Rift Valley Academy came to be through the initiative of missionaries of the Africa Inland Mission (AIM) which was headed by the Philadelphia Missionary Council.
Following a failed effort between 1895 and 1898 by AIM to set up a mission station in British East Africa, Rev. Charles Hurlburt took up the mantle. In 1901, he and his family arrived just in time to experience the new railway line that had been built from Mombasa to Kisumu. While searching for a suitable area to establish the AIM headquarters, Hurlburt was drawn to a lush area surrounding Lake Naivasha. He organized to meet with the colonial administrator, Francis de Winton, to whom he would express his interest in the land. The meeting went well, and it was agreed that Hurlburt would sign a 99-year lease the following day. Talk about a long term commitment!
However, that evening, de Winton hosted a dinner party where he invited a newly arrived Lord Delamere. Delamere was an aristocrat who had previously gone hunting in British Somaliland before setting foot in Colonial Kenya in 1901. Amidst the conversation, de Winton mentioned his meeting with Hurlburt. Delamere was aghast that such fertile farmland was about to be ‘wasted’ on missionaries. He convinced de Winton to sell him the land where he would later set up the Delamere Dairies.
When Hurlburt heard the news, he was disappointed but kept the faith; his vision for the mission overrode feelings of loss. In due time, he found a suitable location in Kijabe, 40km southwest of Naivasha that overlooked the Rift. Kijabe, which means ‘the place of cold wind s’ in Maa was an ideal location because there was less exposure to malaria parasites. More so, it was closer to the railway line. In 1902, what was to become the largest mission station in Africa was set up.
The mission would ideally include a church, a dispensary, and a school. However, as stipulated by the Philadelphia Missionary Council, the mission’s policy was that education was to be a responsibility for families. The debate among the missionaries at the Kijabe mission then became, remain in Africa and fulfill their missionary calling, or return to America and perform their parental duties.
In 1905 Hurlburt took a leave of absence to the United States. Here he accomplished some feats that spoke to his vision to establish a school in Kijabe. Cognisant that the school would be necessary for the survival of the mission, he met with a wealthy friend, Mr. Butterworth, who offered his assistance. He would later play a major role in the expansion of the school. Hurlburt also had the honor of meeting and sharing the nature of his work with President Theodore Roosevelt.
Hurlburt returned to Kijabe in 1906 ready with a plan to meet the needs of the missionaries under his wing. He approached one of the missionaries, Josephine Hope, who was known for her teaching experience with Montessori schools and requested her assistance in establishing the school. Ms. Hope obliged. The school was opened that year in one of the missionary’s living rooms. Six months later, a chapel for the school was built and later this chapel was divided into four classrooms.
Although the African children in the area were also welcome, it was decided that the need for college-preparatory education was not necessary for them. For this reason, they were taught basic literacy (only enough to read and understand the Bible.)
In 1908, Mr. Butterworth made a generous donation to the school. When it came time to expand, Hurlburt and Ms. Hope selected a place north of the mission field called Kiambogo, ‘place of the buffalo’.
The following year, they oversaw the construction of a school that could comfortably accommodate 40 students. That year, a retired Theodore Roosevelt visited British East Africa and he laid the cornerstone at the Kiambogo building. August 4th, 1909 remains a memorable day in the history of Rift Valley Academy.
Over the decades, RVA has continued to grow into a noteworthy institution. It has faced ups and downs especially during the throws of both world wars. In 1967, under Roy Entwistle’s leadership, it was the first school in Africa to receive American accreditation.
This 90 – acre school overlooking the sunlit valley is a hidden gem in Kiambogo. Which makes us wonder, do we have any readers familiar with the area? Do buffaloes roam freely? Let us know.