NGURUNIT, MARSABIT— The Kenya Drylands Education Fund (KDEF) is betting on both books and balls to secure the future of young people in Kenya’s drylands.
In a two-part weekend intervention in Ngurunit, Laisamis Constituency, KDEF launched a modern science laboratory on Saturday and followed it on Sunday with a major inter-county sports tournament bringing together youth from Marsabit and Samburu.
Lab launch: Learning by doing
On August 1, KDEF director Ahmed Kura officially opened a state-of-the-art science laboratory at Ngurunit Senior School.
Built and equipped by KDEF, the facility gives students in the arid region access to hands-on learning, experiments, and improved understanding of science subjects.
For years, learners in remote areas have struggled with lack of infrastructure and equipment. KDEF says the lab is meant to close that gap.
“This laboratory is equipped with essential facilities to support students conducting experiments and developing practical scientific skills,” Kura said. “Real community development begins by equipping young people with quality education and an enabling environment to achieve their dreams.”
He noted that improving education in dryland communities requires more than classrooms and teachers. It also demands modern infrastructure and learning materials that motivate students.
The lab is expected to boost interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). For teachers, it links theory to practice. For students, it marks a shift from theory-only science to learning by doing.
“For KDEF, this is more than a building. It is an investment in knowledge, talent, innovation, and the future of Ngurnit’s youth and the wider Laisamis community,” Kura added.
Sports: Building peace through play
A day later, the focus shifted to the field. Twenty-eight teams from Marsabit and Samburu gathered at the KDEF camp in Ngurunit for volleyball and basketball tournaments aimed at nurturing talent and strengthening cohesion.
Kura, who presided over the opening, said the games are designed to bring youth from different communities together through friendly competition.
“Sports build peace. They give our youth a platform to interact, learn discipline and respect each other,” he said. He warned participants to uphold discipline, noting that anyone causing disruption would be banned from future games.
For players, the tournament is more than competition.
“This has given us a chance to make friends and build peace between Marsabit and Samburu communities,” said one participant.
On the courts, teams competed before fans, using sport as a tool for entertainment, talent development and unity.
A dual approach to youth empowerment
KDEF says the back-to-back initiatives reflect a deliberate strategy: invest in education infrastructure while also creating spaces for youth to build life skills.
“Investment in youth does not end in the classroom,” an organizer noted. “Sports are also a classroom where young people learn discipline, teamwork, resilience, leadership and respect.”
The message to the community, KDEF says, is that when given opportunity, equipment and the right environment, young people in pastoral areas can use both knowledge and talent to build united, peaceful and progressive communities.
The Ngurnit laboratory and the weekend tournament now stand as symbols of that commitment, one strengthening minds, the other strengthening bonds.
