Today was the earliest start so far! We all had to leave at 7.30am to go to the slums. The journey took 1hr and a half but it was very interesting looking at all the buildings through Nairobi and the scenary (AND THE MORNING TRAFFIC!) We arrived first of all at the clinic in the slums...I seemed slightly more reserved here as the environment seemed less secure but also more unkown...and much bigger! There was much more litter, mud, wooden shacks, metal housing, goats, and people...all in a much more intense environment whereas in Limuru there was more space. There was an open sewage path running right outside houses, shops, butchers, schools etc...and all the buildings were built ON TOP of the contaminated, littered water. They had built wooden rafts/paths so they could allow the sewage to run underneath. Apparantly the smell was stiffling but I couldn't smell anything. The people noticed our van more and all the children kept saying "How-are-you" again! Which was nice! Th clinic itself was very small, cramped, more basic than previously seen in Limuru...there were delivery rooms with nothing other than a bed and a small table with basic delivery equipment. The lady said she does hundreds of deliveries every weekend! The other rooms were so stuffy, dirty, and just so basic but more than anything...everything seemed on top of each other...it was the space that shocked me more than anything.
We then went to the primary school in the slum, yet again VERY SMALL and you could still hear the hustle and bustle outside. However, what shocked me more was that these children start school at 1yrs old...7am-5pm at school every day in the week!!!! They also read and write and can do basic arithmatic at that age...compared to the children at home that is astonishing! I honestly could not believe it! So the teacher showed me the 'babies books' and i saw the work they were doing...it was material i would teach in year 2!!! And their exam results were incredible..all in the 90 percent margin! The hours the children put into their work and school life was amazing...if only the children in england could have seen what i had seen today! However, leaving the primary school, which seemed enclosed and therefore safe from the mayhem outside, I felt strange but i wasnt sure which emotion it was. I didnt want to pity them, as i believe they are happy within their own culture and that it would be wrong of me to pity them from superficial judgements from a quick visit. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and experiencing within the slum as it still seemed as though it was on a tv screen...i think visiting places within the slums quickly seemed to light hearted and superficial and it didnt give me the chance to fully connect with my surroundings and get to grips with the place.
We then went to visit the HIV ladies group where they made jewelry to raise money for their treatment...it was inside a ladies house...yet again it was very very dark, cramped and stuffy...but i soon forgot about this when we were all talked about their work and what they did. So I bought a bade they made which had the HIV awareness sign on it but i gave them more money than they asked for because i just flt i wanted to. We wanted to ask BG to make an order of graduation pens for the women to sew/bead...which would be ace global citizenship for bg but also supporting such an amazing cause. These people are living on hardly anything. They are living on a sewer, litter everywhere yet there was glimmers of happiness and hope and determination in the eyes of the people i met today. THEY WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING. I learned most from the visit to the school...as this could enhance my own teaching and delivery of global citizenship back at home...I hope i can depict my experiences to the children in a positive yet eye-opening light. Although I was taken back by the conditions...i was still able to leave the place in a modern van and return to my comforts here at brackenhurst...i dont think anyone could fully appreciate life in the slums until you actually live there or at least spend a night there which would be a very scary experience. We also visited the mara school (part of the massai mara tribe) which was intresting but as the children were not at school due to holidays...i didnt get much from it. Actually what did suprise me was that they still taught to a syllabus, had lesson objectives, schemes of work but \sadly this was locked away in the office...which was a shame...that would have been such a great comparison. Out of all the schools i have visited so far i have learned that they teach 5 subjects... they teach english and maths in the morning (like home) and they also teach kiswali (their mother tongue), geography and environmental/creativity. This was obviously very similar to home but they were still stook in the traditional style of rote teaching using textbooks...such a shame that the school isnt open so we can spread our knowledge f creative teaching!!!
We had our lunch in the slums...which i was worried about at first but then after the morning's visits i suddenly became more relaxed and open minded...and so tried the food. It was a tiny cafe filled with flies...which would put off any western traveller! But I had veggie stew, rice, chipati with fanta...IT WAS SO NICE!!! it has taught me to give everyone and everything a chance...because it turned out absolutely fine!!! :)
Anyway, must get off computer for others to use!!!
