Margaret
Margaret-- is the oldest
of Feri's children. She is 13 years old and just finished the 8th grade. She has a quiet demeanor but is quick to smile and oh so willing to help
with any little thing that will increase our comfort. We have a bucket of
warm water waiting outside the door every morning for face washing, a pitcher
of chai and a thermos of hot water for coffee.
Since her mother died a couple of years ago she is responsible for preparing food for her siblings every night and making sure the littlest ones are well cared for. She too though is still a child and is concerned about her national exam score.
The final exam of a Kenyan primary school student (8th grader) is the national exam. The exam is administered on the same dates throughout the country. This exam is the principle factor in determining the educational and future job opportunities for each child. The test days are fraught with anxiety as each child understands that the outcome affects their families as well as themselves. Education is the road out of poverty in Kenya. To further add to the test anxiety, each test site is "proctored" by armed police who walk up and down the aisles monitoring for any impropriety.
The exam has a possible 500 points. But a score of at least 250 is needed to get into a good high school. Margaret hopes to attend Hannah's high school. Scores finally arrive on Tuesday before we leave Thika. Margaret has scored below the 250 mark. Her disappointment is profound. John and Edith will try to find her a spot in a second tier high school in hopes that she can transfer to Hannah's school in her sophomore year with good freshman year grades.
Kevin is next in line, the man of the house. He is in 7th grade. He grills maize for us nightly as a hord'oeuvre. Like most adolescent boys he has a hollow leg. He and his brother John prowl Edith's door nightly waiting to see if John, Holly and I have any leftovers from our dinner. We heap everything onto one plate. A clipped Kikuyu command from Edith to the closed door and like magic the door opens slightly and a long arm appears. Food is proffered and the arm leaves as quickly as it appeared. Score!!
John is the 3rd of 6. He scores high marks in school and is a good athlete. The first evening I was escorted down to the “dam” (manmade reservoir) with all the kids. The dam is the water source for the surrounding farms and families. The kids laughed because they couldn't understand my English and my Kikuyu skills were sorely lacking. So…nothing like a little rock skipping and stone throwing competition to cross the communication barrier. Hannah threw the farthest without question. John was second though with the throwing motion of a consummate center fielder...smooth wind up and nice easy release. The kids don't know baseball but he would be a natural. On the way back to the house my Kikuyu lessons begin which brings us to Edith...
Edith is the 4th in line and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She points to the path as we walk—“fara fara”. I repeat it much to everyone’s delight. "Moon-mweri, stars-jatta, sky-matu". They laugh as I gesticulate with every word. So I offer them a little Italian...la luna, la stella, el cielo, ciao...they were apt learners. I will try to post the audio of my kikuyu lesson if I can launch the link. One hour of Kikuyu became a nightly ritual.
Last but certainly not least are Francis and Antony “Minor”.
Francis is in second grade and Antony Minor is in kindergarten.
They are the “headliners” for the nightly entertainment at home--dancing
and singing with abandon which is stark contrast to their demeanor at school...quiet beyond belief! Francis was sporting a
Loyola College t-shirt when we first met...one of my favorite schools. He was ready with a "high five" as I exited the car and we were fast friends!
Since her mother died a couple of years ago she is responsible for preparing food for her siblings every night and making sure the littlest ones are well cared for. She too though is still a child and is concerned about her national exam score.
The final exam of a Kenyan primary school student (8th grader) is the national exam. The exam is administered on the same dates throughout the country. This exam is the principle factor in determining the educational and future job opportunities for each child. The test days are fraught with anxiety as each child understands that the outcome affects their families as well as themselves. Education is the road out of poverty in Kenya. To further add to the test anxiety, each test site is "proctored" by armed police who walk up and down the aisles monitoring for any impropriety.
The exam has a possible 500 points. But a score of at least 250 is needed to get into a good high school. Margaret hopes to attend Hannah's high school. Scores finally arrive on Tuesday before we leave Thika. Margaret has scored below the 250 mark. Her disappointment is profound. John and Edith will try to find her a spot in a second tier high school in hopes that she can transfer to Hannah's school in her sophomore year with good freshman year grades.
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| Kevin, Edith II, Samson (again), Tony, John and their calf (center) |
Kevin is next in line, the man of the house. He is in 7th grade. He grills maize for us nightly as a hord'oeuvre. Like most adolescent boys he has a hollow leg. He and his brother John prowl Edith's door nightly waiting to see if John, Holly and I have any leftovers from our dinner. We heap everything onto one plate. A clipped Kikuyu command from Edith to the closed door and like magic the door opens slightly and a long arm appears. Food is proffered and the arm leaves as quickly as it appeared. Score!!
John is the 3rd of 6. He scores high marks in school and is a good athlete. The first evening I was escorted down to the “dam” (manmade reservoir) with all the kids. The dam is the water source for the surrounding farms and families. The kids laughed because they couldn't understand my English and my Kikuyu skills were sorely lacking. So…nothing like a little rock skipping and stone throwing competition to cross the communication barrier. Hannah threw the farthest without question. John was second though with the throwing motion of a consummate center fielder...smooth wind up and nice easy release. The kids don't know baseball but he would be a natural. On the way back to the house my Kikuyu lessons begin which brings us to Edith...
Edith is the 4th in line and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She points to the path as we walk—“fara fara”. I repeat it much to everyone’s delight. "Moon-mweri, stars-jatta, sky-matu". They laugh as I gesticulate with every word. So I offer them a little Italian...la luna, la stella, el cielo, ciao...they were apt learners. I will try to post the audio of my kikuyu lesson if I can launch the link. One hour of Kikuyu became a nightly ritual.
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| La Luna nel cielo aka Mweri en matu |
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| Edith III, Francis and Antony Minor |
These children live in a two room house. The entry room functions as the dining room, study, and Margaret's bedroom. The other room is the bedroom for the remaining kids and their calf. Kevin and John share one bed and Edith, Francis and Antony Minor share the other. The beds are frame only...no mattresses. No complaints. TIK...This is Kenya.
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| The boys-Rufus, Kevin, John and yes...Samson |
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