Camp Wema

Camp spurred on my interest in Africa. Phil Lilienthal visited my camp in Maine when I was 12 years old and told us about his organization Global Camps. Phil, who ran a traditional all boys camp for many years in Maine, saw the power camp has for encouraging childrens’ confidence and decided that he would start a camp in South Africa. Global Camps allows kids affected by HIV/AIDS (either because they have the disease themselves or a close family member has it), ages 11 to 16, to go to camp for ten days. The camp not only provides an environment for the kids to play sports and have fun, but also the camp teaches the kids through life skills classes about HIV/AIDS and how to prevent getting it. When I met Phil, I knew right away I wanted to get involved. Many kids at the camp do not have sneakers and are unable to participate in the sports activities. Sneaker collection drives became my passion for years following.

Wema is not a camp. However, it has many camp-like qualities. Teresa and Stephen are the directors. They play the role of mom and dad to the 110 orphans along with the 250 total students at Highway Academy. They are the students’ gateway to emotional support, medical care, and, most importantly, education. The teachers are the best camp counselors ever. They stretch the students’ minds. Getting paid only between $3 and $4 a day (less than public school teachers who get paid around $20 a day) they wake up at 5 am with some of the students and put them to bed around 10 pm. On our last night, the teachers led the children in song and dance in the classrooms after the children were done with their homework. The teachers ensure the students’ protection, make sure they are well fed, and keep them academically and physically fit. The students are intense campers. Working hard learning Swahili, chemistry, biology, English, math, and many other subjects, including computer now. The students have huge goals they hope to finish by the end of their time at Highway Academy. Rather than seeking to achieve a perfect tennis serve (or similar camp goal), their goals are to become the new leaders of Kenya. The students are eager in the classroom while building lifelong friendships on the football field and at recess. They love to play around (even doing my hair again today—I think I will keep this hairstyle as my new daily hairdo). At my camp, Fernwood, we say that, “Once you pass the Fernwood gate, you make a little date with fate and your heart is at Fernwood to stay.” I think this phrase fits Wema and Highway Academy perfectly. Every day I puffed my way into the Highway Academy gate after a morning run, I saw a well oiled machine. I watched the children starting their morning classes, the teachers preparing their lessons, and Stephen and Teresa either rushing to their jobs to pay for Wema, doing chores around the house, or in Highway Academy’s office.

In the computer lab

On my last night at Wema, I am amazed by the operation that Stephen and Teresa have created. They believe in their students and, thus, the students believe in themselves. I am so excited to see Wema continue to grow, especially with the computer lab. Like any good camp setting, we ended our last night having a dance party with the girls outside their dorm under the stars.

My new hairdo

Last run