By Jamie Courts
Ever since David Angwenyi arrived at Central High School, Hopewell Valley has had a special link to his native country of Kenya, Africa. That link became more pronounced when the first group of students, teachers and members of the community traveled to the distant country in the summer of 2007. Upon their return, the Hopewell-Keroka Alliance was formed in an effort to partner Hopewell Valley with Keroka, Kenya. Since then, both communities have been working together to raise funds in order to improve lives through sustainable development and lasting relationships. This past summer, those relationships were deepened during the Kenya 2010 trip when several more students and chaperones spent two weeks traveling throughout the country.
Abandoning iPods, favorite Starbucks drinks, Facebook walls and favorite TV shows, 18 students from Hopewell Valley Central High School embarked on an unforgettable journey this past summer. Despite the many meetings, cultural events and National Geographic articles, most people seemed unsure of what to expect while in Kenya. The group of travelers knew that they would be out of their comfort zone, would be meeting many new people and seeing many different things, but the group was eager to stop hearing about this magical place and to delve into this seemingly vibrant, colorful and exciting culture. To the delight of the travelers, the country of Kenya and its people were just as beautiful as described.
Although there are many memorable moments from the trip, one of the brightest was the day spent at the Thika High School for the Blind. Here, the group visited some 270 students with visual impairments who were fortunate enough to attend the only secondary school in Kenya that aims to meet their needs. The students from Hopewell were so impressed by their knowledge, professionalism and ability to be self-sufficient. After several hours of conversation, touring, a delicious lunch and cultural performances, the Hopewell crew was sad to hear that their time with these students was winding down. After presenting a few donations, including two braillers, the crew snapped a few more pictures and reluctantly exchanged final good-byes. They seemed to know this would be among the most memorable days of the entire trip. Although it was the first school visit of many, it would be very difficult for other schools and other students to leave a greater impression than those in Thika.
Seeing the pride and sense of responsibility at the Moi Forces Academy, Lanet was another spectacular experience. The Moi Forces Academy, Lanet is actually where Mr. Angwenyi began his teaching career. The Academy is a national school — one where the brightest minds of this country are sent to attend school and become future leaders of their country. What is most remarkable is that these students are young ladies, being developed to lead their country, in a continent where females are treated as second-class citizens. Students board at the school and only see their families in between semesters. These young ladies dedicate their day to studying, starting at 4 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m. To deepen building bridges between communities, the Model WHO Club at Central High School looks forward to inviting a few of these students from the Moi Forces Academy, Lanet, to spend 15 days visiting America and spending time at Central High School and visiting other schools in the district in the fall of 2011.
Another highlight of the trip ironically came after an overnight thunderstorm that made the road leading to our destination impassable. Trip participant and treasurer of Hopewell-Keroka Alliance, Andy Jackson, often spoke of the ills of the unpaved road leading to Mr. Angwenyi’s village. With the vans unable to drive the muddy road, the adventuresome crew walked the road together greeting those passed along the way and laughing as the red clay caked on the bottom of shoes and weighed them down. Sure enough, the group arrived to their destination exhausted, muddied, but all the more eager and ready to celebrate!
This day was a special one for the Hopewell group, but mostly in the lives of these villagers because their very own tea-buying center would be opened. The Hopewell-Keroka Alliance and Hopewell Valley Central High School Model WHO Club had raised funds specifically for this project, which aimed to improve the economic situation of these villagers and eventually improve their standard of living. Although their handshakes, kisses and high-pitched sounds of celebration gave an indication and a sense of their appreciation, the impact this center will have on the lives of the women and the elderly who previously walked several miles every day to sell their tea in a distant town will not be seen and can only be imagined by the Hopewell group. This center will give the tea farmers new opportunities to use their time more efficiently, and increase their income — which will transfer into an improved life. This day and every day in Kenya opened the eyes of the student and adult travelers to the wonders of life, the commonalties among all people and the few things that are needed to survive in this world.
This column aims at providing a glimpse into the beauty of Kenya experienced by the Hopewell Valley students and chaperones. The trip participants documented their personal experiences through hundreds of photos and endless pages of journals. While aspects of the trip were familiar, it was also filled with firsts of all kinds, including the first time that the Hopewell Valley travelers’ taste buds experienced the Kenyan cuisine, which included crocodile, ox and camel. It was the first time they saw giraffes, elephants, lions, cheetahs, hippos in their natural habitat. It was the first time (aside from singing Hakuna Mata from The Lion King) that their mouths muttered Swahili words or haggled the prices of handcrafted goods. It was the first time they went to the bathroom in places where porcelain was nowhere in sight and the first time that they didn’t shower for a few days in a row. After a trip full of firsts, logic suggests that a second trip should follow. For many of last summer’s participants, this sentiment of returning has been expressed and it is safe to say that the iPods, Starbucks drinks, Facebook walls and favorite TV shows will be left in the Hopewell Valley dust if it means that the magical country of Kenya can be revisited.
The community is invited to hear Hopewell Valley Central High School student reflections on their trip to Kenya and take a peek at their daily journals during a program and exhibit on Feb. 27 from 3-5 p.m. at the Hopewell (Township) branch of the Mercer County Library. Invited guest speaker Andrew Seligsohn, director of Civic Engagement from Rutgers-Camden, will inspire audience members as he discusses the importance of “building bridges” for better communities.
The event is open to the public and free of charge. Kenyan tea and hors d’oeuvres will be served. For more information, contact the Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance at 737-0120, ext. 642.
Jamie Courts is an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Timberlane Middle School and visited Kenya last summer.
