Aberdeenshire Kenya Literacies Exchange Programme

Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development (CLD) team has been 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 have been selected to take part in an Aberdeenshire Literacies Learning Exchange in Nyeri, Kenya, from 2nd to 12th February 2026.

This project will build on established connections to foster relationships between CLD Workers in Aberdeenshire and Inspire Nyeri, a community-based literacies project in Kenya. The exchange will enable CLD Workers from Aberdeenshire to visit Nyeri and actively participate in literacy learning and delivery. By learning from literacy practices in Kenya, the project aims to develop more inclusive and sustainable, outcome-focused literacy learning opportunities for our communities and families in Aberdeenshire.

Literacy is a foundational skill that improves life chances, employability, and access to services for children and families in both Kenya and Scotland. By sharing and adapting Inspire Nyeri’s community-based literacy approaches, the project aims to enhance lifelong and life-wide learning in both countries—key to breaking the cycle of poverty and supporting children and families.

You can keep up to date with our project by following our team journal, we plan to provide a range of videos, photographs and reflections while we are away.

For our Kenyan partners and friends we are keen to share Aberdeenshire with you! You'll find lots of information about our service, the team and also resources that are available to you.