{"id":5194,"date":"2026-07-21T15:09:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T12:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/?p=5194"},"modified":"2026-07-21T15:12:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T12:12:24","slug":"building-a-culture-of-care-how-teachers-in-nakuru-are-building-schools-where-care-becomes-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/2026\/07\/21\/building-a-culture-of-care-how-teachers-in-nakuru-are-building-schools-where-care-becomes-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a Culture of Care: How Teachers in Nakuru Are Building Schools Where Care Becomes Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5194\" class=\"elementor elementor-5194\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-84522bc elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"84522bc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d2e40d2\" data-id=\"d2e40d2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59efbce elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"59efbce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1704\" src=\"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-5196\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training-930x620.jpg 930w, https:\/\/emsingi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PSS-Nakuru-Training-600x399.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6a9a9297 elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6a9a9297\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6e340d04\" data-id=\"6e340d04\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-cba66d3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cba66d3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-2cd1a9d\" data-id=\"2cd1a9d\" data-element_type=\"column\" id=\"tag-col\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55a5774 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"55a5774\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"#\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Guidance  &amp; Counselling<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-4827ee2\" data-id=\"4827ee2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c80b42f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c80b42f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 21, 2026 \u2022 5 min read\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98a14c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"98a14c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Building a Culture of Care<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a7bb069 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a7bb069\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How Teachers in Nakuru Are Building Schools Where Care Becomes Culture<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6dd2798 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6dd2798\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f892d59 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"f892d59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"share-section\">\r\n    <span class=\"share-label\">Share:<\/span>\r\n\r\n    <button class=\"share-btn\" onclick=\"shareTo('facebook')\">\r\n        Facebook\r\n    <\/button>\r\n\r\n    <button class=\"share-btn\" onclick=\"shareTo('linkedin')\">\r\n        LinkedIn\r\n    <\/button>\r\n\r\n    <button class=\"share-btn\" onclick=\"shareTo('instagram')\">\r\n        Instagram\r\n    <\/button>\r\n\r\n    <button class=\"share-btn\" onclick=\"shareTo('youtube')\">\r\n        YouTube\r\n    <\/button>\r\n\r\n    <button class=\"share-btn\" onclick=\"shareTo('tiktok')\">\r\n        TikTok\r\n    <\/button>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>\r\n    function shareTo(platform) {\r\n\r\n    const url = encodeURIComponent(window.location.href);\r\n    const title = encodeURIComponent(document.title);\r\n\r\n    let shareUrl = \"\";\r\n\r\n    switch(platform){\r\n\r\n        case \"facebook\":\r\n            shareUrl = `https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=${url}`;\r\n            break;\r\n\r\n        case \"linkedin\":\r\n            shareUrl = `https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=${url}`;\r\n            break;\r\n\r\n        case \"youtube\":\r\n            alert(\"YouTube does not support sharing external webpages directly.\");\r\n            return;\r\n\r\n        case \"instagram\":\r\n            copyLinkAndOpen(\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/\");\r\n            return;\r\n\r\n        case \"tiktok\":\r\n            copyLinkAndOpen(\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/\");\r\n            return;\r\n    }\r\n\r\n    window.open(\r\n        shareUrl,\r\n        \"_blank\",\r\n        \"width=650,height=600\"\r\n    );\r\n\r\n}\r\n\r\nfunction copyLinkAndOpen(url){\r\n\r\n    navigator.clipboard.writeText(window.location.href)\r\n        .then(() => {\r\n            alert(\"Page link copied to clipboard. Paste it into your post.\");\r\n            window.open(url, \"_blank\");\r\n        })\r\n        .catch(() => {\r\n            window.open(url, \"_blank\");\r\n        });\r\n\r\n}\r\n<\/script>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4e1447c elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4e1447c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3af2197\" data-id=\"3af2197\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5939a00 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5939a00\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Academic excellence has long been the measure of a successful school. Increasingly, however, educators are recognizing that achievement cannot be separated from wellbeing. Learners cannot thrive when they feel unsafe, and teachers cannot effectively support their students while experiencing burnout. Building healthier schools therefore begins with building healthier educators and stronger systems of care.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This reality was the driving force behind a vital Culture of Care training workshop held on 11th July 2026 at Nakuru Boys High School. Organized by Madam Felicina Ngugi, Head of Guidance and Counselling (G&amp;C) at Nakuru High School, the session brought together 58 teachers from schools across Nakuru County, including Molo, Elburgon, Njoro, Narok, Maai Mahiu, Naivasha and Gilgil. Delivered under the Psychosocial Support (PSS) Pillar of Strathmore University&#8217;s eMsingi Programme, the workshop sought to address a critical yet often overlooked gap: equipping teachers to care for their own mental wellbeing, respond effectively to the psychosocial needs of learners, and build sustainable wellness and Guidance &amp; Counselling structures that become part of a school&#8217;s culture.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Healthy schools are built by healthy people,&#8221; remarked Nancy Wanjiru Karanja, a counselling psychologist and facilitator from eMsingi. Her message was grounded in a sobering reality. Across Kenya, teacher wellbeing is under increasing strain, with many educators experiencing burnout, emotional exhaustion and significant mental health challenges. Yet the profession continues to be shaped by the misconception that resilient teachers should simply cope in silence.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The training challenged that narrative head-on. Participants explored mental wellbeing not as the absence of struggle, but as the ability to recognize stress early, build resilience, maintain healthy boundaries and seek support when necessary. Through practical exercises, teachers learned the difference between preventative and curative mental health care, leaving with simple, sustainable practices they could incorporate into their daily lives to identify warning signs before reaching a breaking point.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The conversation then shifted from caring for educators to understanding learners. Drawing on developmental psychology, the training demonstrated that behavior is often a form of communication rather than an act of defiance. Whether examining a child withdrawing because they feel incapable or an adolescent seeking validation online while struggling with identity, teachers were encouraged to replace the question<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, &#8220;What&#8217;s wrong with this learner?&#8221;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;What might this learner be experiencing?&#8221;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Using<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the practical Notice, Connect, Support, Refer (NCSR) framework, participants strengthened their ability to identify concerns, initiate supportive conversations, maintain professional boundaries and make appropriate referrals when additional intervention was needed.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps the workshop&#8217;s most significant message was that meaningful care must be embedded within the systems that shape everyday school life. Through strategic planning activities, participants began designing Guidance and Counselling and wellness initiatives tailored to their own school contexts, ensuring that support structures would continue to serve learners and staff long after current leaders have moved on.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the conclusion of the training, the educators were awarded certificates in recognition of their commitment to strengthening psychosocial support within their schools. They returned to their communities with practical tools, renewed purpose and a shared commitment to building school cultures where both educators and learners feel seen, supported and empowered to thrive.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-By Samantha Mumbi<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guidance  &#038; Counselling<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5196,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","filesize_raw":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[36,48,51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-e-msingi-newroom","category-guidance-and-counselling","category-spotlight"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5194"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5199,"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5194\/revisions\/5199"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emsingi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}