Back in 2006, Ian Horne, a teacher from the UK, decided that he wanted to do something that would help to reduce poverty in the rural area of Maruvango. He talked with village leaders and unanimously they agreed that the best way to do this would be to build a school. His brother in law kindly donated a plot of land and also loaned to Ian the use of a cowshed and a house, and so the idea of East Meru Community School began. The house was where Ian would live whilst working on the land. It also became the first staff room. The cowshed was eventually to become the first classroom.