With schools closed in Kenya, children have faced almost nine months at home. Here are more of their insights into their life and community.
Market women – a poem
“Down from the hill they come,
With swinging hips and steady stride.
To feed the hungry town.
They stirred the steep dark land
To place within the growing seed.
And in the rain and sunshine,
Tended the young green plants.
They hoed and dug and reaped,
And now as Heaven has blessed them
They come bearing the fruits.
These handmaids of the soil
Who bring full baskets down
To feed the hungry town”.
“It is very unfortunate that most of the elderly people did not complete their primary education, leaving them with an option of peasant farming only. They practice mixed-farming, that is the growing of crops such as maize and sugar cane, and also rearing livestocks on the same small piece of land. This has made it difficult for most of them to provide basic needs for children”.
“Boys and girls participate in different activities in the community. Girls do jobs like firewood collection, fetching water, sweeping houses, washing utensils and some cooking of food. Boys look after animals, assist in house construction. Mature boys participate in farm activities”.
“In my community, Koyola, people come together to solve disputes amongst them. But the only problem that we have in our community is that there is no job that parents can depend on to educate their children. So you find that many people are not educated in our community”.
“In Luo community there are some cultures which are practised. If you are a boy, you are circumcised. Apart from that, boys and girls play several roles, like if you are a boy, it is your duty to look after animals domesticated at home, and always be closer to your father or grandfather so that you can be taught about moral values. Girls are mainly taught how to cook and moral values such as obediency. Above all, our grandparents knew how to teach children moral values by telling them what is wrong and right as they grew up”.