Author Archives: Amanda Pedersen

Flavian Anyango from St Mary´s Lwak High School located in Nyanza

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Our school motto is "In pursuit of excellence and integrity".
Here the pupils get all their basic needs in school and there is high
level of discipline from both the pupils and the teachers. The school
has facilities which makes it a better place for learning. It has also
a well equipped laboratory for experiments. There is also a well
equipped library in Nyanza and water supply is in plenty. We also have
clubs and society which enables us to go for school trips and
associate with other pupils from different schools.

The school has two buses which enables transportation. We also have
four slices of bread daily in our school which is a rare thing in
other schools in Kenya. The school also has a canteen where you can eat
additional meal using your own money. We also have students meetings
where we express our problems which are facing us within the school
then they are being solved.

Generally I like my school.

Author: Flavian Anyango

 

A voice from Olympic High, located in Kibera slums

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The good thing about our school is that there are good structures and
the pupils are willing to learn under low supervision because of good
learning materials. Pupils are able to perform better because teachers
are trying to accomplish the syllabus on time.

The disadvantage of Olympic is that the compound is filled with
structures which leaves no space for playing due to high population of
pupils.

The pupils also don't go for education tours making the school
monotony high. The school is also poor in games thus its hard for
students to discover their talents. The school has poor services, eg no
toilets and poor water supply and few learning materials.

Author: Moses Owuor

The end of second term break

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The schools are now opening from Monday for the third term. This is a term which determines whether you will move to the next class or not. If you wont make it to the next level you are the repeater but if you make it you are called promoted. Probably those who repeat the classes are the last ten pupils from each class at primary level. But at secondary level it keeps on varying, ie it can be from grade D and below. This is a term where no pupil is relaxed to avoid humiliation during the end of the term. For the secondary students those who attain the last position in some schools they are being told to remain behind for another one week for revision purposes. The competition is not only for the pupils but the teachers too, they are supposed to accomplish the syllabus before end year exams. This is mainly because the exams settings for the term covers the whole syllabus. The most important thing is that K.C.P.E (Kenya certificate for primary education) and K.C.S.E (Kenya certificate of secondary education) are done during this term.

The Centre

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What a day for the kids! The first week since closure of the schools for the second term break. The kids are coming in large numbers doing different activities eg.

1. Reading books and doing their assignments

2. Playing several games i.e. letter matching, sand bitching and football, not forgetting rope skipping for girls

3. Story telling about their schools and positions at school.

Some of the kids come with their younger siblings not only to learn but also to be at a safe place away from slum life.

Don Ochieng Owiti

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My name is  Don Ochieng Owiti, am 17 years old. I am one of the sponsored children at KCE. I am in form four at Olympic High School and doing my final High school exams this year. I have a brother who is also sponsored in this same organization. I was sponsored in the year 2011 after doing my primary exams and performing well.
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Since being sponsored the organization has transformed me greatly and the kibera community at large. The organization has transformed the education lives of many children in kibera that would have been buried were it not for you. The organization has ensured that the children are provided with the necessary learning materials, paying their school fees in time and ensuring that nothing hinders their growth educationally.
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Despite sponsoring kids education,the organization has also set up a centre where both sponsored kids and non sponsored kids can go read, do their homework and get assistance with school work from our able teachers at the Centre. Children are also allowed to borrow books which are normally returned after one  has read, this has enabled many children to perform well in school. Our parents have also been great full for all that the organization does in the provision of books, because buying books is normally expensive bearing in mind that Kibera is a slum and associated with high levels of poverty.
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Despite of books in the centre the organization also has different playing materials for the kids.Many children spend their time in the centre normally on Saturdays, this has enabled children to keep off vices that are associated with slum life. Indeed KCE has become my second home.
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Author: Don Ochieng Owitit

Ramadan Celebrations

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Muslims across the world, including Kibera where  30% of the residents are Muslims, are all in celebration to mark there greatest religious world event which normally comes with various rules on fasting  and times to pray. Ramadan is the month when Koran was revealed to the prophet. Muslims are therefore expected to dedicate themselves to prayer and reading of Koran. This explains the need to fast.
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At the center  we have two children who have joined their fellow faithfuls in celebrating Ramadan. Ramadan starts on 1st or 2nd of July and lasts for  a period of 29 or  30 days depending on the crescent of the  moon.
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The celebration comes in with a few  rules;

1.All Muslims participating in Ramadan are expected to  wake up at 3am in the morning to eat, prayer comes in at 5am after eating. One is expected not to eat anything the whole day till 6pm in the evening. This timetable is to be followed for the 29 or 30 days during Ramadan.

2.The sick and pregnant women are not allowed to participate in Ramadan.

3.Ladies undergoing menstrual cycle are also not allowed to participate in Ramadan.

4.There should be no sexual engagement among participants even for the married couples during this Ramadan period

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Author: Dominic Omindi, teacher

Saba Saba Resolutions

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On the 5th of July we wrote about the political tension in Kenya and the mass action, populary known as Saba Saba. On the 7th of July demonstrations took place in Nairobi and we had to keep the centre closed.
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They made 13 resolutions as follows;
1.We today launch OKOA KENYA, a peoples movement to defend our constitution, support one another in good and in bad times, protect the gains we have made in our democratic governance and rededicate ourselves to national unity and peaceful co-exsistance
2. Demand the current administration to address the escalating cost of living by reviewing taxation regime failure to which we will boycott consumption of goods and services whose prices are beyond the reach of common man and commence commercial suctions against companies which continue to ignore our plight
3. Convince an all inclusive national referendum committee for the purpose of preparing the people of Kenya for a referendum
4. Mandate the national referendum committee to ensure maximum participation for the people of Kenya at the county, sub county and ward level all over Kenya in formulating referendum questions, collecting one million signatures to initiate the referendum process
5. Having lost confidence on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) we now demand its immediate disbandment and establishment of a new electoral body
6. Demand immediate end to corruption, wasteful spending reckless borrowing within and by the current administration
7. Demand that the Govt takes immediate steps to withdrawal our gallant solders from Somalia and join our forces in securing our National from home
8. Demand that the current administration takes visible and decisive actions to deal with run away security
9. Reject attempts by the executive through Govt to bastardize the report of the truth justice and reconciliation commission and demand immediate implementation of the original report
10Demand that the current administration immediately address underlying land issues that are at the heart of the most enduring historical injustices and conflicts in our society
11Demand national audit and publication by the public service commission of all appointments made in public services by the current administration with full details listing names ethnic backgrounds and percentages
12.Recognizing the current administration has failed to apply national resources equitably across the country, we demand 40% of the projected ordinary revenue of the current fiscal year be allocated to the county government
13.Demand national audit on how resources at the disposal of the national current administration are applied across the country
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Author: Dominic Omondi, teacher

The most enriching time of my life

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After a three month volunteer period in Nairobi at KCE I’m now back in Sweden to continue the work as a board member. Before I left for Kibera in January 2014 I had no idea what to expect  from KCE and Kibera, so a bit confused I got on the plane from Copenhagen towards my new home and workplace. During my time at KCE in Kibera I fell in love with the culture, the centre and all wonderful and blithesome people I met in my daily interactions. Before I left I knew THAT I WANTED to do volunteer work but now after this experience I also know WHY I NEEDED to do this type of work, because the love and appreciation I got from these smart and playful kids in return for my contributions was so rewarding and motivating.

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I not only made friends for life and helped these kids towards a brighter future, they also helped me understand what’s important in life and the importance of living in the moment!

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Author: Carl-Johan Haglund, Board Member KCE

New colleague, Emma Marichu

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We are happy to announce that we have successfully recruited our new colleague, Emma Marichu. Emma will be working as the accountant. She has a diploma in community development and social work and is currently studying business management. She also has five years experience working as an accounts and admin assistant in the NGO field. We are very happy to have Emma in our team!

Acts of terrorism

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There was shocking incident in one of Kenya’s coastal towns (Mombasa). Men in balaclavas firing at the congregation in the church, two firing bullets and two disappearing in Majengo mapya slums without being traced . 6 People died while 21 left injured. Among the injured are 3 children below age 3, one with a bullet in the head…. by Domin.