Some weight on the heart...

Today, I had a big emotional moment. I suppose it was the culmination of a number of events.

Just yesterday, I started doing home visits, where I began to experience the other side of Africa. Many of the students didn't have parents. Their home was one room with no electricity, no running water, no kitchen, and no bathroom. I talked a lot with Charles, the welding teacher, only to discover that only a portion of the students wanted to actually become welders. Rather, many of them took the class because it was opportunity to get them to their dreams—whether it be as an accountant, in hotel management, etc.

This morning though was my big emotional moment. As part of my daily routine, I hopped on the daladala [bus minivan] to go to work, and lo and behold, the daladala door opener/money collector was one of the students of Global Alliance for Africa Vijana Centre. Their graduation was just last week, and here he was working the daladala. I was really happy to see him in his non-school life, but he left me dumbstruck when he would not take my money for the daladala fare. Here he was working to make extra money during his break, and he would not let me pay.

I just felt this pain in my heart, like a weight was just put there. In that one little act, I realized that I had a purpose. Just as he gave to me, I had to give back to the students. I realized that I had better get to work. I guess in some sense, it was as if I had entered their circle of trust and I now had a task before me. It was no longer so much about working through the staff, but more about working directly with the students.

In the evening, I decided to walk home, via the same route as the students. Why not? I knew how to get home from where we did home visits. I found myself again among thems, but this time it was different, for I was with them as a peer, as a friend. They definitely were too kind to me, for two of the male students insisted on escorting me all the way home, which was a mile out of their way! Their generosity was overwhelming.

From this week, I’ve changed so much. It’s as if I’ve found my niche, and now I know exactly what I need to do. These students need to be empowered, not only in developing an appropriate technology curriculum, but also in developing a life skills curriculum that is geared towards opening up opportunities through technology— teaching them to think to become better in every skillset, as engineer, as businessman, as entrepreneur, and as a future parent. So, let the curriculum officially begin!