James Cummings

Background

About James Cummings

I have 23 years public and private high school and middle school teaching experience in Kenya and the United States. I have experience founding a highly impactful international non-profit and now 22 years leading the organization. Additionally, I have over 35 years of experience building relationships and bonds between citizens of the US and citizens of Kenya. In January 2020, Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative, the organization which I founded, opened the Kijana Global Innovation School. We opened the school with 15 students. Today, we have over 210 students from "baby class" to 8th grade. In partnership with my wife, Ebby Shiroya, we have built the school from the ground up. In early 2019, the land was a barren, slopy, unutilized space. Today, it is a vibrant school community with 14 classrooms, an administration building, a playground, multiple toilets, green space, beautiful creative art, gardens, creative, modern educational resources, including music and art and more. We have a beautiful future library, media center and amphitheater in the works, with construction anticipated to begin in the middle of 2024. We have had multitudes of foreign visitors and achieved international recognition. I seek to continue educating youth and exploring ways to continue to build a stronger and healthier global community through effective international communications and development. Building a better future through building and developing "great schools" and "great citizens" is my ultimate goal.Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative won a Silver Anthem Award, in 2023 from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences in the category of Sustainability, Environment and Climate for our "Care, Share and Explore" program. In 2024, we won SIX Anthem Awards, two in Education, and one in Sustainability, Environment and Climate recognizing the Kijana Global Innovation School, our "Care, Share and Explore program, and our Kijana Heroes Poster Series endeavors. Additionally, we were the community voice award winners for each of the three awards in our respective categories. Specialties: High School Social Studies: AP US Government and Politics, AP Comparative Government, International Studies, African geography and affairs, Kenyan society and politics. Relationship building in Kenya and between Kenyans and Americans.I was one of fewer than 1900 people and teams globally to complete the MacArthur Foundation 100 & Change Challenge Grant in 2016 to introduce and idea that would change the world.