Year end reflection on my work with Excellent School

I have to say that my project in Excellent school in the Mathare slum has been exceeding my expectations! I’ve been lucky, getting more people involved and really developed my leadership skills through this project. 

So far I’ve made one big fundraiser and established contact with three groups that are interested in helping (local swedes, IB student in Sweden, High school students). We have bought many new rooms, bought chairs for the teachers and desks,  sponsored costs for the national exams and sponsored two 14-year old girls secondary school fees. The sky is the limit for the contributions I’m expecting next year! The plan is to raise enough money to buy all the residential rooms (and there is only one left) in the area and fence it in, so the student can have a "campus" and feel safte within the school grounds.

I’ve also applied for funds from three organizations and was accepted by one, raising about 100 000 kes. With the help of five other Swedes in Nairobi and people back home, I managed to be part of raising about 550 000 Kes. I developed my creative skills, by designing and writing updates for all the donors, designing diplomas and christmas cards. I also got football uniforms and shoes from Sweden (donated from a Swedish film-shoot) and the transport was donated by KLM. Through connections in the Swedish community I also managed to get a major Swedish business paper to write and publish an article about the school. This brought us new donors and credibility to the project, as well as information to the Swedish people. When disaster struck and the area was affected by a flash-flood, I managed to raise about 15 000 Kes by a post on Face book. I also brought clothes, blankets and shoes to the Headmaster to give to the students that were affected. In late May, I made a great new connection that might lead to something VERY good. However, before I reveal anything more I need to investigate it further, but I do have high hopes on this one. I'll keep the blog updated and will hopefully have more good news in August.

I had the opportunity to visit the school many times as well as having other meetings with the Headmaster, planning and discussing the projects.

I have really learned a lot, both planning, the set-up of long term goals, as well as see the projects through and reporting the results and reacting to unfortunate situations. The aspects of meeting the children, getting an insight in their lifes and problems has built my awareness of the huge needs that somehow needs to be met. I also learned through the others helping out and they gave me new ideas (one example is selling boxes of chocolate very expensively in Sweden). I’ve also learned to never be detached from the project. There are so many opportunities and I always tell people I meet about the school. This opens up new contacts and new ideas!

It’s also been very positive to talk to the older students in school and realize their problems in raising money for secondary school. I know I’ve been helping many kids through this project and I’m suspecting that when the children see that things are improving in the school, they will perform better and better and motivate them even more. This is actually proven by the fantastic results they had on the National Exams (at least I hope I had something to do with that!). Discussions with Reverent George has also given me insight in the educational situation i Kenya, as well as what it is like to run a school in the slums, the difficulties with authorities and problems with the community.

The only thing I would have wished for more doing this project would be to spend even more time in the school. It is hard and the IB schedule is time consuming and demanding. The only opportunities have been Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays and with all my school projects and homework, there’s not enough hours in a day! As a matter of fact, one other thing I learned is that the kids in school are so positive and have such a great attitude that they actually give me more energy and inspiration! I've also had a few disappointments, not being accepted for funds from two organizations. There have also been people who tell me they want to be involved and give money, but nothing comes of it. I guess I just have to be persistent (and I have not always been that, again due to my workload in school). The fire and the mudslide was hard to take and the flash-flood on top of that made me really sad. Lots of kids with no homes and clothes, and sometimes I just wanted to raise money for them (and I did, when so many of them were affected by the floods). I had to remind myself that I'm trying to change the school for 700 students and this is a bigger achievement than helping 10, (even if I had to "side step" that ambition once). There is only so much money, and it is important to use them effectively and I still believe this to be true. But sometimes it is discouraging that so much is needed in the slums and no matter how hard you work it is never enough.

To get new people involved and organize a mutual project has also taught me a lot. It is the first time I can se myself as a leader and working together is creative an inspiring. I have also developed my creative skills, both writing and designing nice reports, christmas cards, application and presentations about the school. I think that both these experiences are going to help me a lot in the future, both in school and for my future employments.

This project is so close to my heart so I’m going to continue and try even harder to achieve my goals. To buy all the rooms in the area, fix them up and fence the school in is going to give the students a safer and a calmer area to study in. I think all 700 of them will benefit greatly from this!

This experience has taught me that even if I’m tired and stressed out by other things, I get inspiration and energy from doing things that are good for others. I also feel that many people are willing to help, if you just inspire them a bit and that there are many fantastic people who commit their life to helping others, even if they are not rich. They contribute with hard work and big hearts and a positive feeling that every student is “Excellent”, even in the slums.

My proposal form for the Excellent project.

I'm not posting my evaluation form because I'm going to continue this project in my Senior year.

Progress meeting

One good thing with having final exam week is that I get out really early. Today I spent my "extra" time with George. We had a long discussion about the plans for Excellent school. He managed to buy two more rooms, so now we just have ONE left to get a whole "block" for the school. We discussed how to use the space and it is clear that it's going to provide ten big classrooms for the school. Now we just have to build them, but this is something we'll get back to in August.

Year end reflections Swedish Society

To be quite honest, my involvement with the Swedish Society has only been there so I can help them make money and have a bigger chance to apply for them and have my application favorably looked at.

I can’t say that I worked very hard or that I took on any leading role, but I’ve helped in every activity they had over the year:

On the annual meeting in September, I helped design the Invitation,  grilling hot dogs as well as selling them. At the Christmas Market I helped a lot, selling tickets for the lottery, setting everything up and cleaning after. That was really a tough day. For the Spring lunch, I made invitations, helped pickle the herring as well as setting up in Paradise Lost, where we held the activity. At the May 1 party, I once again helped out with the hot dogs.

I haven’t learned so much from this experience, other than to take orders and solve problems that might arise during the events. However, I’ve had many good times interacting with the Swedish Community in Nairobi and I’ve also taken the opportunity to “sell” my project in Excellent school to newcomers as well as older Swedish expats. This way, I made a lot of new connections and friends. If there is something that I take with me from this experience it’s that opportunities arise when you talk to people. I managed to connect people who knows kenyans producing kikoys and other products to the children for children project (who wants to sell Kenyan things in Sweden to help raise money to Excellent school). I also managed to find two families, adopting children from the Nest, that I could make photo-books for, so that was another good connection made from being active in the Swedish society. Finally, my application for funds to excellent school was accepted, so my hard work really paid off!

I’ll probably help out next year as well, but for now, this project is done. After all, it’s not a lot of hard work, but I enjoy meeting my fellow Swedes and the connections I am able to make. I know, for sure, that I’ll apply for the Swedish Society funds to Excellent school next year again.

My cas proposal form for the Swedish Society

And my evaluation form

Football equipment from Sweden to the school

My mom went out to school today with the football equipment that was donated from a film-shoot in Sweden to the school. She brought our good friend Ann for a happy reunion with all the children and the teachers. Ann was active in the school when she lived in Nairobi. The whole family moved back to Sweden last year and now she was visiting. They had a fantastic time and I wish I could have gone with them!
Click this link to read the updated information on the education situation in Kenya: http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Sh11+3bn+sought+to+save+free+learning++/-/1056/1412348/-/5n2plz/-/index.html

Administration

Today, I received a form I need to fill out for getting the money from the Swedish Society. As soon as this is done, the money will be transfered to Excellent Care Center and School. Needless to say, I filled it in right away and will mail it tomorrow!

Last visit of the school year

Today we went to the school to say good bye for the summer. We managed to bring lots of stuff, clothes, copy paper, blankets, towels, shoes etc. Some of it was donated by expat families leaving Nairobi. We also brought some cash for Dixon to buy lunch for the kids that lost everything in the flash-flood. George did a great job and managed to buy three rooms. Two that we already rented, but that is going to lower the monthly costs with 7000 kes and one that we thought we'd never get. It is located in the middle of the school ground. He has a great opportunity with the five remaining rooms, except for one where the man living there really doesn't want to move. I realize I need to update the map.... there are even more small "alleys" that I didn't know existed! We had a long talk about our plans and discussed doing a new fund-raising in august. We're going to need the money to fix the rooms once George has bought them all. I was not feeling well at all, but I'm glad I went!

Carrying stuff to the office                     Discussions with George

One of the new rooms                                         This room is going to be bigger when we're done

The school entrance

I found an interesting article about education and money in Kenya. Read it by clicking here!

In Excellent school "every student is excellent" (according to Reverend George), so no one gets kicked out. Only a third of the students guardians can pay the fees, so you can imagine the financial situation in the school. One of the biggest problems is that there is not enough money to pay the teachers so sometimes they can't afford to stay and teach in the school.

Last school update

I'm working on my last school update. I'm saving some space for the images I intend to shoot on wednesday, when I'm going for another visit. I'll send this update out to all the donors when I reach Washington, DC on june 10:th. Internet is probably better functioning there.

Taekwondo reflections

This year, practicing Tae kwondo has been good. I have achieved my first goal earning a yellow belt and I think it has helped me with my physics and my stamina, in just under 10 months ( a short time that the Kenyan Tae kwondo federation has recognized and awarded me with a medal). I’m more flexible and my kicks are very strong.

When I first started learning taekwondo, I didn't really think of myself as a "martial artist". The initial phase of learning for me was very focussed on the aspects of learning sequences of movements and techniques - where to put my hands and feet and how to coordinate the most basic of actions. After a year of training I can feel that many of these things comes quite natural and I don’t have to strain so much to perform some movements. 

However, as I mastered performance of these physical aspects to a greater or lesser degree, I began to understand how much more depth there is in each movement than just the basic physical execution. It is very much a matter of attitude. The more calm and composed you feel, the better you perform.

Sometimes, Tae Kwondo was quite challenging. I experienced a lot of frustration when I couldn't get the moves or kicks right. Sometimes I was just too tired and sometimes I strained my hamstrings. I learned that men have a harder time to become flexible as women - it has got something to do with the hips and how we are built! Thanks to my new movements, I can apply those to other sport activities. I can direct a "volley at goal" when playing football which is a very difficult skill.

For next year, my goal will be to progress to a second yellow or maybe blue belt. It will also be to do more endurance training so I’ll last for a fight 3x3 minutes. 

I am happy with my performance this year, but I’m going to step it up next year. Doing it twice a week will surely make me progress even faster.

My Cas proposal forms for taekwondo. I'm not posting my evaluation form - because I intend to continue next year!

Facebook

Posted a plea for money on facebook. My mother got a call from a friend leaving Nairobi, volunteering to give all the things they're leaving behind to the school. About ten people shared the post and hopefully some money will come from it. The school is still there, but everyone in the area is affected and I think the main problem is food. There is also a waterproblem, because a pipe going into Nairobi burst due to the heavy rain - so the people in the slums doesn't have any water even though it's pouring down. That is quite absurd. I've heard of kids in the slums begging - for water!

Bad news

Due to the heavy rains the last couple of months, early this morning there was a flash flood in Mathare. One died, three are injured and many more missing and about 300 homeless. The river overflowed due to the rains and swept the "houses" away. I texted George to see how bad the school was struck and he answered that most of the children in the school were affected and one of the teachers completely homeless. I can't believe how hard their life is and it is so unfair that during this semester there has been fires, mudslides and now, a flash flood.
I mailed a group of Swedes who are going for a visit on thursday and asked them to bring blankets, clothes, shoes, pots and what ever they could and forget about the usual toiletpaper, lightbulbs and chalk. I am visiting next week and are planning a trip this weekend to a local market where the blankets are cheap. I also asked my mother to take a look in her and my sisters closet to find clothes they can spare. She is quite small, so the students can fit in her stuff.
I feel quite worried and discouraged, but hopefully I can help the community in this very tough situation.

Read more in the Daily Nation by clicking this link.

Creative idea for the kids in Excellent

Every time I visit the school I take lots of photos. The kids in the school really loves to see themselves on the display of the camera and I really "click away" to give them all a chance to take a look. I got this idea that I could print out a lot of photos on the kids and make a big poster. I think that the kids would love to have their photos displayed in the headmasters office. I'll try to find the time to do this in the beginning of August. I know they would enjoy it, and make them feel special.
Some examples of the happy faces that loves to see themselves:

   

Reflections on photo book project in the Nest

The photo project in the Orphanage the Nest has been both hard work and very rewarding. The project started out as a creative project, making photo books for the babies that were going to be adopted, but soon became a slightly bigger commitment. 

In periods, I spent many dinners there, helping to feed the babies. I also spent time there just playing with them and holding them. In September, we had a bout of really bad weather and they needed help to dry the babies clothes. I don’t know how many kilos of clothes I took home to put in the dryer or just hang, wherever I could fit them in! There were also about 5 instances over the year, when the water was of really poor quality or non-existent so they couldn’t do their laundry. In those times I helped out, doing both laundry, drying and folding (my mom loved that I did that - now I really know how to run the washing machine). At one point they had a big outbreak of some virus and eight kids had to stay in the hospital for a while. This made the girls in the Nest work very hard, because when in the hospital, you have to bring a caregiver!

I can’t say I learned a lot (more than running the machine) but this project really made me reflect and think of how much I take for granted. Having good water, electricity, parents that love and support me etc. It also made me admire the hard work the caregivers in the Nest do. The kids are happy, clean and well fed even though there is so many kids and so few caregivers. I also got to hear a few stories that were quite scary. About finding babies in the forest or in the toilets etc.... scary stuff. It also made me reflect over all the people who wants to adopt children. There are so many of them and so many children that could be offered a fantastic future, so why does it have to be so hard? and take so long?

In Kenya you have to stay in the country for six months minimum if you adopt. That is not so easy for parents - you have to be quite rich to not work for six months and pay room and board on saved money. Of course I realize that there is a need of  checking the families out thoroughly, but in Sweden that is done before they even enter Kenya. This way it makes it so much harder for “ordinary” Swedish families to adopt - because of the lack of money! I know this because I know a few Swedes who are here for the purpose of adopting.

OK, back to the photo project: I quickly ran into some problems. The babies I started to photograph were moved! There is only really small babies in the Nest (as soon as they turn a year old, they are moved to another orphanage in Limuru). I solved the problem by taking photos on all the kids, making photobooks and give them to the babies who is there and who is about to be adopted once I’m finished! I caught a break when one woman I know adopted from the Nest (and I have plenty of photos of her baby). They are staying in Nairobi for quite some time - so produced a book for her and I'm going to give it to her after the summer. I caught another break when friends of a friend adopted another one.  I’m having the books printed in Stockholm over the summer, because I want them to look really professional! Then I found another connection with a family from Italy, adopting another child I knew well.

I hope the books will provide the babies with a sense of their home country. I also want them to realize, that even tough they were orphans, they were well taken care of and loved by the staff. Hopefully the book can provide some answers when this baby is growing up in another country, far away. I've heard that adopted children have many questions growing up, especially when they get their own kids. This book may also be a way to communicate to friends and family how the time in Kenya was.

After delivering the books, I’ll consider my creative photo book project done, but I will continue to visit the Nest and help out as much as I can.

My cas proposal for the Nest photo book project

And here is my evaluation

Loving the Swedish Society

My hard work paid off! All the hours spent working at the Swedish Society functions finally gave me funds for Excellent school. Apparently it also paid off to write a clear and detailed application! I was so excited that I had to e-mail George at once and he was very happy too! We got 110.000 Kes to use for desks for the teachers and some school desks and chairs!
I'm going to the school next week to instruct on what the money needs to go to, and then I need to collect all the receipts, take photos and make a poster for the Christmas Bazaar.
I also learned that after the article in the paper, KLM agreed to fly the bags with football equipment to Nairobi from Stockholm. The were donated from a film shoot, and now we can sell them to raise money for the school. Good day for me!

The nest visit

I just had to go to the nest! I have not had the time to visit for quite some time so it is really long overdue. No laundry, no feeding and no taking pictures just a simple visit to play with the kids. The seemed happy to see me, as usual! I didn't even take photos - because my book project is finished. It has been hard to find the time to go there this year, but due to my project I've been able to visit quite a few times. I really hope I can find the time to go next year as well, even though I know school is going to be even more demanding in my senior year. I also have my action and service projects to continue.

More interesting news?

A new friend came to visit the school. She is working with a SIDA in Sweden and was extremely aware of the Kenyan situation. She brought her two kids that were really interested in working with the school. They came to our house for dinner at night, and we discussed everything at length, having a great time, I really hope she can help us help Excellent. It was a terrific family and I have high hopes in continuing the work with their help! It was extremely inspiring talking to people that really knows all the problems you face in the slums. You get to go deeper in the discussion and just not telling about the situation, but getting a professional opinion on the situation.

Article in the paper "Daily Industry" in Sweden

Finally I'm allowed to reveal that one of the biggest, daily business newspaper in Sweden. DI (Daily Industry), published an article about Excellent School and Care Center and our work with the school. This happened around four weeks ago at the school, so the interview featured my mom Christina and school principal George (I was in school at the time of the interview so I could not join them) and was really a well written and nice article. I am so happy that DI gave us so much space - it was printed over two pages, and that I really put in the effort for them to write it.

However I am more focused on the effect that it will bring on our work with the school. As this is one of the more serious newspaper in the country, we can expect that more people will learn of the conditions we are all working in. Hopefully this will inspire swedes to do something in developing countries such as Kenya or Tanzania. I am keen to hear from many of my friends back home in case any one would like to join our project.

Educational politics in Kenya

The educational system in Kenya is not very well functioning. School is compulsory up to 8:th grade, where the students take the National Exam, that will determine if they can continue in high school. That is, if you can find the money for tuition fees, books and uniforms. There are scholarships to apply for, but to get them the kids need to have serious connections. As all of Kenyan society, even the educational system is corrupt.

When Kenya created its free primary education system in 2003, it was lauded internationally for extending education to those who could not afford paying for schooling. But a government audit in 2010 found that significant portions of the ministry's funds could not be accounted for.

The United States is suspended education funds to Kenya following reports that more than $1 million was missing from the country's primary schooling program. The move followed a British announcement that it was withholding the final $16 million of a five-year education funding program that began in 2005.

The UK’s Department For International Development planned to simply bypass the Kenyan government and contribute to schools and civil society programs directly in support of Kenyan educational programs.

Making primary education free and compulsory was a step in the right direction, yet many challenges remain and there are concerns about the quality of education declining because of the increased intake. Many families cannot afford the rest of the expenses associated with schooling. These include books, school uniform, stationery and transport. Class sizes are too large per teacher, desks are shared, and there are inadequate latrines and insufficient water services and meals. As many as 300 children share one toilet in some areas.


Primary school enrollment, especially of girls, is particularly low in the arid and semi arid regions of Kenya, where the majority of the people are nomadic pastoralists. In 2000, there were just over 13.5 percent girls enrolled for primary education compared to 26 percent boys. By 2004, in spite of the free education system, there was just less than one girl out of every five going to primary school and an estimated 33 percent boys enrolled. Cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and early marriages are some of the factors that affect school attendance for girls in many of the culturally predominant region like Northern, North Eastern and Coast Provinces.

Children in slum areas have also faced special challenges limiting their access to free public education because of lack of public schools and other socio-economic hardships.

Individuals and community based organizations, development, humanitarian and church-based
institutions have initiated welfare programmes that include provision of primary education in slums. These are perhaps the best option available in the slums, as the schools utilize donations and local resources to provide education to needy children. Although such organizations charge a nominal amount of fees, cost of uniform, learning materials and other ad hoc expenses have to be footed by households and can still be to much for the caregivers.

There is widespread indifference among political leaders and decision makers, as evidenced by the low
prioritization of slum education in the current political development agenda. Political focus has already shifted to free secondary education, even before all children are guaranteed free primary education. This problem can largely be attributed to low documentation and publication of the problem of education in slums.

How come the Kenyan government doesn't realize that the children is the future of Kenya? How is the country ever going to have an efficient, non-corrupt government who looks out for the best of its citizens, including the children. Read more by clicking the links below.

educational corruption in Kenya

Falling short

Last event with the Swedish Society

Yesterday was very interesting. We had to go to the Swedish school to do the May 1:st celebration, a trip that takes about 30 minutes when there is no traffic. Due to the long rains and several really bad accidents it took us almost two hours!
The roads are badly built in Nairobi and the rain creates both enormous potholes and heavy flooding. On top of that, all Kenyans use their cars when it's raining. We cruised around pot holes on flooded roads in extremely heavy traffic, and were sitting totally still for an hour. A really old, bad truck had crashed into two cars close to the school. It also managed to hit a wall and tear it down on the way. This happened in a place with a big hill upwards, followed by one downwards and often the engines in the car are to weak to even have the strength to go up the hill. I've heard of times when it simply gives up and starts sliding backwards down, crushing all the cars behind it. It is interesting, as a Swede, to reflect on how dangerous traffic can be here and people in Sweden who complains about that they use all our tax money to fix roads shouldn't!
Once there, I started grilling hot dogs and selling snacks and drinks. Of course it started raining heavily, but the guests were happy anyway. To get home again was another story, but the only thing I'm going to say about that is that the traffic didn't clear until around 11 PM.

This was my last time helping out the Swedish Society. In the future I intend to go to all the functions, just having fun and not work!

Tae-guks/Poomses

Heavy training in Taekwondo for my sister today. She is about to be graded for her red belt and has to practice the Tae-guks. Number four and five are very very hard, with back stances, open hand blocks and chops and a fierce neck grab and elbow punch. You have to keep practicing the earlier poomses as well - because when grading you're expected to perform all of them. I know one to three well, but was actually just starting to learn the 4:th and it is HARD! The trick is to never give up and perform them every day to get it as fluent, easy-looking and perfect as possible.
I'm impressed with my sister and I'm going to perform the tae-guks every day until I master them for my next grading!

My second book project

I finally got my second book project under way. A little boy is being adopted by an Italian family and because they are friend of friends I can offer them a book. He is one year old, and has spent his whole first year in the Nest. Because of all my visits I have pictures of him, so I'm putting together another book for this little boy and his new family. I'm glad my photo book project turned out successful, because I did have some problems for a while. It was just luck that I found two children that I actually could make the books for and that I know was being adopted! Time spent working with the Swedish society made me make the connections and I'm thankful for that!

Buying female stuff for the girls

I know there is a problem with the girls in Excellent. It's not that they talk behind each others back, or are concerned with boyfriends and other usual "girlie" stuff, it's actually having a problem once a month with going to school (at least the older ones). I know this is a real problem, and my mother discusses it with George often. He tells us that when the girls have their period, they can't go to school because of lack of protection and sometimes even underwear. I kind of close my ears when these discussions are coming up, but of course I pick up a thing or two. George tells us that the girls usually come to school anyway, wrapping their red sweaters around their waist to avoid embarrassment. Even though I don't want to hear about these problems, it is quite upsetting that the girls can't afford the equipment needed once a month for any teenage girl. On the next visit, my mom is going to bring pads and underwear so they can be handed out from the office as needed. We bring a Nakumatt bag or two every time we visit. It's usually toiletpaper, soap, lightbulbs, notebooks, chalk for the black-board and pens. Through our close connection with George, we get updates on all the things needed. Next time it will be pads, underwear, tea and copy paper!

May first - a big celebration in Sweden

In Sweden May 1:st is a big holiday. It is the celebration of spring - the light finally comes back to Sweden after many months of darkness. Of course it is still cold - so we have to light fires (a very good way to get rid of your garden waste). It is also the big holiday for the workers.
May Day is a public holiday in Sweden since 1939. Since 2005 is also the National Day a public, non-Christian Holiday. This may 1:st is going to be celebrated on Saturday, in the Swedish School and I'm going to sell hot-dogs and beer for the guests. As always, the goal is to sell as much as possible to make as much money as possible for projects that will benefit Kenyans. But we also are going to have a good time, reconnecting with new and old "Swedish Kenyans", celebrating an important Swedish holiday.