As I write this post it is 7:45 a.m. on Friday morning. I learned last night that the internet has been slow everywhere the past few days. I will attempt to upload more pictures this morning.
We began our day yesterday by visiting the government free school in Bomani. After looking around at the facilities we presented gifts of books and supplies. The children were as curious about us as we were about them. Although the people in this community are doing the best they can with the facilities and supplies they have it broke our hearts to see the conditions in which these children learn.
Most classes have no desks. They are in the process of cutting down trees in the area and making desks as they can. In the lower elementary classes we toured there were only dirt floors and 1 chalk board on the wall. In a school of 1500 children there was a supply/book room that was about the size of a small bedroom in our homes. There are approximately 100 children in each classroom.
And the saddest part for us is the fact that there are children in the community who cannot even afford to buy the required school uniform and pay the school fees necessary in order to attend the free school. Those would cost about $100 - 2 months salary for those who have a job. Unemployment is over 70% in this area and the only thing the government can do is to provide the land and the basic building.
In order to get into secondary school - our equivalent to high school - they must pass an exam. Fewer than 20% of the students pass the exam and of those there are not many in these rural areas that can afford the fees.
One of the Kenyans I spoke with yesterday told me that it's getting to the place where even cleaning jobs require a certain level of education. This is based largely on the fact that those with a higher level of education can speak better English. The 2nd graders in the school we support in Bomani are equivalent in English proficiency to the the 8th graders in the government school.
We have heard over and over again about how important it is to speak English. Without it the cycle of poverty continues. These children have very little hope of breaking free.
Denise
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.jpg)
As always, Denise, your posts are beautiful, well-thought out, and highly descriptive of what we saw last year. It seems there hasn't been much change at the government school. How very sad! I pray that something breaks well for these children soon. To the group: Love to you all. God is working through you as you give of yourselves to these people, especially the children. I hope no one is getting sick. God keep you all healthy.
ReplyDelete