Grace Mwangi is a secondary school teacher from Nakuru. For years, she watched her students struggle with outdated textbooks and no access to computers. Last year, she decided to do something about it — and turned to Pledgr.
The Challenge
Nakuru Girls' Secondary School had 400 students and exactly zero working computers. In a world where digital literacy is essential, Grace's students were falling behind their peers in Nairobi and other urban centers.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, only 22% of secondary schools in rural areas have functional computer labs, compared to 78% in urban schools.
Taking the Leap
Grace had never run a crowdfunding campaign before. But after attending a Pledgr webinar on drive creation, she felt confident enough to try.
Her approach was methodical:
- Researched similar drives on Pledgr to understand what worked
- Created a detailed budget — 20 refurbished laptops, networking equipment, basic software licenses, and a teacher training fund
- Wrote her story from the heart — why this mattered to her personally as a teacher
- Took real photos of her classroom, her students, and the empty computer room
The Campaign
Grace launched her drive with a goal of KSh 800,000. Here's how it unfolded:
- Week 1: KSh 120,000 raised from family, friends, and fellow teachers
- Week 2: A local newspaper picked up the story, bringing in pledgers from across Kenya
- Week 3: A Nairobi tech company pledged KSh 200,000 in matching funds
- Week 4: Goal reached with 3 days to spare
The total raised: KSh 856,000 from 412 pledgers.
Grace's drive was funded 107% of its original goal, allowing her to purchase 25 laptops instead of the planned 20.
The Impact
Today, Nakuru Girls' Secondary School has a fully functional computer lab. Students attend weekly digital literacy classes where they learn everything from basic typing to spreadsheet skills and internet research.
Grace shared what the lab means for her students:
"The first time my students sat in front of those laptops, some of them had never touched a computer before. The excitement in their eyes — that's why I did this. These girls now have a fighting chance at the future they deserve."
Grace's Advice for New Creators
Grace now mentors other teachers who want to crowdfund for their schools. Her top advice:
- Be specific about your goal. "Fund a computer lab" is better than "help our school."
- Show the people behind the project. Photos of students and teachers make the drive real.
- Update your backers weekly. Grace posted photos of the laptops arriving, the lab being set up, and students using them for the first time.
- Thank everyone personally. Grace sent a handwritten thank-you note to her top 20 pledgers.
If you're a teacher or school administrator, check out our Education category for inspiration. Drives in the Education category have an 92% success rate on Pledgr.