MALAYSIAN HIGH COMMISSION AND ENAF SCALE STEM INFRASTRUCTURE IN KENYA.
BY NJOKI KARANJA
Nairobi, May 29, 2026.
A strategic partnership between the Malaysian High Commission in Kenya and the Echo Network Africa Foundation (ENAF) has strengthened efforts to improve science education and girls' welfare in Kenya's informal settlements through the commissioning of a state-of-the-art mobile science laboratory at Kibera Primary and Junior School.
ENAF and the Malaysian High Commission in Kenya team up to commission a state-of-the-art mobile science laboratory at Kibera Primary and Junior School.
The facility, officially launched on Thursday, is expected to enhance practical science learning for more than 1,800 students at the school while supporting the implementation of Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The Kibera laboratory is the 18th mobile science laboratory deployed by ENAF across 14 counties and the second such facility sponsored by the Malaysian High Commission in Kenya. The first was established at Ngala School for the Deaf in Nakuru County.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Malaysian High Commissioner to Kenya, Ruzaimi Mohamad, expressed confidence that the mobile laboratory would improve students' understanding of science and inspire future innovation.
"We hope this mobile laboratory will help students better understand science, which is vital for their future success," he said.
The launch coincided with the commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day, underscoring the partnership's commitment to addressing barriers that hinder girls' access to education. Through ENAF's "Our Girls Excel Initiative," dignity kits were distributed to female learners to combat period poverty and reduce school absenteeism.
ENAF President and Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Riria, emphasized that investing in educational infrastructure must go hand in hand with addressing student welfare.
"Access to practical science infrastructure through these mobile laboratories is essential to ignite innovation. However, a girl cannot utilize a state-of-the-art laboratory if period poverty or social stigma forces her to stay at home. No girl should ever miss a practical science lesson because of her biology," Dr. Riria said.
According to ENAF, the organization distributed 7,678 dignity kits to 3,855 girls during the current quarter as part of its broader efforts to keep girls in school and improve educational outcomes.
At Kibera Primary and Junior School, the intervention is expected to address longstanding challenges associated with limited science facilities and inadequate menstrual hygiene support. School headteacher, Samuel Onyango, noted that the mobile laboratory would transform science instruction by providing hands-on learning opportunities that have previously been unavailable to many students.
The school currently enrolls approximately 500 girls from Grade 4 to Grade 9, many of whom face challenges accessing adequate sanitary products. The dignity kits are expected to help ensure consistent attendance among female learners.
The initiative reflects a growing trend of collaboration between diplomatic missions and grassroots organizations to address educational inequalities through innovative and cost-effective solutions. ENAF has called on corporate organizations, development partners, and policymakers to support the expansion of mobile science laboratories across the country, citing them as an effective way to democratize access to STEM education.
As Kenya continues to prioritize science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, stakeholders hope that such partnerships will help bridge resource gaps and empower learners in underserved communities to compete in an increasingly knowledge-driven economy.
