Aberdeenshire Kenya Literacies Exchange Programme

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Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development (CLD) team were successful in securing an Education Exchange grant from the Scottish Government - Scottish Education Exchange Test and Learn (Year 3). This is the first time this grant has been available to CLD, as it was previously only offered to schools, universities, and colleges.

Six staff members from across the CLD service travelled to Kenya in February 2026 to take part in the Aberdeenshire Literacies Learning Exchange in partnership with Inspire Nyeri, Kenya.

The Aberdeenshire Kenya Literacies Learning Exchange has built an international partnership between Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development Service and Inspire Nyeri, a community-based literacies organisation in Kenya. Through virtual collaboration and an exchange visit to Kenya, the project has enabled staff to learn from innovative, community led literacy approaches used in Nyeri. Insights from the exchange visit have informed the co-development of inclusive, sustainable and outcome focused literacies models for use in Aberdeenshire. The project has strengthened professional learning, enhanced local literacies provision and reduced stigma around literacies learning.

Literacy is a foundational skill that improves life chances, employability, and access to services for children and families in both Kenya and Scotland. Throughout the exchange, the team were able to experience local culture first‑hand, explore traditions, and reflect on the similarities and differences in how communities approach literacy learning. Rich discussions around government policy, community history, and the role of literacy in everyday life created a meaningful learning experience for everyone involved. The opportunity to share perspectives with experienced colleagues in Nyeri was both inspiring and enlightening, strengthening relationships and deepening understanding on both sides.

This page forms part of the legacy of the exchange visit. Feel free to explore the wide range of photos, reflections, stories and learning resources we hold. We would suggest the starting point is the exchange documentary and photo gallery, which you'll find below.


Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development (CLD) team were successful in securing an Education Exchange grant from the Scottish Government - Scottish Education Exchange Test and Learn (Year 3). This is the first time this grant has been available to CLD, as it was previously only offered to schools, universities, and colleges.

Six staff members from across the CLD service travelled to Kenya in February 2026 to take part in the Aberdeenshire Literacies Learning Exchange in partnership with Inspire Nyeri, Kenya.

The Aberdeenshire Kenya Literacies Learning Exchange has built an international partnership between Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development Service and Inspire Nyeri, a community-based literacies organisation in Kenya. Through virtual collaboration and an exchange visit to Kenya, the project has enabled staff to learn from innovative, community led literacy approaches used in Nyeri. Insights from the exchange visit have informed the co-development of inclusive, sustainable and outcome focused literacies models for use in Aberdeenshire. The project has strengthened professional learning, enhanced local literacies provision and reduced stigma around literacies learning.

Literacy is a foundational skill that improves life chances, employability, and access to services for children and families in both Kenya and Scotland. Throughout the exchange, the team were able to experience local culture first‑hand, explore traditions, and reflect on the similarities and differences in how communities approach literacy learning. Rich discussions around government policy, community history, and the role of literacy in everyday life created a meaningful learning experience for everyone involved. The opportunity to share perspectives with experienced colleagues in Nyeri was both inspiring and enlightening, strengthening relationships and deepening understanding on both sides.

This page forms part of the legacy of the exchange visit. Feel free to explore the wide range of photos, reflections, stories and learning resources we hold. We would suggest the starting point is the exchange documentary and photo gallery, which you'll find below.


Sharing Stories

Six Community Learning and Development Workers travelled to Nyeri in Kenya on 2nd February for 10 days to develop opportunities to learn and share new skills. Learn a bit more about the experiences of everyone involved - below you'll find personal and team reflections, social media links and photos from the exchange visit. 


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  • Share Fraserburgh North School on Facebook Share Fraserburgh North School on Twitter Share Fraserburgh North School on Linkedin Email Fraserburgh North School link

    Fraserburgh North School

    29 days ago

    Heather was invited to Fraserburgh North Primary School in March to share her experiences from the Kenya Exchange visit. The P5/6 children from Fraserburgh North wrote letters to the children Inspire Nyeri is working with and the team were able to support them to write letters in return, which Heather delivered to the school on her visit.

    You can read the letters from Kenya here and here

    ">

    Heather was invited to Fraserburgh North Primary School in March to share her experiences from the Kenya Exchange visit. The P5/6 children from Fraserburgh North wrote letters to the children Inspire Nyeri is working with and the team were able to support them to write letters in return, which Heather delivered to the school on her visit.

    You can read the letters from Kenya here and here

    ">

  • Share Caithleen's Journal 7 on Facebook Share Caithleen's Journal 7 on Twitter Share Caithleen's Journal 7 on Linkedin Email Caithleen's Journal 7 link

    Caithleen's Journal 7

    2 months ago

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    Caithleen's Journal 6

    2 months ago

  • Share Caithleen's Journal 6 on Facebook Share Caithleen's Journal 6 on Twitter Share Caithleen's Journal 6 on Linkedin Email Caithleen's Journal 6 link

    Caithleen's Journal 6

    2 months ago

  • Share Team Reflections 2: Prison Literacies on Facebook Share Team Reflections 2: Prison Literacies on Twitter Share Team Reflections 2: Prison Literacies on Linkedin Email Team Reflections 2: Prison Literacies link

    Team Reflections 2: Prison Literacies

    2 months ago

  • Share Caithleen's Journal 5 on Facebook Share Caithleen's Journal 5 on Twitter Share Caithleen's Journal 5 on Linkedin Email Caithleen's Journal 5 link

    Caithleen's Journal 5

    2 months ago



  • Share Heather Reads Doric in Kenya on Facebook Share Heather Reads Doric in Kenya on Twitter Share Heather Reads Doric in Kenya on Linkedin Email Heather Reads Doric in Kenya link

    Heather Reads Doric in Kenya

    2 months ago
    Poster from Kenya event - With visitors from Scotland


    Heather West CLD Worker from Fraserburgh reads a Doric poem during the Literacy Exchange in project in Kenya.

    Sharing with kind permissions from University of Aberdeen, Elphinstone Institute. The poem A Tae be in Scotland was written by Hazel Addison https://www.abdn.ac.uk/.../search-the-doric/display/243/



    Heather West CLD Worker from Fraserburgh reads a Doric poem during the Literacy Exchange in project in Kenya.

    Sharing with kind permissions from University of Aberdeen, Elphinstone Institute. The poem A Tae be in Scotland was written by Hazel Addison https://www.abdn.ac.uk/.../search-the-doric/display/243/


  • Share Caithleen's Journal 4 on Facebook Share Caithleen's Journal 4 on Twitter Share Caithleen's Journal 4 on Linkedin Email Caithleen's Journal 4 link

    Caithleen's Journal 4

    2 months ago

  • Share Caithleen's Journal 3 on Facebook Share Caithleen's Journal 3 on Twitter Share Caithleen's Journal 3 on Linkedin Email Caithleen's Journal 3 link

    Caithleen's Journal 3

    3 months ago

  • Share CLD Team Reflections from Kenya on Facebook Share CLD Team Reflections from Kenya on Twitter Share CLD Team Reflections from Kenya on Linkedin Email CLD Team Reflections from Kenya link

    CLD Team Reflections from Kenya

    3 months ago

Page last updated: 17 Apr 2026, 01:23 PM