Mariam, Face Painting, and the Power of Wema

Yesterday, I got to interview the amazing Standard 8 student Mariam. Mariam wants to be a Supreme Court Judge in Kenya. She is eloquent and works extremely hard. When I first met her, I told her I wanted to talk to her more because Alex had told me a lot about her. She looked at her watch nervously and told me she could fit me into her break time at 4 pm because her schedule was otherwise packed. Standard 8 is a crucial year for students because the exams they take at the end of the year determine the secondary school they go to. Mariam told me her father is an engineer and her mother is a self-taught hair stylist. Her parents pay for her education, but, as she says, it is hard enough for them to get a meal on the table. When I asked her about her motivation to become a judge, she said it was because her aunt was one. Her aunt died very young though, so, when Mariam’s father asked her to take the place of her aunt, she said she would. Listening to Mariam’s story, I could see her motiavtion and I truly believe with the help of Highway Academy, the sky's the limit for her.

Mariam working in the computer lab

We went to a church service yesterday. I am not a very religious person, but I love gospel singing. It was beautiful watching the students lead one another in song with intense faces. However, after the over two and a half hour service, I remembered why I am not too religious. Today, we visited the primary school again to finish updating our photos and to drop off donations for the library. We walked into their library and found stacks upon stacks of tattered textbooks. It was exciting to fill the library with story books. It was the last time I will be at the primary school on this visit. I am really going to miss the little ones. In the afternoon after school, we painted secondary students’ faces with face paint brought by volunteer Taylor Weary. They loved it! I have never painted so many butterflies and flowers.

Dropping off books at the primary school's library

At the primary school

Painting students' faces

Painting students' faces

An extremely saddening moment occurred tonight. We found out that the mother of one of the students, who boards at Wema, died. The mother had a drug problem and got hit by a motorcycle in Bukembe at 5 pm. We had been in Bukembe only half an hour earlier at the primary school. After Stephen and Teresa told us about this horrible event, we went to the little boy’s class to read storybooks. He has the best smile and wanted me to read a lot of Arthur and Curious George books. It once again reminded me of the importance of Wema and the support and protection it gives to children.