As an educator for the last four decades I am really passionate about teaching especially when it comes to reading because I realised that if you do not know how to read you cannot learn.

You have to learn to read so you can read to learn.

Kusoma Tu Foundation Trust was launched in 2009 following a conversation with a candidate waiting to begin her exams, who confessed that she couldn’t read or write. Kusoma Tu was established to respond to the needs of children in public schools who were completing primary school and had not learnt how to read.

Beginning with one volunteer with three books, Kusoma Tu established a reading intervention program at Kawangware and Jamuhuri primary schools in Nairobi County.  We worked mainly in Kawangware primary school, with support from individual and institutional partners like the Braeburn School and Nairobi Chapel. In the first five years, we were able to teach over 250 pupils how to read.

I believe that we can teach everyone to read using the phonics and stories that are told in away that the learner can relate to their environment. Over the years Kusoma Tu has developed a range of resources including a reading manual accompanied by learning materials customized for the African/Kenyan child. In order to learn to teach reading the “Kusoma Tu Way”, the organisation has further developed training programmes and a training manual to facilitate individuals and schools to be able to effectively utilize our reading manuals and accompanying materials.