If you have been reading my blog posts you have already figured out that life in rural Kenya is extremely difficult. The poverty is widespread. Modern conveniences unheard of. And you probably realize that education is the only way to change things.
At the end of class 8, 8th grade as we would call it, every student in Kenya takes an exam. All the students in Kenya are ranked...nationally ranked. That means the students who have attended a school like this......with few if any books or supplies....are ranked with the students from the expensive private schools in Nairobi. You can imagine how hard it is to make the necessary scores to be invited to attend a secondary school when you have attended a school in the bush.
A small overhead lamp gives a bit of light. Sitting 6 to a desk they study on their own. The night we visited they were preparing for a science and math exam the next day. All were working diligently in small groups and appearing happy to explain the concepts they are studying to the white visitors.
At the end of class 8, 8th grade as we would call it, every student in Kenya takes an exam. All the students in Kenya are ranked...nationally ranked. That means the students who have attended a school like this......with few if any books or supplies....are ranked with the students from the expensive private schools in Nairobi. You can imagine how hard it is to make the necessary scores to be invited to attend a secondary school when you have attended a school in the bush.
Egu, one of the school is the area that is serviced by Kenya Keys, decided to do something to try and improve the scores of their class 8 students. With the support of staff members and parents, during the months leading up to the exam, 8th graders can spend the night at school. You see when they go home the majority of them have no paraffin lamps by which to study and certainly no electricity. Because they are so near the equator it gets dark about 6:00 so studying at home is impossible. The only requirement to participate in this nighttime study time is that each must bring the cornmeal that is made into ugali, the most common food of Kenya. Looks like this
....and cost about $.23 a day. If there are vegetables like cabbage they make a sort of stew that is scooped up by taking a piece of the ugali and using it like a spoon. I'm pretty sure there is never any meat and truly not much ugali either. Some parents can't even afford to provide this little bit of food so often students just share what they have with those who can't bring food. In past years Kenya Keys has helped those who can't afford the necessary food. The head boy keeps a careful record of who brings what and I have an idea that it all evens out in the end.
I spent time with these three girls. Two of them were orphans and all were the children of illiterate parents. Their determination to succeed in school was plain to see as they tackled somewhat complicated text in English (their 3rd language) about water tables and geology.
When it is time to go to bed they sleep on reed mats on the floor. And they do this 6 nights a week! The photos above were made using my flash. This shows how dark it really was....
The character of these children is inspiring and humbling! What they are willing to do for an education is mind boggling!
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