We had a successful event!
Photos (click to enlarge)
And I would like to (again) thank everyone for giving their 100% to make it happen. Wanja and Allan for letting us use their spacious piece of real estate, DJ Ezra Mtaalam for braving the scorching sun so that we wouldn’t miss a beat, Steve for putting together such a wonderful PPT presentation, Erin and Margaret for anchoring everything: food, laying out the artwork and all the behind-the-scenes maneuvers, Monica for the samosas, Auntie Janie for minding the shop and Sonia for smiling and greeting everyone as they walked in.
Clark/Seven Hills Global Outreach for the support and for what they’re doing with the organization, the delegation from Newburyport for coming all the way to show their faith in us, Peter from Springfield, Carisa and Phil, Nancy and Hubert (Kenyans loved the re-broadcast of the seditious tape!) and Leonard for doing what a good journalist does with such a short notice – you all made it happen. All my good buddies from Worcester: love y’all. If you made the time to spend an afternoon with us yesterday, you’re appreciated. I know that if Oprah was handing out free cars down the street, I know you still choose us!
One quick thing that I should have mentioned somewhere in my rambling speech... when Wanja and Allan came back from the 2nd Prize Giving Day, they brought with them a card that had been signed by some of the kids from the three schools represented at the award. I meant to share some of their thoughts with our guests on Sunday to demonstrate the power of such simple a gesture as rewarding good performance - but I lost myself (and everyone else) when I started talking about stars and planks. So here’s some of what they wrote:
I am in class eight & I want to perform well this year – Karen Waruguru
Nitafanya bidii yangu yote (I will do all my best) – Agnes Mumbi
I am Mirania Muringo I want to pass my exams well thank you – Mirania Muringo
Ninataka kupita mtihani wa K.C.P.E (I want to pass the K.C.P.E exam) – Mercy Waithira
It is not even so much about us instilling in these kids the value of hard work, they know it; it is about letting them know that there’s another world out there, beyond their limiting circumstances; and doing well in school could open the doors to that world.
