Starehe Boys Centre

Starehe is a charitable boarding school for disadvantaged boys in Nairobi, Kenya. The school offers free secondary education to some of the brightest but poorest boys in Kenya, who otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn. The school has grown from its humble beginnings in two twin huts (still at the centre of the school campus) to educating 1000 boys at any one time. Competition for places at the school is intense. The school has an international reputation and has been graced by distinguished visitors including HRH Princess Anne.

Martyn was a volunteer music teacher at Starehe from 1996 to 1998. During his time at Starehe he led the school choir to considerable success at the Kenya Music Festival, gave piano lessons, taught western classical music in the classroom and led the music-making in assembly. He found teaching at Starehe quite different from schools in the UK. The Kenyan boys were desperately keen to learn and fully appreciated their educational opportunities, it being quite literally the difference between life and death for many of them. Martyn was frequently woken at 7am by students wanting the key to the piano practice rooms! He found it a joy to be amongst such enthusiastic young people.

In Jan 2005, Starehe Girls’ Centre was opened, the culmination of a long-held dream for Starehe’s founder, Dr Geoffrey Griffin.

MDMT is supporting Starehe in a variety of ways. We have re-established the volunteer music teacher scheme, which gave Martyn his opportunity to work at Starehe, and you can read more about our volunteers on this site. We have been able to purchase and send a digital piano to Starehe’s Music Department. Also, a collection of donated musical instruments has been sent out to the school, following an appeal to brass bands across the UK. We are currently collecting musical instruments, music and books to send to the Girls’ School. If you would like to help in any way, please contact one of the trustees.

Volunteer Teachers

Mathew Brooks

Mathew was the first MDMT sponsored vounteer music teacher. He took up his 2 year post at Starehe Boys' Centre in September 2004. Read an account of his time in Nairobi here.

Chris Walters

Chris Walters started work as our second music volunteer at Starehe in Jan 2007.  We will be posting details of his experiences here as we receive them!

Starehe Boys visit Macclesfield

In Sept 2005, we were delighted to welcome to the UK a group of boys from Starehe and their teacher. The visit enabled the group to take part in a special royal reception attended by HRH Princess Anne and the Vice-President of Kenya and also to perform at our second ‘Martyn’s Music’ concert. We were also able to introduce them to the wonders of fish and chips and Manchester United!

Read all about their visit through eyes of one of the young students here.