My Students

Here are just a few stories of some of my older students. I really admire many of them, yet am unable to really put myself in their shoes.

The top picture is of the Form 2 Class I taught during their month long holiday -- very needy students who the Sisters follow. I also taught Form I, and they were a wonderful group of young people! Sister Dionesia keeps them busy during their holiday so they don't "go around" and some are very clever and motivated to study.

Joseph Njoroge:* Joseph is now in his freshmen year of high school. He's stayed in the mission since he was in class 5. I met him only recently during revision classes during their holiday. Joseph is very willing to help others and while he is a bit quiet, still has a presence that is felt. Definitely I would say he is a leader by example. He hasn't had a father in his life, and both he and his sister witnessed the shooting murder of their mother. He doesn't have any relatives that were able to care for him, so until this year when he went to boarding school, and now for holidays, he stays in a house in the mission for boys - they are mostly secondary students who take care of themselves. I am constantly amazed at how mature students here are: without supervision these boys cook, study, and generally get along well in their house. The house is only one room, with bunk beds and two picnic tables.

Joyce Njoki: Joyce only recently came to the mission. She is young -- maybe 15 or 16. She had to drop out of middle school because her mother forced her into prostitution then she became pregnant. After the baby was born, the mother secretly made plans to sell the child. Joyce found out and ran away with the baby. She's now studying knitting (about a 3 month course) in the Girl's Technical. On Saturdays she works for the Sisters in exchange for food, soap etc. The baby, Millicent, is 9 months old or so. She hasn't started crawling yet, so she can sit in the class on the floor while mom learns. I take the baby with me to assistance at lunch time so Joyce can play -- she's still very young! She takes wonderful care of the baby however, and I admire her determination.

John and I at his home

John Karanja: John is a very special student to me. My family is supporting his secondary school, and I very much enjoyed to visit his home while he was on midterm break. (Most high schools are boarding). John is a FANTASTIC writer, and even hopes to publish a book someday. I first learned of him through reading the compositions of class 8, and noting his talent. But, what really impressed my was that on their "outing" (field trip) during the bus ride he, by his own free will, was explaining to me about the areas we were passing through -- not often done by teenage boys! John placed 1st in his class for the National Exam, and was 10th in the district. He was called to go to Njiiri's School, a very good government school, in the tea-region of Kenya. At the school, the boys work very hard: they go to bed at 10:30 and get up at 4:30AM, have very little free time and are always doing some kind of work -- the students really do learn a lot, but seem to suffer in the process. They get little food, little sleep, and aren't allowed visitors! I went to the school with Sr. Dionisia, and we were allowed to see John for about 15 minutes, and I think only because she is a Sister and I'm a foreigner! The deputy (vice-principal) is fierce!!! I guess the students have nicknamed him "cockroach" (using the Kikuyu word) because he is always scurrying around everywhere after people, and it is like he is always in the shadows looking for people wasting time. The principal is very strict against bullying, however, which is so important in a school of 1000+ students.
Within the first month of school, John broke his leg playing soccer . He is now walking without crutches, but the recovery seems to be quite long. Despite this (and missing a week of school) he still was 7th out of 52 students in his stream. He says he is happy at school, despite the hardships, and is really learning a lot and dreams of being a doctor. John's family is needy, in fact he was really worried that he wouldn't be able to attend a trade school, much less high school, because of money. His mother is a prostitute, and I believe has been since she left school in class 4, but it seems she really loves her 3 children. John is the 2nd child and oldest boy. He doesn't know who his father is, but has a close relationship with his mother. The mother only speaks Kikuyu so I couldn't communicate with her much during my visit. She is HIV+ and I have heard (it is not good of course to spread rumors, but if the following is not true for this family it is for another) that after she had a falling out with a man who was somehow supporting her, a judge, as revenge he took the daughter for a week, and the daughter is now also HIV+. Regardless of the home situation, John is working really hard in his studies, and is also very mature for his age, and I have no doubt he will continue to become someone great.

The family of John: From Left to Right: A cousin, his mother, the child of his cousin, and him

Julius Kamau: I've only gotten to know Julius over the past few weeks, but have become very fond of him. A student of the Boy's Technical in printing, he works on weekends as the watchman for the gate that is just outside of my house and helps with general work. The watchmen sit on my porch, and so I pass by often. When Julius was 5, his mother became suddenly ill and passed away. He and his older brother were sent to live with their grandmother, who abused them horribly. When asked what he wanted to do when he grew up, the older brother once replied that he wanted to be rich so he could buy and car and run over the shosho (grandmother). An aunt took them in, but shortly after was married and the husband refused the children. That is how they came to be with the Sisters. The Sisters used to have a mixed children's home, but later switched to only girls. The other boys were sent to a home for street children, but Kamau and his brother did not quite fit there, so they stayed in a room attached to the chicken coop in Makuyu. Julius went to both boarding primary and secondary, as the Sisters are not equipped to care for boys. He passed his exams very well. However, after that he became somehow lost, and turned to drinking as he couldn't find a job. Sr. Dionisia "rescued him" as he says, and he came to work in the shamba (garden) for a couple years, and now has joined the printing trade. Julius is one of the people Sr. Dionisia really trusts, which certainly means something. He is very good in school, and is really trying hard to make a life for himself -- he has even started a club for "good boys" in the town, those who want to stay out of trouble. I very much enjoy just chatting with Julius as he is very open to answering questions about life in Kenya, and straight-forward.

Julius Kariuki: This Julius is also a student of the printing press. I have come to know him because he is a photographer and takes very nice pictures for many events. I lend him my camera for some occasions. He learned photography from his father, and for a while worked for Kodak (I think?) taking photos around the country. He still uses an old film camera as well.
We are "age mates," which means like it sounds, the same age. He has recently become traditionally married, and has a beautiful 3 month old baby. He uses photography to generate some income to care for his family. Julius is also very active in the church, especially the choir.


* I didn't use their real names because I know I personally might not want mine used, even if the people reading didn't know me