Marketing - Kenyan Style

Mudzini School is slated to open in September. We will be bringing in sponsored students from the Kikambala area, and of course, the Mudzini girls and fee paying students from the Mombasa area. When we open we will have one class at each grade level from 3 yr. olds up through 8th grade. September is the beginning of the third term of the Kenyan academic calendar. Given this reality, we aren’t sure how many fee paying families will commit to leaving their current school at this point in the year. January marks the beginning of the new academic year, which is a more natural point for intake. Since we will be accepting students from diverse economic backgrounds, and therefore prior academic experience, we are being very intentional about the composition of each class so we can serve each student well. As we know, creating a truly inclusive environment requires a great deal of reflection and intention. We are sincere about this effort and committed to making it work.

www.mudzinischool.org

Marketing a school in Kenya has many dimensions. We need to be very thoughtful about developing a fair process for recruiting and admitting sponsored students. The village chief will recommend families for sponsorship, primarily students who are currently not in school.

Dinner party with prospective parents and supporters

In terms of fee paying families, we have developed a strategy based on Randy’s experience in the U.S. We are taking a personal approach, meeting with individuals and small groups, at restaurants and in our home to speak at length about the school program we are offering. The theory is that word of mouth is as important in Kenya as it is on the East Coast of the US.

We are also embracing a Kenyan approach to marketing. We are pursuing “activations” - setting up a tent with brand ambassadors and brochures to garner interest and collect names of qualified contacts. For example, we are setting up a tent at the Kenya Ports Authority which has over 7000 employees, of which 1,500 are in our target market. Additionally, Randy will give a more formal presentation at the Kenya Ports Authority Sports Club where people often stop in after work for a libation.

Mudzini School activation at Kenya Ports Authority.

Funding a memorial service ...

One of the more interesting marketing opportunities that was presented involves a Kenyan memorial service. It is customary in Kenya that memorial activities can last a month. A committee is formed to plan the activities. Each member pays a fee to serve on the committee and the fees are used to fund the memorial activities. Our marketing director suggested that we pay the fee to sit on the committee and in return the committee would allot us 15 minutes to market the school during one of the daily memorial activities. Unfortunately, our brochures were not ready in time to take advantage of this opportunity. .

The mazungu factor . . .  Being white in Kenya presents many opportunities and challenges. There is definitely cache associated with Randy having had experience running prestigious American private schools. At the same time, he has to be careful not to diminish the Kenyan educational experience and existing structures. It can be a fine line to walk. For example, people ask Randy all the time the names of famous children/families who have attended the schools he has run in America - the celebrity factor. Concurrently, we have been cautioned when waxing rhapsodically about our experience to imply that we have all the answers and have swept in to fix Kenya.

- Randy and Susie