via extraordinary circumstances. He grew up in Kibargoiyet, Kenya and earned a prestigious spot at the country's St. Patrick school. From there, he distinguished himself as an excellent student and athlete, culminating in a 1-in-700 sponsorship opportunity to attend Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ.

After leaving Kenya to attend high school and college in the US, Serem never lost the roots to his community in Kibargoiyet. He eventually raised money to open the Blair Serem School in January 2014 to serve the children in the village and improve their education. The school has steadily grown to over 650 students in grades one through eight.

One of the next steps to improve the school's offerings is to add a computer learning classroom for the students. The budget for this project is $10,000, which will cover the following expenses:

Lastly, 100% of the funds from this campaign will go towards Blair in Kenya, which is the US 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports the Blair Serem School in Kenya. This makes any donations tax-deductible and guaranteed to go towards the project.

Thank you for the support with this amazing project! I am planning to personally be there to oversee the classroom installation at the end of July and will document the entire process to share with the Go Fund Me donors.

Links:

Blair Serem School: https://www.facebook.com/blairseremschool/

Serem's Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/07/sports/a-kenyan-runner-maps-a-way-home.html?_r=0

Blair in Kenya: http://www.blairinkenya.com/

Close the Gap: https://closethegap.co.ke/