Roshen Lakeview Academy

The Kenyan school challenging ingrained beliefs to give students access to education that is changing their lived realities

Roshen Lakeview Academy, an independent kindergarten, primary and junior secondary school in Port Victoria, Bukoma, Bunyala Sub County, Busia County, Kenya, is changing realities and restoring dignity and belief in education for highly vulnerable learners through a philosophy that is grounded in the belief that every young person, regardless of background, deserves the opportunity to learn and thrive. Serving a fishing community facing significant challenges, including poverty, flooding, high HIV prevalence, orphanhood, early marriages, and a limited belief in the value of education, many children believed their futures were already decided for them, with boys expected to become fishermen and girls expected to work in local markets. To fight these preconceived ideas, the school has created a culture designed to challenge inherited limitations and help students imagine entirely different possibilities for their futures.

Starting as a simple feeding programme while parents worked long hours fishing or selling goods in local markets, the school has since evolved into a fully functioning facility that follows Kenya’s competency-based curriculum. The approach combines academics with mentorship, leadership development, supervised study programmes, peer learning, sports activities, and confidence-building initiatives designed to help learners develop academically and personally. In the classroom, they engage in direct instruction, visual learning experiences, and projects that encourage collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. They also take part in daily affirmations that reinforce self-belief and aspiration, helping to challenge the ingrained negative thinking around inherited limitations.

The school prioritises digital literacy despite limited resources, using videos, digital materials, and technology-based learning opportunities to give students broader exposure to the world beyond where they have grown up. For vulnerable students facing unsafe or unstable home environments, the school provides boarding facilities, emotional care, mentorship, and daily support structures designed to create safety, consistency, and belonging.

Teachers are encouraged to think creatively, contribute ideas, and take active roles in extracurricular activities, sports, and student clubs to help provide students with a more holistic educational experience. They participate in classroom demonstrations during recruitment to assess how they interact with students, and, once recruited, they receive continuous mentorship, training, including digital literacy training, and professional development opportunities.

Families and guardians are also deeply involved in the school community, and many who once questioned the value of schooling now actively attend meetings, support attendance, protect study time, as well as participate in school activities and celebrations. When students face attendance challenges or unstable home situations, the teachers work closely with families, local leaders, and education officials to find solutions to keep children supported.

The school’s academic outcomes have become some of the strongest in the region, and it consistently ranks among the top-performing schools. In the 2025 KJSEA assessments, students achieved a mean of ‘Exceeding Expectation’ in all subjects, with 83% of learners averaging approximately 80% across most subjects. Alumni have moved on to prestigious national secondary schools and some achieved A grades in Kenya’s KCSE examinations.

Over time, the school’s success has transformed attitudes within the community, with families increasingly recognising education as a route to opportunity and long-term change. School leaders believe the model offers valuable lessons for other underserved rural communities facing similar cycles of poverty, low educational participation, and limited opportunity.