Children arrive at the school at 7:30 in the morning and return home at 3:30 in the afternoon. Students in grades four and seven (examination classes) are expected to stay after school for extra tutoring until 5:00. Many of these children eat one meal a day - dinner and walk over five miles to attend school. In 2012, College of Charleston professor, Dr. mutindi ndundabegan began working with the school while serving as a Fulbright Scholar. She returned in 2015, 2017, and 2018. During those years, the College of Charleston's, School of Education and Human Performance students raised money to purchase four water tanks that capture rainwater for the school. Msamvu primary is one of a small number of schools that have water tanks and can, therefore, provide drinking water and latrines.
The Teaching Fellows at the College of Charleston raised money to buy lunches for all of the students for a period of four weeks. During this time, school attendance increased. The Teaching Fellows raised the money through bake sales, candy grams, and flea market sales, etc.