Harambee

I’ve just managed to make a few photos of our project that I would like to share with you over the next few days.

The people in this photo were hired to build a house in the neighbourhood. The house is made of bricks. The people are part of the Kimilili community, our neighbours, and our helpers since we came here.

None of the people in this photo came with us from Nairobi;  rather they are part of the community that appreciates the CBSM coming to Kimilili. They do work often (when funds are available) and they share in helping us take care of the children’s needs.

There are other ways the community extends their hand of participation & help to us. They offer us food donations, especially, when they have harvested crops. The women come weekly to smear the classrooms’ floors with cow dung; as they are not cemented and must be made free of dust.  They help in preparing food for free. They even occasionally give us donations of firewood.

And most importantly, they provide alternative homes for the needy children, by reducing the burden from on CBSM home. Some neighbours have taken some children to keep company with their kids (age mates), hence taking on extra responsibilities upon themselves. Neighbourly pastors come weekly and teach the children the word of God, also assist us.

In one of our national languages, Swahili, we call this sort of unity “harambee”. It means people coming together or joining hands for a common public goal.