STRIVING FOR CHANGE IN KIBERA SLUM.

The large Kibera Slum

Traversing Kibera slum is always a hustle that only those with the desire, zeal and a big heart to see change happen find motivation in.

Baseline studies for year three of the Court of Dreams Project on WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) integrated with Tennis comes in with distinct pathways and navigation to locate the sites. Undugu Basic Education Unit, St.Vincent De Paul and Stara Rescue Center are widely located to the West and far East of the slum all of this schools deal with out of school children who need to be back in the system.

The walk through the slum, thin pathways that seem ending into inhabitants household becomes a common phenomenon in getting into the sites on a daily basis. Every walk gives lots of encouragement for the next day’s walk with discoveries of new roots shorter to the site on subsequent walks, with lots of learning from the different challenges faced and different people you get to interact with.

Felix Kipkoech taking children through a session

As the project tools are cultured to realize great output, registered sites for year three are of more in need on numeracy and literacy engagement to enhance the change intended at the end of the project. This means Monitoring and Evaluation will be anchored on the desire of achieved literacy and numeracy to teach the safe WASH practices hence tracking desired change. With the aim of targeting out of school children getting back to school.

                      

WHAT IT CALLS TO BE AN ACCONTANT

Dorcas taking staff members through a presentation.

"For the 3 months I have been in Sadili, the lessons I have learnt, the places I have visited, the people I have interacted with, the exposure I have experienced and the amount of personal confidence I have gained could only be achieved in years if not a decade elsewhere. If you want to equip your child with basic as well as advanced knowledge in WASH among other life skills, Sadili is where your child should be.

Having worked with a dedicated team who never wait to be pushed to do what they are supposed to do, who are passionate about the work they do and result oriented, I must say the experience is simply amazing. As far as my role of an accountant is concerned, I have pulled together every bit of my experience to ensure I am able to present records of the donor funds records and that the figures reflect the true measure of our organization’s performance.
I look forward to more exposure to our different activities and come back with a more exciting story. I can’t wait to see Sadili scale the heights of excellence and Success that can only be geared by every stake holder pulling together their very efforts to attaining the organization’s objectives” says Dorcas Mwanu the Programs Accountant.

ALL FLOWERS BLOSSOM HERE.

Becky together with other kids at Kibera tennis court.

Children from Kibera really enjoy coming to the court. They call it `Ng'ambo’ This is their play space away from the packed densely populated Gatwekera, full of waste products disposed everywhere.

Becky is one of the children who came to the court. She comes along with her older brothers, who enjoy playing here. Becky was a very shy girl when she started coming to the court with the brothers. She used to sit at the far end corner of the field shyly waiting for the brother to finish playing. She quietly played alone and looked away whenever anyone tried to draw her attention, or looked at her. She would not responded to any     friendly gestures and used to cry whenever anyone provoked her.

As days went by, she slowly changed her waiting position and began sitting close to the playground. She also gradually began to smile at others and responded to questions asked to her, she also agreed to participate in playing with the rest though for a short time, and was easily irritated by other.

Becky participating in the tennis sessions.

However this has changed as nowadays she joins all the rest of the children in playing. She smiles and laughs loudly and engages others very well. She never fails to show up during practice even when she is alone. “She has learnt how to play tennis and is one of my best under 6 tennis players. She is also currently able to defend herself and speak up for herself too. A bright and bubbly girl she is today, I love her smile and is proud of her as her coach” says Joy Akim who has seen her grow.

It is here that we see real flowers blossom and shine so bright to showcase their beauty and potential. Right in front of our eyes at the Kibera Tennis Court the safe play space for children.

“IF YOU ARE NOT COMING WE ARE GOING WERA”

This year we are privileged to work with schools that rehabilitate drop out children and street connected children. Undugu Basic Education unit is one of those interesting schools we are working with. In short description Undugu has both boys and girls who have been drawn from street connected activities and the school endeavors to rehabilitate them by offering basic literacy and numeracy skills as well vocational training to help them with self employment opportunities. Most of the children in this school are in the age of puberty and adolescence.

After conducting a session with the children as I was on my way to the office to appreciate the teachers for the time and support and also to notify them that we had finished and now leaving the school, three girls of adolescent age came after me running. Realizing that they wanted to talk to me, I stopped to give them a listening ear and this question immediately followed from one of them, “Teacher, are you guys coming back on Friday?” “No, we only come once in a week.” I retorted. “If you guys do not come then we are going wera” They answered, beginning with the first whom I wish to think is the most influential among them and then the other two joined in unison in such a way that one would think they had a rehearsal of it before approaching me.

“Wera” is a slang name for work and even though I have limited proficiency of this language commonly used in Kenyan urban areas with Nairobi being the most popular with it, I no doubt knew what these girls meant. I shared this with their teachers to hear their views about it but they never appeared bothered, all they said what that we will get to understand the nature of their children. Like plague this little conversation with these girls did not immediately vanish from my memory, I kept reflecting on why our absence will make them miss school on that particular day. I stretched the reflection further by meditating on the value our program offers to these young ones that our presence will make them come to school while our absence does the opposite. Immediately it came to my mind that one of the objectives we address in this particular program is to increase regular attendance of children in school. This conversation with the children alone showcases that children are eager to have our team in their school for activities. I am rest assured that Tuesday which is the day we visit the school children will want to attend school unless otherwise. Moving forward I will be keen to have discussions with the children and the teachers to know whether or not there is a difference in attendance on Tuesdays vis a vis other school days.

“If you are not coming, we are going wera.” This statement as was said by the children has become my mantra of reflection on how as an organization we can leverage on this opportunity to help children increase attendance in school.