Get Involved
Adopt a school, donate, or get in touch with the ARES team.
There are three ways to be part of ARES: adopt a school, donate, or get in touch to volunteer or partner with us.
Adopt a School · Donate · Contact us
Adopt a School
Adopting a school is a powerful, affordable way to change the lives of an entire school of current and future students in rural Kenya. Your support outfits a school of up to 400 students with an ARES server, notebooks, projectors, networking and, most importantly, local hands-on support.
What you get
- A plaque at the school recognising your gift
- A video of the handover ceremony and photos of the installation
- Regular updates on the school's progress and its future needs
- Rotary district and Rotary International grant templates, if you'd like to apply through your club
Ways to help
| Option | What it funds | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Add a new school | Server (30–40 users), 20 notebooks, 2 projectors, wireless mesh and one year of local support | $6,000 |
| Support an existing school | Ongoing local support beyond the first year | $750 / year |
| Upgrade a school | Projector $300 · notebook $200 each · mesh upgrade $300 | Per item |
Support levels
- Platinum: one or more new schools for three years, plus upgrades ($7,500 per school plus items)
- Gold: one or more new schools for three years ($7,500 per school)
- Silver: one new school for one year ($6,000)
- Bronze: any combination of support items, at item cost
Every level helps. Gifts can be made to our registered Kenyan NGO or, for tax receipts in Canada and the US, through Afretech Aid Society.
Donate
We are happy to accept donations of every size. Everything makes a difference to the future of a child. All donations go to our charitable purposes.
Donate online (Canada)
Canadians can give online through our North American partner, Afretech Aid Society, on CanadaHelps. Donations receive a tax receipt.
Donate by cheque
Make cheques payable to "Afretech Aid Society", a registered charity in the US and Canada. Donations are tax deductible.
- US: 1420 Chuckanut Crest Lane, Bellingham, Washington 98229
- Canada: Afretech Aid, 7692 Garfield Drive, Delta, BC V4C 4E6
Adopt a school
Want to equip a whole school? See the Adopt-a-School program or download the Adopt-a-School brochure (PDF). Rotary district and international grant templates are available.
Non-profit status
Kenya: ARES Education is a registered NGO with the Public Benefit Organizations Regulatory Authority (PBORA, formerly the NGO Coordination Board) and is tax exempt with the Kenya Revenue Authority. Registration number P051770531Z. Official name: African Ruggedized Education Solutions (ARES). PO Box 17089-00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya. Computers for Schools Kenya Complex, Mihango, Embakasi, CFSK Road. For questions, contact Wandeto Wamathai (see Contact).
US and Canada: ARES is directly affiliated with the non-profit Afretech Aid Society. US non-profit ID: 65-1221486. Contact: Mark Knittel, [email protected].
Contact us
We welcome qualified volunteers, partners and donors. The quickest way to reach us is by email:
- Kenya office: Kelvin Gitau, Operations Manager. Email Kelvin
- US office: Mark Knittel, Founder & CEO. Email Mark
Board of Directors
- Mark Knittel, Board President
- Bonnie Sutherland, Board Secretary
- Tom Musili, Board Member
- Sean Hogan, Board Member
Executive team
- Mark Knittel, Founder & CEO
- Ian Muiruri, Ol Pejeta Community Projects Manager
- Kelvin Gitau, Operations Manager
- Wandeto Wamathai, Board Member & Logistics
Want to support ARES? See how to donate.