Unknown to my team members, I brought my swiss army knife and first aid kit when I walked into Kisumu's Child Rehab Centre. After all, you don't know what to expect in these situations.
I went in with a very cautious mind. I came out amazed, inspired with a hint of sadness.
We spent an enjoyable afternoon with these wonderful kids - games, songs, competitions. Sure, they may have done terrible things in the past, but gazing into their innocent eyes, you can still see a glimmer of hope accompanied with immense joy.
They truly are the most gorgeous kids on the planet. We held hands, we sang songs...they are very disciplined, never complained, not even once.
We are all equal. They deserve as much as we do in every way - opportunities, resources, care, guidance. Yet the world is unfair. We view them as the inferior group, as kids that will destroy our society in the future.
I have huge respect for Johnson and the teachers in the centre. They are not materially blessed, yet they are one of the rare few in the world that understands the true meaning of life...
One just wonders who is more blessed - us or them.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Dreams and Opportunities (Day 5 of 44)
Woke up at 6am in the morning to take a 7 hour bus trip from Nairobi to Kisumu...
The poverty part of Africa has finally started to hit me as I leave its capital city. The rural area of Kenya is surprisingly full of people (+ zebras, goats and donkeys), walking around or loitering, trying to sell goods next to the busy road to survive...
Yet they seem to be content with their life, as in their mind that's what life is all about...family and survival.
I had the chance to spend an hour with Laurence, a local guide, yesterday at Nairobi. He is one of the most fortunate in Kenya - living in a big city, graduated with a chemical engineering degree, and is employed as a IT trainer.
I soon realized that he is smart, mature, knowledgeable and ambitious. He has his own dreams in his career - just like us, and is very willing to pursue it. Yet the country is too corrupt to provide him with meaningful opportunities.
He asked me how employment was like in Australia (which I told him is ~95%). He was impressed, and asked me how it can be so high. I didn't answer his question directly.
The infrastructure at Kisumu, 3rd largest city in Kenya, is primitive at best. Its the city where hundreds were killed (some decapitated, I was told) in the presidential race riot held last year.
In my perspective, Kenya is a country of chaos.
In the locals' perspective, its life as normal.
I will be here for the next 4 days.
The poverty part of Africa has finally started to hit me as I leave its capital city. The rural area of Kenya is surprisingly full of people (+ zebras, goats and donkeys), walking around or loitering, trying to sell goods next to the busy road to survive...
Yet they seem to be content with their life, as in their mind that's what life is all about...family and survival.
I had the chance to spend an hour with Laurence, a local guide, yesterday at Nairobi. He is one of the most fortunate in Kenya - living in a big city, graduated with a chemical engineering degree, and is employed as a IT trainer.
I soon realized that he is smart, mature, knowledgeable and ambitious. He has his own dreams in his career - just like us, and is very willing to pursue it. Yet the country is too corrupt to provide him with meaningful opportunities.
He asked me how employment was like in Australia (which I told him is ~95%). He was impressed, and asked me how it can be so high. I didn't answer his question directly.
The infrastructure at Kisumu, 3rd largest city in Kenya, is primitive at best. Its the city where hundreds were killed (some decapitated, I was told) in the presidential race riot held last year.
In my perspective, Kenya is a country of chaos.
In the locals' perspective, its life as normal.
I will be here for the next 4 days.
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