Rise and Shine!
Rising Bell at 5:30 am with Breakfast at 5:45 OK, I can handle that on a good day, except the part about the bell. As long as the coffee is there to kick in the day. But for Kenyan students at Mukhukuni SS that’s routine. 6:05 am seated in a classroom doing preps until Roll Call at 8 o’clock is the norm. Two hours of study…the sun is barely up. Cleaning dorms and washing clothes until 10…now some time to relax for a half hour…tea with my friends. Pretty good so far. Now two more hours of preps. Lunch is at 12:30 with more preps from 1:30 to 4 pm. Blasted preps…study, study and more study. Finally the fun begins. Games of football, roundball, dodgeball and volleyball; or, maybe just a brisk sit under a tree if it gets too hot. Supper is at 5:30 and preps begin again at 6:30…9:30 off to bed and at 10 pm lights are out. And that’s a typical Saturday for a boarder at Mukhakuni. It’s a little easier on Sunday because students can go to a church nearby. Most do. At least students get three meals and a couple of breaks for tea. That’s more than day school students who are lucky to get one daily meal of ugali, rice or ugi.
Mukhukuni SS is the furthest CES school away from Kakamega. Located in a remote area 40 km to the north it is understaffed by ten teachers. That’s because it is so isolated that many do not wish to teach there. There is no library and there is but one lab. As I entered a science class of 80 Form 2 students, I sensed that these youth were serious about their learning. Science resources were lacking and students were sitting two or three to one desk. A house designed for the Principal and his Deputy Josephat Nyongesa stood nearby. The dwelling was substandard, not worthy of professional educators who needed a place to rest at night. One was on duty every day of the week because of the supervision needed for boarders. In fact, the dwelling also doubled as a staff room. I declined a visit there. I felt very badly that these fine administrators had such poor facilities to work under.
Waiting for our students to arrive, Baring Kidiga told us that “all of the District has heard about CES Canada and the generosity of the Canadian people…it is God that has brought you to us.”
Titus Uchoka – Form 4 stands 2nd out of 58 in his class. His was the top mark in all of Western Province in the KCPE standardized testing.
Cosmas Wawire – Form 3 stands 2nd out of 86 in his class,
Boniface Masinde – Form 3 stands 1st out of 86 in his class. He is the Acting Head Boy, waiting to be confirmed through a democratic process of election by his peers. His Principal describes him as having a “spiritual influence” in his school. He is constantly assisting others to excel in their work. Boniface floored me when he thanked us by saying, “you have made an investment in my life. I would not be in school without your support.”
Tobias Nanjakululu – Form 2 stands 1st out of 70 in his class.
Leaving Mukhukuni SS I asked CES Kenya Chairman Ben Udoto the question, “How is it that a school so remote, lacking ten teachers with poor facilities and no electricity can do so much with so little?” His answer was profound… “they make do with the little they have and they make the best of it.” Principal Baring Kidiga did ask for help. His school certainly deserves it. His parting words were, “We pray for you. Please remember that one day the boys you assist today will help others tomorrow.” That’s what CES Canada is all about…helping to build strong communities by investing in the lives of those who have nothing.
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