A VISIT FROM KENYA, AFRICA
Mrs. Deisher’s English Class was honored with a visit from guest speaker, Sheila Khamala. She is from a village close to Kakamega, Kenya, in Africa. She is a member of the Fikia Society, which travels to various schools to help set up "jigger clinics" to treat the children who are infested with the chigoe flea (also called jiggers), which is a parasite that burrows into the feet. The children get this from walking approximately 10-15 miles to school each day. Shoes (which are much like Croc shoes in America) are only $1.50 per pair; however, that cost is the equivalent of what one person's wages would be per day in Kenya. Kenyan schools begin at 5:00 a.m. and go to 5:00 p.m.; moreover, if you attend a boarding school, then your studies continue until 11:00 p.m. Commonly, there are about 80 students per Kenyan classroom and have five or fewer desks in the classroom. Most students cannot afford books, paper, and or pencils; therefore, the teacher must cut these items into thirds or fourths in order to provide for all of the students' educational needs. Ms. Khamala and other members speak to schools in America to try to raise awareness and funds for these needy students. This organization also provides for many of the orphans from the thirty-one orphanages in the local community.
Ms. Khamala spoke to the classes about their living conditions and their local economy. For example, there is virtually no electricity in the village where she lives; therefore, the students need extra assistance with learning about technology. Luckily, she is one of the members who helps with that very subject. People from her village do not have television sets, video games, and other electronics such as these. The nearest hospital is thirty-one miles away from her village and only five families in the entire village have cars, so this often results in women have midwives deliver their babies from home. Ms. Khamala talked about how most houses are made of mud and cow dung. She compared the sports with American sports and many other interesting facts such as these. Kenyans and Americans share essentially the same sports except for American tackle football.
Ms. Khamala enlightened the students about the hard life that takes over daily Kenyan life. Education, health, and access to items are difficult aspects to grasp for most Kenyan families.