Chepchoina is a remote rural area in Kenya, about 380 kilometers Northwest of Nairobi. It is home to over 100.000 people who live spread out over multiple villages. In the past, there were only few educational institutions in the area however, in the past 5 years the government and private partners have built several secondary schools. Unfortunately, many young people did not have access to these schools as the level was too difficult. Furthermore, it proved to be difficult for the students to find employment after finishing school.
In 2017, the Elimu Mount Elgon Foundation started a project to improve the employment of young people in the Chepchoina region by opening vocational schools and providing degrees upon graduation. The project was executed in the Andersen Vocational Centre that was opened in 2013, by the largest farming company in the region, the Mount Elgron Orchards Limited (MEO).
Since 2018, the VTC has become a registered school and provides 6 vocational degrees; carpentry, sewing, masonry,
motor vehicle mechanics, metalworking technology and agri-business. Currently there are more than 130 enrolled at the school!