Success!

Today was one of the smoothest days at the center, and I absolutely loved it. The day started off extremely well, with nearly all the students actually coming on time so we could get started right away. We finished our shelf for our tools and then moved along with making chairs for the classrooms. There was just a certain rhythm to the day, and hardly anyone was sitting around for too long.

And what I loved even more was that today, I was able to also give something back to some of the students, and that was through recognizing that I could open the library because for once, the office that had the key was unlocked. I had been quite frustrated for the past few weeks, as I found it completely unacceptable that there were students coming to school over their holiday, and yet, they could not enter the library to study and reference the books. Knowing where the library key was, I asked a fellow staff member if I might unlock the library for the students sitting outside, waiting for the librarian who would not come. He told me if I accompanied the students in the library, then we could open it up. And thus, I was librarian for a few hours.

I practiced Spanish with the Spanish students. I pulled encyclopedias to show students what animals such as shrimp, armadillos, and larval salamanders. I conversed in Swahili, and soon, I found welding students coming into the library as well. At first, I was concerned about detracting from the welding class, but I soon found out that we had again lost electricity. So, I shifted direction and began creating a game of jeopardy for them. The purpose was just to help them study, as over half of the students had failed the last exam. It was pretty insane in that the scores ranged from 0 to 96 with the average probably in the 30s. I guess you can say there was a huge disparity among students.

But anyways, the best part of it was that the jeopardy game was actually a success. I had never seen the students put in so much energy towards a game or activity I had put before them. At first, the students were a bit confused, but then they got the hang of it. At one point, there were actually arguing over who was more right. It was as if a light bulb had gone off. Mwalimu Charles actually enjoyed the game himself, telling me that he would use it in the future. Now, I just need to create more games to keep the students excited about school, to make them love it, and to give them hope that they can do whatever they want with their lives.

And as for the appropriate technology, mwalimu Charles and I will be going to mjini [town] tomorrow to gather supplies for the course. We’re finally gaining momentum and I’m extremely excited. The home visits will continue, my Swahili will continue to improve, and we will continue to move forward. What’s to come? Just wait and see!