Being Taira.......At The Orphanage

Habari gaini (How Are You)!

Well I have had a week of working at the orphanage and I now feel a little bit more knowledgeable to speak about Sadai, the orphanage I am working at.

Sadai is located in the slums of Matharie, which is like a suburb in the town of Ngong. There is only one paved street in all of Ngong and it is the main highway - Ngong Highway. You walk into the orphanage off the main highway (think more like a small side street in Canadian city) about 2 regular city blocks and turn into what looks like a seedy back alley. You actually have to climb a small hill and walk above the shanties that line this walkway. The path is irregular dips and hills with rocks and garbage strewn about but it is only a short walk to the first of two buildings that belong to Sadai. This first building use to double as home and class room but a previous volunteer felt it was safer to have the children sleep away from the slum and has rented them a house on the edge of the slum area.

Another volunteer laid out money to have the dirt floor cemented which makes this building seem quite posh.....especially when you see the second class or baby class as it is know, which is just around the corner.

Here in baby class Angela (a wonderfully patient women) teaches sometimes as many as forty kids from ages 2 to 5. Although originally just for the Sadai orphans, the director Lucy, can not turn away many of those in the slum who are in need of a safe place. So realistically about 26 kids are real "Sadai kids" (wards of Sadai) while the others come from the slum. Some are dropped off by their parents so they can go look for work....or go to work (if they have a job). While other simply show up because their parents are too drunk to feed them and they know they will be given some food here. And still other come to escape beatings and other abuse. The room is about the size of a single car garage with an uneven dirt floor. (I mention this because I am alway stumbling in there). Simple wooden desks that sit 3 to 4 children line the walls (the walls are a mix of tin and found wood, the roof is tin). There are only two windows and a door, so the lighting is really poor but I now think it is perfect.; as I can't really see what is on the floor which is probably best. The only toilet (an outhouse) is located right beside the class and as the day heats up so does the smell.....I am sure that the Universe finds this very amusing. We have been cautioned not to loiter outside unless Moshela - Lucy's son is around, as it is a slum and there are not so nice people around.

The class room is as well behaved as a class can be for having only one teacher with so many young ones. Most of them are sick with runny noses and coughs so we plan on instituting a hand washing regime and a general check up with the volunteer nurses.

At first many of the children were very shy and some even frightened by our being there. Moshela told us a story of one little girl who fell to the floor screaming when she saw her first white person, she just kept repeating....."it's not human" which made me laugh but I am sure the little girl didn't find it funny!

We (the other volunteer Rachel) started out by spending the mornings working with Angela in baby class....trying to keep the peace, checking the work in their books (the little ones just colour), and wiping noses. As the days have progressed I have begun to read to them with the Angela translating into Swahili; we have done colouring and I even taught them the Hokey Pokey.....a big hit! And my Dad says I have no rhythm! Most of the pencils I have brought are already half their size....they write a lot but they also chew alot! The very next day after handing out a bunch of newly sharpened pencils they erasers were history! I have also been giving the baby class a vitamin every day. I hope that with the supply I brought that I can at least make them last till I leave.....as they really like them.

I have also ventured into class one, which has the cemented floor and children who are preparing to head to real school as soon as they qualify. Some of these kids are behind for many reasons but as soon as they catch up and can afford the cost of a uniform (about $12 each) they will go to public school. There are about 15 kids in this class and they are quite keen to learn anything new. I have shared some pictures about Canada and my family and even the money! They have wondered if we have Zebra and Elephants but were most shocked to hear that our rabbits change from brown to white in the winter. They loved the pictures of my Mom and Dad's snow covered farm and were quite impressed to see photo's of them as many of these children don't have parents let alone grandparents. It was funny to see what made them laugh.....like the photos of pigs or all the different breeds of dogs. They actually gasped when they saw what our cows looked like! If you ever see a Kenyan cow you will see why.

There are some older kids who do go to public school and are part of the Sadai group. They are feeling very cheated that they have not been able to see much of us as they are in school so early and don't get back to the slum till 5, so I plan to go to the field where they play one day to spend more time with them. Three of the boys did stop by with to show off the uniforms and thank all of you who made it possible for them to continue their education! I also wanted to pass along a very heartfelt Thank You from Lucy as I was able to buy food as well with donated monies....until then they had been eating only rice. Now they have beans, corn (maize), cooking fat, sugar, and two kinds of flour!

I have learned a lot about Kenyan style, from teaching (all repetition), to poverty (know one here, even the children, are afraid to ask for a handout), to water safety (there is none....muzungu's don't drink the water!!!!). And yet I know so little........everyday is a whole new adventure!