I was raised up speaking Kiswahili (mostly Sheng) and Dholuo. So English pretty much came second after Kiswahili (“Swa” as it known here). My current residence is Wanyee, this is a small estate off Ngong Road in the city of Nairobi. Before i moved to Wanyee. I lived in Mathare North (“Mnet”, as it popularly known). I lived in Mnet almost my entire life. My family, friends, enemies, everyone that I know are there. I went to school there. Basically, Mnet represents my whole life.
I was brought up in a 4-walled room (single room) along with my 5 brothers and I can tell you that this was very comfortable for me; I had known no other house. I was fortunate enough to go to school as my father valued education but I did not at that time. I never saw the importance (especially in the primary level) but I managed to finish. My father struggled to make ends meet and despite that he managed to take all of us to school, up to a certain level, of course.
When i cleared high school i really had bad grades.i could not go to college(i never attained a college grade) and on top of that my father had no money to take me to another college.i wanted to repeat high school but could not because of financial constraints. I stayed out for one year doing church service.It is in this service that I met group of Americans who were visiting Nairobi for the first time. I had never in my life had Americans friends and these were my first real American friends. They showed so much love and care that I had never witnessed in my life before even in my family. They basically turned my life around and taught me so many things in the process.
Education here (Kenya) is not so important to many, save for the rich. A big percentage of the population drop of out school for one reason or the other. One would tell you “Why should I go to school and eat nothing at night”? KWANINI (Why? in Swa). And you stand there helpless with nothing to do. Many who offer to help children to go to school do it with so many conditions, and this discourages so many people and hence youth at a very young age find themselves in drugs and other abuses.
Seeds For Hope has stepped in at the right time, it’s never too late. Very young children as young as 10yrs get pregnant even with the free primary education and have given up on life at that young age. Because most do not know the importance of education of because they are simply too poor to afford the basic needs and hence the saying “I’d rather look for food than waste my time going to school”
Many of us who are encouraged everyday by Seeds For Hope staff are thankful but there are still so many more out here that need help. Everyday they search for answers that they don’t find. And I believe that everyone who is taking action out there is helping in little way possible to bring smiles and confidence to the youth here in Africa.