In pictures: Madrassa makeover

It is the parents who actually manage the nursery madrasas with support from Muslim non-governmental organisations – the Aga Khan Foundation in particular.

"Just the word madrassa used to cause fear,” says Najma Rashid who runs a centre which provides training and resources for the nurseries around Mombasa, where a tourist hotel was targeted by a suicide bomber five years ago.

“We’re proving that with the right start, Muslim children can flourish in a largely non-Muslim country."