What difference or impact do you intend to make in the lives of these mentees…..
This question was thrown to me on the first day I sat before the U-Tena panel interviewing me for the mentorship position. Not knowing what it exactly needed me to give as the answer, I shot with “I will help them improve in their studies and behavior”. Luckily, none of the panelists immediately shot back with an “how?” and I felt that my answer was not really complete without me knowing exactly how I would achieve what I had just told them. Having never worked before with any adolescents, a preparation for this journey was necessary.
Fully equipped from an entire week training, I felt I had enough to just give for a weekend but how would things be the following weekend and the three years to come. Would I just be that person that goes for the session and have nothing to give to the excited young boys and girls ready to hear from a university student with an expectation of learning from her? That Saturday of May 20th 2016 would mark the first day of our sessions and knowing each other first was vital.
Creating a bond with the mentees was the first choice that I made even before I could teach them any literacy, numeracy or even anything about life. To make it feel like a place where everyone had to be free and to differentiate the session from the normal school mathematics lesson was the best step I ever took with them. The three years presented an opportunity for me and the mentees to learn a new thing every weekend. The young and a bit shy lady that didn’t know what to tell her mentees, suddenly had too much good and dependable information for her mentees. Watching the mentees grow both physically, emotionally and mentally to young adolescents made me desire to even mentor them more.
School education plays a key role in developing an effective personality in a person’s life but a compilation of life skills in education makes it even more effective. To even score better in numeracy or literacy requires motivation and positivity and this was where all our learning was based on. With the question of “what difference….” still in my mind, I worked with every single mentee to make sure that he or she felt best placed and could reap highly from the sessions. A family where love and knowledge is shared is what we believed in. This simply meant that if one mentee did not understand a concept taught in class, it was the responsibility of the fellow mentee to help because together we all yearned to succeed.
The newly found learning environment was different from what the mentees experienced in their schools, they confessed. This would in turn encourage attendance of the mentees and openness that we direly needed so as to benefit from the project. Gertrude aged 12 then, was not like any other loud teenage girl, she was quiet and reserved. The problem was not that she couldn’t speak or didn’t want to, but because she felt intimidated in a class where numeracy sessions seemed a walk in a park for her fellows but a piercing dagger for her. “Gertrude, please write me a note on how you would like me to help you in numeracy”, I said to her one evening as we went home after seeing her smile to her friend. That note marked the beginning of a very lively and participative young girl in class for the next three years and a very proud mother of what her daughter has become.
Dennis came to the program aged 12 and in class 6. He barely talked in class and if he did, his head would be bowed and so was his class performance. Over the three years, together with physical growth, Dennis gained more confidence and would speak to anyone. By the end of the program, the confidence in him was very easy to note through his communication to a point that he stood before the rest of the mentees from all the other centers to talk to them, something that gladdened by heart. This is just a tip of the iceberg, he has become a young boy who understands his dreams and ready to work for them unlike the shy boy that I met when we began the sessions.
The life skill aspect played a key role in working towards achieving the objective of the A-LOT change program being behavior change and academic improvement in young adolescents from informal settlements in Viwandani. Over the period of the project life, the mentees demonstrated a great change in behavior and developed skills like decision making and coping with emotions. Being among the most crucial set of life skills, the mentees developed the ability of understanding skills about life, commonly not taught in a normal mainstream class setting in their schools following the set curriculum.
Looking at the benefits the life skills class has had on the mentees, I find it absolutely okay to recommend it to be included in the school curriculum. This is not just a subject, but a platform that sees young adolescents find answers to the questions in their curious growing minds. It also presents the adolescents with the right information together with acquiring life skills such as self-awareness, effective communication , critical thinking , coping with emotions, problem solving , decision making and improved academic performance among many more making them effective people in their personal lives and dependable citizens of our country and the world. It gives me so much pride to know that I participated in making young adolescents gain a different and better understanding of life as well as the importance of academic performance as they sore to greater heights of their lives and through all that, the question of what difference definitely got its answer.
Author: Mwende Lucy
You You Can access author's bio here
Fully equipped from an entire week training, I felt I had enough to just give for a weekend but how would things be the following weekend and the three years to come. Would I just be that person that goes for the session and have nothing to give to the excited young boys and girls ready to hear from a university student with an expectation of learning from her? That Saturday of May 20th 2016 would mark the first day of our sessions and knowing each other first was vital.
Creating a bond with the mentees was the first choice that I made even before I could teach them any literacy, numeracy or even anything about life. To make it feel like a place where everyone had to be free and to differentiate the session from the normal school mathematics lesson was the best step I ever took with them. The three years presented an opportunity for me and the mentees to learn a new thing every weekend. The young and a bit shy lady that didn’t know what to tell her mentees, suddenly had too much good and dependable information for her mentees. Watching the mentees grow both physically, emotionally and mentally to young adolescents made me desire to even mentor them more.
School education plays a key role in developing an effective personality in a person’s life but a compilation of life skills in education makes it even more effective. To even score better in numeracy or literacy requires motivation and positivity and this was where all our learning was based on. With the question of “what difference….” still in my mind, I worked with every single mentee to make sure that he or she felt best placed and could reap highly from the sessions. A family where love and knowledge is shared is what we believed in. This simply meant that if one mentee did not understand a concept taught in class, it was the responsibility of the fellow mentee to help because together we all yearned to succeed.
The newly found learning environment was different from what the mentees experienced in their schools, they confessed. This would in turn encourage attendance of the mentees and openness that we direly needed so as to benefit from the project. Gertrude aged 12 then, was not like any other loud teenage girl, she was quiet and reserved. The problem was not that she couldn’t speak or didn’t want to, but because she felt intimidated in a class where numeracy sessions seemed a walk in a park for her fellows but a piercing dagger for her. “Gertrude, please write me a note on how you would like me to help you in numeracy”, I said to her one evening as we went home after seeing her smile to her friend. That note marked the beginning of a very lively and participative young girl in class for the next three years and a very proud mother of what her daughter has become.
Dennis came to the program aged 12 and in class 6. He barely talked in class and if he did, his head would be bowed and so was his class performance. Over the three years, together with physical growth, Dennis gained more confidence and would speak to anyone. By the end of the program, the confidence in him was very easy to note through his communication to a point that he stood before the rest of the mentees from all the other centers to talk to them, something that gladdened by heart. This is just a tip of the iceberg, he has become a young boy who understands his dreams and ready to work for them unlike the shy boy that I met when we began the sessions.
The life skill aspect played a key role in working towards achieving the objective of the A-LOT change program being behavior change and academic improvement in young adolescents from informal settlements in Viwandani. Over the period of the project life, the mentees demonstrated a great change in behavior and developed skills like decision making and coping with emotions. Being among the most crucial set of life skills, the mentees developed the ability of understanding skills about life, commonly not taught in a normal mainstream class setting in their schools following the set curriculum.
Looking at the benefits the life skills class has had on the mentees, I find it absolutely okay to recommend it to be included in the school curriculum. This is not just a subject, but a platform that sees young adolescents find answers to the questions in their curious growing minds. It also presents the adolescents with the right information together with acquiring life skills such as self-awareness, effective communication , critical thinking , coping with emotions, problem solving , decision making and improved academic performance among many more making them effective people in their personal lives and dependable citizens of our country and the world. It gives me so much pride to know that I participated in making young adolescents gain a different and better understanding of life as well as the importance of academic performance as they sore to greater heights of their lives and through all that, the question of what difference definitely got its answer.
Author: Mwende Lucy
You You Can access author's bio here
Language is a universal currency that enhances communication globally: Experience of mentoring literacy learners in primary school
Language is a universal currency that enhances communication globally. It’s the backbone of most of our interaction. Under the Advancing Learning Outcomes for Transformational change project (Alot-change) literacy has been the backbone of the project.
Being a mentor, I have seen mentees improve academically. In writing skills with help of mentor guiding them they are becoming more creative. With help of learning materials support from African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) and U-Tena it has helped to develop creativity flow which boost their confidence in writing.
Considering four out of five subjects in primary school level in Kenya are taught and tested in English, Alot-Change has been a boost to expand their vocabulary and internally understand meaning of the words and how to use them. Despite the challenging environment of a slum (Viwandani Nairobi Kenya), being a weekend and all the noises from children playing, church activities, mentees managed to grasp something out of this all. The center used for mentorship are school within the community that sometimes these challenges are inevitable.
Mary my mentee, when she was recruited to the project, she was performing below average academically. Through the mentorship she has managed to improve her scores. During this year she managed to be among the top ten in her stream class. This is a prove on how Literacy impacts the life of teenagers.
I tried to make the mentorship session to be different from class set up by applying different teaching methodologies from group work, giving mentees opportunity to do presentations, debates, dictation, and flashcards among others. Apart from the academic achievements, mentees have gained courage and they can express themselves verbally and confidently in English. Seeing them speak courageously in front of hundreds during a leadership forum in Strathmore University, motivational talks, flow of presentation is an achievement to building and molding them to become the best version of themselves and explore more to achieve their dreams.
According to Simon Barasa, Mary's father, there has been a great improvement in Mary's general academics performance. She can also express herself free, on what she likes or dislikes. “I wish for the program to continue for more year," He commented.
Alot-Change intervention has been unique, because one, both sexes were incorporated in the program. This help girls and boys to learn about one another and express themselves freely without feeling being intermediate.
Two, having parents being guided through counselling, it helps both the parent and the child to meet and have a mutual understanding of one another and appreciate each other uniqueness.
As a mentor, its a great joy to see that I have help a teenager build his/her confidence, gain the courage to take the step to express out their potential to the great heights.
Author: Muthoni Kamau
You Can access author's bio here
Being a mentor, I have seen mentees improve academically. In writing skills with help of mentor guiding them they are becoming more creative. With help of learning materials support from African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) and U-Tena it has helped to develop creativity flow which boost their confidence in writing.
Considering four out of five subjects in primary school level in Kenya are taught and tested in English, Alot-Change has been a boost to expand their vocabulary and internally understand meaning of the words and how to use them. Despite the challenging environment of a slum (Viwandani Nairobi Kenya), being a weekend and all the noises from children playing, church activities, mentees managed to grasp something out of this all. The center used for mentorship are school within the community that sometimes these challenges are inevitable.
Mary my mentee, when she was recruited to the project, she was performing below average academically. Through the mentorship she has managed to improve her scores. During this year she managed to be among the top ten in her stream class. This is a prove on how Literacy impacts the life of teenagers.
I tried to make the mentorship session to be different from class set up by applying different teaching methodologies from group work, giving mentees opportunity to do presentations, debates, dictation, and flashcards among others. Apart from the academic achievements, mentees have gained courage and they can express themselves verbally and confidently in English. Seeing them speak courageously in front of hundreds during a leadership forum in Strathmore University, motivational talks, flow of presentation is an achievement to building and molding them to become the best version of themselves and explore more to achieve their dreams.
According to Simon Barasa, Mary's father, there has been a great improvement in Mary's general academics performance. She can also express herself free, on what she likes or dislikes. “I wish for the program to continue for more year," He commented.
Alot-Change intervention has been unique, because one, both sexes were incorporated in the program. This help girls and boys to learn about one another and express themselves freely without feeling being intermediate.
Two, having parents being guided through counselling, it helps both the parent and the child to meet and have a mutual understanding of one another and appreciate each other uniqueness.
As a mentor, its a great joy to see that I have help a teenager build his/her confidence, gain the courage to take the step to express out their potential to the great heights.
Author: Muthoni Kamau
You Can access author's bio here
Towards Zero: Bold Steps ~~~Those statistics represents People!
While scientists and statisticians get excited by numbers, I wish to remind everyone of us that those numbers represents people! While fighting HIV and AIDS, zero is the only tolerable number. Just imagine that 30 adolescents take a pie in every new 100 HIV infections in a country where about 300 people are infected by HIV daily. I can undisputedly assert that when it becomes to HIV infection, one new infection over hundreds of thousands individuals is significantly greater than zero and every available resource should be injected in averting that infection. I’m from the 7th International Conference on Peer Education, Sexuality, HIV and AIDS that was held as from 15th -17th June, 2016 at Kenyatta International Convention Center Nairobi Kenya. In this conference the mission of accelerating and concerting efforts towards zero with elaborate bold steps was clear.
Her Excellency Mrs Margret Kenyatta who was also the chief guest of the conference alluded that despite the fact that HIV is a single biggest killer of adolescents, Kenya has won many battles including the significant reduction of stigma and discrimination index, medical breakthroughs, prevention of mother to child transmission among others. ‘Fear does not dominate dialogue about HIV’, asserted Mrs Kenyatta. She gave a light of hope when she said, ‘if we solder on we will win this was war. ’ Indeed Dr. Kipruto Chesang from CDC proved that medical breakthrough is real by demonstrating how science has shown HIV self-test kits works. He added its importance by saying that research shows that 70.7% (15-64 years) are willing to do HIV self-test.
During the first plenary session Noerine Kaleeba who was instrumental in founding TASO in Uganda insisted that no one can legislate again sex and sexuality. This drew an attention of fighting HIV and AIDS on behavioral view in country (Kenya) where commercial sex workers are about 200,000 of which 15,000 are men commercial sexual workers as per the presentation that was later made by Victor Ouko on comprehensive social and behavior modification strategies among sex workers in Nyeri County. Yes, men who have sex with men contribute about 15.2% of new HIV infection in Kenya. While APhia Plus Kamili led by Jhpiego Corporation is serving this population, they have seen 93.4% receive HIV Counseling and Testing services with 100% linkages to treatment. Kudos to them!
Dr. Nduku Kilonzo, the director of Kenya National AIDS Control Council (KNACC) made me learn that we are and will still be far from gripping the zero HIV infection if young mothers from the ages of 15 to 24 years continue being newly infected. While Kenya has advanced in the fight of HIV and AIDS, it is not doing well in the domains of young people. This begs the question: what can we do differently? Yes, I thumb up the Maisha Maarifa research hub that has been created by Kenya National AIDS Control Council and several youth friendly services initiative across the country. As a way of example, U-Tena Youth Organization collaborated with like-minded partners to create a youth friendly resource center in Lunga Lunga health center in Nairobi County that serves about 300 youths with sex and reproductive health preventive and curative services on monthly basis.
Evidence shows that treatment has the capacity to avert new HIV infections, reduce HIV related deaths and prevent HIV related illness. Concerted efforts of having HIV free generation by 2030 saw UNAIDS pioneer an ambitious 90~90~90 goals: 90% of people living with HIV to know their status- 90% of people diagnosed with HIV to be enrolled and retained on treatment and 90% viral suppression on all clients on HIV treatment by 2020. Current ART coverage in Kenya is about 51% with a retention rate of about 66% at 36 months and 61% at 60% months. Consequently, many lack accessibility to life saving ART and that is why Juma Mwatsefu made a presentation on how Community health workers lead defaulter tracing of HIV is working Western Kenya. Can this be modeled in other counties?
Ninety percent of all pediatric HIV infections are from mother to child infection! Charles Kabuga who represented Ministry of Health in Laikiapia County illustrated on how mentor mothers program is the cornerstone to PMTCT program in the county. Reducing the rate of mother to child transmission as from 2013 to 2015 by 14.3% TO 8.3% respectively as per the revelation of Dr. Nduku Kilionzo from KNACC indicated that there in hope in reaching beyond zero in the prevention of mother to child transmission if the current efforts are maintained or stepped up!
The conference presenters made me learn that people living with HIV have a 50% lifetime risk of contracting TB. WHO recommends use of Isoniazid for 6 months to prevent TB among all people living with HIV. About 90% of all PLWHIV are on ART but only 5% are on Isoniazid preventive therapy in Kenya. 71.4% were put on IPT by AMREF at Kibera Health Community Health Center on the second half of 2015 as per their presentation during the conference. Now that Kenya is a middle income country, I believe that the budget can be rationalized to put all HIV positive individuals to this therapy. Let’s be bold and take bold steps for health purposes!
Nutrition management is a must for HIV and AIDS management! HIV infected person is likely to increase health requirement for about 10% for asymptomatic adults and children. Those who have graduated to AIDS stage will require about 20-30% additional energy requirements to maintain the same body weight whoever children will require more than 50% energy requirements. Fred Muturi from KANCO made a presentation on the lessons learnt from their research and on how they are addressing the issues of nutrition among HIV positive individuals.
As the zero proves to be at the deepest part of the canyon of HIV and AIDS fight, retaining girls in schools is a magic of accelerating efforts of reaching there. Dr. Nicholas Muraguri from the Ministry of Health Kenya will tell you that there is no better vaccine of preventing HIV infection, early pregnancies and marriages than keeping girls in school! NOPE will say that the power of peer education will accelerate the effectiveness of the above vaccine as I add my new voice by saying that targeting potential sexual partners with HIV preventive messages for the said girls will work wonders!
Dr. Ernest Nyamato made a plenary presentation about DREAMS that showed hope of moving towards zero on the domains of HIV prevention and treatment. In deed 90~90~90 goals are being accelerated in Kenya. I was made to understand that DREAMS aims at ensuring that Condoms are effectively utilized, Prevention of Violence and post violence care for young women is a reality in Kenya, HIV counseling and testing will be a right for every targeted population, Contraceptive method mix is inscribed in all sexual and reproductive health interventions for women and men, Social Asset building will be a reality, Reducing risk of sexual partners becomes a norm, Strengthen families fuels to journey towards zero, Mobilize communities for change contributes the 2020 goal for having community driven HIV response among others. Will these dreams become a reality?
If Kenya’s ambitious plan of having all HIV services being driven by the community by 2020 is to go by, then empowerment of the members in the lowest segment of the community hierarchy and relevant policies be legislated and implemented. By the way how about focusing on and empowering Kenya’s community strategy on achieving this?
Let all of us hold hands together for an HIV free generation in future!
Author: Peter Mokaya
You can access author's bio here
While scientists and statisticians get excited by numbers, I wish to remind everyone of us that those numbers represents people! While fighting HIV and AIDS, zero is the only tolerable number. Just imagine that 30 adolescents take a pie in every new 100 HIV infections in a country where about 300 people are infected by HIV daily. I can undisputedly assert that when it becomes to HIV infection, one new infection over hundreds of thousands individuals is significantly greater than zero and every available resource should be injected in averting that infection. I’m from the 7th International Conference on Peer Education, Sexuality, HIV and AIDS that was held as from 15th -17th June, 2016 at Kenyatta International Convention Center Nairobi Kenya. In this conference the mission of accelerating and concerting efforts towards zero with elaborate bold steps was clear.
Her Excellency Mrs Margret Kenyatta who was also the chief guest of the conference alluded that despite the fact that HIV is a single biggest killer of adolescents, Kenya has won many battles including the significant reduction of stigma and discrimination index, medical breakthroughs, prevention of mother to child transmission among others. ‘Fear does not dominate dialogue about HIV’, asserted Mrs Kenyatta. She gave a light of hope when she said, ‘if we solder on we will win this was war. ’ Indeed Dr. Kipruto Chesang from CDC proved that medical breakthrough is real by demonstrating how science has shown HIV self-test kits works. He added its importance by saying that research shows that 70.7% (15-64 years) are willing to do HIV self-test.
During the first plenary session Noerine Kaleeba who was instrumental in founding TASO in Uganda insisted that no one can legislate again sex and sexuality. This drew an attention of fighting HIV and AIDS on behavioral view in country (Kenya) where commercial sex workers are about 200,000 of which 15,000 are men commercial sexual workers as per the presentation that was later made by Victor Ouko on comprehensive social and behavior modification strategies among sex workers in Nyeri County. Yes, men who have sex with men contribute about 15.2% of new HIV infection in Kenya. While APhia Plus Kamili led by Jhpiego Corporation is serving this population, they have seen 93.4% receive HIV Counseling and Testing services with 100% linkages to treatment. Kudos to them!
Dr. Nduku Kilonzo, the director of Kenya National AIDS Control Council (KNACC) made me learn that we are and will still be far from gripping the zero HIV infection if young mothers from the ages of 15 to 24 years continue being newly infected. While Kenya has advanced in the fight of HIV and AIDS, it is not doing well in the domains of young people. This begs the question: what can we do differently? Yes, I thumb up the Maisha Maarifa research hub that has been created by Kenya National AIDS Control Council and several youth friendly services initiative across the country. As a way of example, U-Tena Youth Organization collaborated with like-minded partners to create a youth friendly resource center in Lunga Lunga health center in Nairobi County that serves about 300 youths with sex and reproductive health preventive and curative services on monthly basis.
Evidence shows that treatment has the capacity to avert new HIV infections, reduce HIV related deaths and prevent HIV related illness. Concerted efforts of having HIV free generation by 2030 saw UNAIDS pioneer an ambitious 90~90~90 goals: 90% of people living with HIV to know their status- 90% of people diagnosed with HIV to be enrolled and retained on treatment and 90% viral suppression on all clients on HIV treatment by 2020. Current ART coverage in Kenya is about 51% with a retention rate of about 66% at 36 months and 61% at 60% months. Consequently, many lack accessibility to life saving ART and that is why Juma Mwatsefu made a presentation on how Community health workers lead defaulter tracing of HIV is working Western Kenya. Can this be modeled in other counties?
Ninety percent of all pediatric HIV infections are from mother to child infection! Charles Kabuga who represented Ministry of Health in Laikiapia County illustrated on how mentor mothers program is the cornerstone to PMTCT program in the county. Reducing the rate of mother to child transmission as from 2013 to 2015 by 14.3% TO 8.3% respectively as per the revelation of Dr. Nduku Kilionzo from KNACC indicated that there in hope in reaching beyond zero in the prevention of mother to child transmission if the current efforts are maintained or stepped up!
The conference presenters made me learn that people living with HIV have a 50% lifetime risk of contracting TB. WHO recommends use of Isoniazid for 6 months to prevent TB among all people living with HIV. About 90% of all PLWHIV are on ART but only 5% are on Isoniazid preventive therapy in Kenya. 71.4% were put on IPT by AMREF at Kibera Health Community Health Center on the second half of 2015 as per their presentation during the conference. Now that Kenya is a middle income country, I believe that the budget can be rationalized to put all HIV positive individuals to this therapy. Let’s be bold and take bold steps for health purposes!
Nutrition management is a must for HIV and AIDS management! HIV infected person is likely to increase health requirement for about 10% for asymptomatic adults and children. Those who have graduated to AIDS stage will require about 20-30% additional energy requirements to maintain the same body weight whoever children will require more than 50% energy requirements. Fred Muturi from KANCO made a presentation on the lessons learnt from their research and on how they are addressing the issues of nutrition among HIV positive individuals.
As the zero proves to be at the deepest part of the canyon of HIV and AIDS fight, retaining girls in schools is a magic of accelerating efforts of reaching there. Dr. Nicholas Muraguri from the Ministry of Health Kenya will tell you that there is no better vaccine of preventing HIV infection, early pregnancies and marriages than keeping girls in school! NOPE will say that the power of peer education will accelerate the effectiveness of the above vaccine as I add my new voice by saying that targeting potential sexual partners with HIV preventive messages for the said girls will work wonders!
Dr. Ernest Nyamato made a plenary presentation about DREAMS that showed hope of moving towards zero on the domains of HIV prevention and treatment. In deed 90~90~90 goals are being accelerated in Kenya. I was made to understand that DREAMS aims at ensuring that Condoms are effectively utilized, Prevention of Violence and post violence care for young women is a reality in Kenya, HIV counseling and testing will be a right for every targeted population, Contraceptive method mix is inscribed in all sexual and reproductive health interventions for women and men, Social Asset building will be a reality, Reducing risk of sexual partners becomes a norm, Strengthen families fuels to journey towards zero, Mobilize communities for change contributes the 2020 goal for having community driven HIV response among others. Will these dreams become a reality?
If Kenya’s ambitious plan of having all HIV services being driven by the community by 2020 is to go by, then empowerment of the members in the lowest segment of the community hierarchy and relevant policies be legislated and implemented. By the way how about focusing on and empowering Kenya’s community strategy on achieving this?
Let all of us hold hands together for an HIV free generation in future!
Author: Peter Mokaya
You can access author's bio here
Would you go for them in case they do not turn up for the session?’
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. May 20th, 2016 marked the beginning of change for 12 year old (now averagely 15-16 years) boys and girls from Viwandani Informal Settlements.
For me it all started with an interview at the Mareba Youth Friendly space of U-Tena Youth Organization at around 11 am. Of all the Questions asked by the interview panel, the most life changing and one that has forever lingered in my mind throughout this project period was ‘Would you go for them in case they do not turn up for the session?’
Having attended a one week training, Life skills and Leadership sessions felt more interesting as compared to the common Mathematics and English. It felt like really organizing a session for impacting on one’s life. At the end of the session it felt like a professional mentor had been born of the young boys and girls.
It was more of an awkward moment for both the Mentor and the Pupils as none of them really knew what to expect from the other, but a relationship had to be made anyway. How adorable was it that the participants built enough trust on their mentor, clarifying that it was just a mentor and not a teacher (To build friendship and openness). Over the 3 years, I have had a chance to interact with as many children from the project being a friend to many.
The A-Lot Change structure had it that he mentors met the pupils on Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays from 4pm through 6pm for After school Support sessions in Numeracy, Literacy, Life Skills and Leadership. Each of the session was unique in its own way as different lessons were learnt altogether. From what worked well to the challenges that they face in their day to day lives. In the spirit of valuing education, these participants would even come with their small siblings to the sessions. It warmed my heart to see the enthusiasm that these participants had.
Interacting with their parents was even motivating. Inasmuch as the parents of these boys and girls had not gotten as far with their education, they proved that it is the only special thing that they can give their little ones. They even went a notch higher to invite us into their homes, to talk more about the progress of their children. Each of these homes had a story or two to tell in regards to the progress of their children.
‘Wangui should have been in Form 2 right now. We did not know her problem and her Teachers would often beat her in class and she would even hate going to school. Later we came to realize that she had a problem, she could not even write her own name. I personally had to make her go back to class two when she was in class five so that she could at least get the basics. And I also had to tell the teachers not to keep beating her and let her be. But ever since she joined the A-Lot Project, she enjoys coming for the sessions and does not at all enjoy missing any. In fact, I don’t think she has ever missed any. And right now she reads well and even writes things that can be understood. ‘I am grateful that you have encouraged her and she is now doing well.’ Said Wangui’s grandma during a home visit conducted by Wangui’s Mentors at Brilliant Center.
Mentorship was my first job. Regardless of the somehow negative thoughts thrown to me by the closest people, I decided to take up the challenge. It has really been a life-changing opportunity. I got to learn the hustle and bustle in the informal settlements, and even got to understand the other side of life. Being from a middle class family, I at first did not know what to expect. I would literally cry during the rainy seasons due to the heavy mud that was formed that I was not used to. To make it worse, I would even carry the oldest of bags that I would find at home with the fear of being stolen from, only to realize that people in the Informal Settlements mind their own business and are the kindest you would ever find.
I even remember starting as a very shy naïve girl. I was even worried if I would be able to stand in front of the boys and girls. I think as I taught the life skills and leadership sessions I was teaching myself too. I have personally been able to chair and facilitate meetings as well. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to network and learn exclusively about community development.
Author: Joan Orengo
You can access author's bio here
For me it all started with an interview at the Mareba Youth Friendly space of U-Tena Youth Organization at around 11 am. Of all the Questions asked by the interview panel, the most life changing and one that has forever lingered in my mind throughout this project period was ‘Would you go for them in case they do not turn up for the session?’
Having attended a one week training, Life skills and Leadership sessions felt more interesting as compared to the common Mathematics and English. It felt like really organizing a session for impacting on one’s life. At the end of the session it felt like a professional mentor had been born of the young boys and girls.
It was more of an awkward moment for both the Mentor and the Pupils as none of them really knew what to expect from the other, but a relationship had to be made anyway. How adorable was it that the participants built enough trust on their mentor, clarifying that it was just a mentor and not a teacher (To build friendship and openness). Over the 3 years, I have had a chance to interact with as many children from the project being a friend to many.
The A-Lot Change structure had it that he mentors met the pupils on Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays from 4pm through 6pm for After school Support sessions in Numeracy, Literacy, Life Skills and Leadership. Each of the session was unique in its own way as different lessons were learnt altogether. From what worked well to the challenges that they face in their day to day lives. In the spirit of valuing education, these participants would even come with their small siblings to the sessions. It warmed my heart to see the enthusiasm that these participants had.
Interacting with their parents was even motivating. Inasmuch as the parents of these boys and girls had not gotten as far with their education, they proved that it is the only special thing that they can give their little ones. They even went a notch higher to invite us into their homes, to talk more about the progress of their children. Each of these homes had a story or two to tell in regards to the progress of their children.
‘Wangui should have been in Form 2 right now. We did not know her problem and her Teachers would often beat her in class and she would even hate going to school. Later we came to realize that she had a problem, she could not even write her own name. I personally had to make her go back to class two when she was in class five so that she could at least get the basics. And I also had to tell the teachers not to keep beating her and let her be. But ever since she joined the A-Lot Project, she enjoys coming for the sessions and does not at all enjoy missing any. In fact, I don’t think she has ever missed any. And right now she reads well and even writes things that can be understood. ‘I am grateful that you have encouraged her and she is now doing well.’ Said Wangui’s grandma during a home visit conducted by Wangui’s Mentors at Brilliant Center.
Mentorship was my first job. Regardless of the somehow negative thoughts thrown to me by the closest people, I decided to take up the challenge. It has really been a life-changing opportunity. I got to learn the hustle and bustle in the informal settlements, and even got to understand the other side of life. Being from a middle class family, I at first did not know what to expect. I would literally cry during the rainy seasons due to the heavy mud that was formed that I was not used to. To make it worse, I would even carry the oldest of bags that I would find at home with the fear of being stolen from, only to realize that people in the Informal Settlements mind their own business and are the kindest you would ever find.
I even remember starting as a very shy naïve girl. I was even worried if I would be able to stand in front of the boys and girls. I think as I taught the life skills and leadership sessions I was teaching myself too. I have personally been able to chair and facilitate meetings as well. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to network and learn exclusively about community development.
Author: Joan Orengo
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