Our Lady of Nazareth Primary

Our Lady of Nazareth (OLN) Primary School serves as a vital educational sanctuary for approximately 1,400 to 1,900 students living in the Mukuru kwa Njenga slum of Nairobi, one of Kenya’s most economically challenged informal settlements. Established to break the cycle of poverty, the school is managed by the Marianist Brothers (Society of Mary) and operates as a public day school following the Catholic “Five Characteristics of Marianist Education,” which emphasizes holistic development and social justice. The institution provides a comprehensive curriculum from preschool (kindergarten) through Standard Eight, supplemented by essential services such as a daily feeding program—often providing students with their only nutritious meal, a fortified porridge called ugi—professional counseling from social workers, and access to a library and computer literacy classes. Despite receiving limited government subsidies for textbooks, the school relies heavily on international partnerships, such as its “sister school” relationship with Vianney and the Marianist sponsorship program, which allows donors to cover the annual tuition and meal costs for children who would otherwise be forced into child labor or extreme deprivation.