Why school shouldn't be assimilated with the six letter word "hatred," and rather valued....
I remember my irritable sigh as I heard we were reading yet another “charity” book as I call them. As usual, we were assigned one every year and my adolescent, self-absorbed mind couldn't wrap around the mere idea that we needed to read them. Though now looking back, I cringe at my obliviousness to the importance of such a book. Books that enlighten and tell stories about the incredible lives of people who have helped others. This particular book was called "Find Me Unafraid," written by Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner, in which they took a simple idea of the embetterment of the lives of women in Kibera, Africa and somehow turned it into a beacon of hope for poverty-stricken countries around the world.
The story was told by the people who started the movement themselves, the authors of the book. They tell the story in a two-sided point-of-view, flipping between the two of them. In the interweaving of the two, they combine both voices to tell a story of hope, better life and education for the uneducated women, girls of Kibera. Amongst the story, there is also a story of love between the authors, which only strengthens each other to keep trying. Kennedy and Jessica start many things in the Community of Kibera, including a school for girls, clean water, a center for recreation, a safe house and most of all the sense of hope for each and every woman in Kibera. The main goal is to bring recognition to the women in the community because for many years they have been suppressed. While the main focus is on the women, it also is to provide a better future for all who live in Kibera.
The whole time while reading the book I felt this sense of guilt that had begun to rid my entire body. While I was complaining about going to school, little girls in Kibera dreamed about it. They had a desire to learn and to receive an education. An education millions of kids in the United States take for granted. One that I sigh in frustration about and one that I will try to appreciate each day from now on. While we have packs and packs of pencils, each little girl receives one pencil that can only be sharpened once a week. A single uniform for each girl and no piles of extras in case one is lost or torn. I had no clue of this entirely other place located half way across the world and I know see the importance of it.
Many times, without anything to compare it to, we can't see the value in what we have. We may never experience or even see what those little girls experience each and everyday, but we must recognize them. Take a moment to stop and look around just for a single second and breath in the relaxation of just what we have.
