Prizes, Peter and Principles

A great believer in the adage "better late than never" it is a huge pleasure to now be able to put up a few photos to go with our list of 2016 prize winners, who were announced and congratulated at our end of year party. Our congratulations went to:

John Kibue receives the top academic prize

Academic - No. 1
John Kibue: John, despite missing school for a month and then transferring to a new school, managed to achieve an overall B+ grade and was among the top ten students in his new school.
Academic - No. 2
Solomon Muriithi: Solomon achieved a B grade and is mentioned again below.
Academic - No. 3
Centrine Wairimu: Centrine achieved a C+ grade. 
Most Improved Student
David Maina
Most Helpful Student
Solomon Murithi: Solomon coordinated holiday activities during the year, took charge of the kitchen and always volunteered to do the jobs that no-one else was prepared to do!
Recognition for Hard Work
Esther Wahu had promised us that she would catch up having missed quite a large chunk of the school year due to poor health. She did just that and managed a respectable C+ grade and came top in History! 

Well done to them all! 

Centrine receives third prize for academics

Esther receives her prize from Pop

Gerry Downes gives Solomon one of his two prizes

FDC prize winners at the 2016 Christmas party

FDC tertiary student, Duncan Wataka, addresses the guests

Apart from the giving and receiving of prizes, all of our students were able to mingle, and share experiences at the end of year Christmas party. A highlight was having Peter Ouko come to speak. Peter Ouko was released from Kenya’s notorious Kamiti Prison in October 2016, having served 18 years there for a crime he did not commit. He cautioned that a large percentage of prisoners are young people and most of the crimes that they commit are as a result of intoxication. He warned about the dangers of drug abuse and peer pressure and spoke of the importance of honesty, integrity and good principles. Boys, he mentioned, are particularly at risk as they are often overlooked during their childhood and he kindly offered to return at some point to counsel our cohort of boys. His talk was inspiring and we hope that his first hand experience and cautionary words will have made each and every student sit up and think! 

The Senior Chief of Mutuini also came to speak and was particularly interested in meeting students from his area. He counseled the students on the importance of good discipline and of conducting themselves well in their holidays, not just when they are under the eye of school authorities.

The party definitely served up 'food for thought' as well as for normal enjoyment!

Peter Ouko

The Senior Chief - Mutuiini

Training and guidance for the future

This week was another busy one with 13 post-KCSE students from both Friends of Dagoretti Children and Karen Street Children's Trust coming to Mahali Pa Watoto School for some in-house training to 'make the most of themselves' in the years to come.

As in previous years, there was a great deal of laughter in the mix - with great emphasis placed on role playing and presenting. This not only breaks the ice, but ensures the students really enjoy the course - stretching some 'comfort zones' in the process, but we think Daniel recovered fairly quickly after playing a pregnant lady trying to get on to a packed matatu! Francis, too, must be commended on his fabulous portrayal of a grandmother!

We covered the usual material - making the right impression; the importance of style and good grammar; text messaging and emails; letter writing and how to write a good cv; time management; good etiquette; financial planning and the appropriate use of social media. This year, we also added an extra section on 'contemporary problems and dangers', to what, previously, has been more a course on good communication skills.

I have to say, it is a sobering thought to think that these students whom we have seen grow up into such fabulous young adults, could now be faced with the threat of radicalisation and crime. But the area that many of them come from, Dagoretti, is not a 'stranger' to such ominous forces and this is the second time, in a very short space of time, that we have counselled the students on being aware of, and resistant to, possible approaches. 

Our students are incredibly fortunate in that they are part of a family and their well-being is a priority for both FDC and KSCT. They are not alone in the process and we will now be guiding them onto the next stage of their education - university/college or vocational courses. That they will 'make the most of themselves' is a given and we look forward to following and supporting them, onwards and upwards!

Louise Roest

Daniel, Catherine and Francis

Anthony and Joyce

Alfred

Catherine and Faith

 

Catherine

Chilling between sessions

Christine making an appointment by phone

Christine

Daniel role-playing

Faith and the others look and learn

Faith, Mercy and Daniel

Rosemary and Alfred

Class scenes follow:

FDC's End of Term Christmas Party and Radicalisation & Crime Reality Check

On Wednesday 16th December, FDC's and Karen Street Children Trust's students, parents, guardians and committee members all gathered together for our annual joint Christmas party and prize-giving. After the students had had a chance to eat, sing, speak and celebrate their achievements, it was the turn of the guest speakers - Kenyan radio presenters Rowbow and Kavu - who delivered a serious discussion on the dangers of radicalisation and living a life of crime. Their speech, which was given in Kiswahili, has been kindly translated by FDC's Peter Ndichu - and follows at the end of this post.

We would like to thank KPS for their kind donation of food items for the party and the Anon Trust for their financial support of this event which enabled FDC to give each student a Nakumatt voucher for Ksh 1,000. 

Gathered together for prize-giving and the speeches

A duet from FDC and KSCT

Paul Njogu speaks

Alfred Ndundiro speaks

'Mama Alfred' thanks the FDC committee

Josephine Wanja speaks

Solomon Murithi receives the Form 1 Academic Prize

Grace Waimatha receives the Form 2 Academic Prize

Francis Kioi receives Form 4 Academic Prize

Rosemary Ng'an'ga receives the Form 4 Academic Prize (with Francis)

David Mwangi receives the Chairman's Prize

Catherine stands proud of her students

Pop Gunson talks to and motivates the students

Benson from Mahali Pa Watoto School 

Caleb, our holiday tuition tutor, bids us farewell as he embarks on ventures new

Rowbow and Kavu’s speeches – interpreted here by FDC’s Peter Ndichu

“My name is Robert, AKA Rowbow. Most of you have heard me speak on the radio but today I  am happy to be here in person.  Apologies for getting here late, but we spent the morning at Kamiti prison talking to inmates - thus we had a long way to get here”.  This was followed by a series of jokes and a bit of comedy, which the students very much enjoyed. He then went straight into his topic of discussion.

“Who would wish to get rich and then die immediately?”(All said they wouldn’t want to). “I am aware that there are many radical groups that are trying to woo young people… mark my word young people, these groups are not interested in mature people as they very well know it would be next to impossible to convince any. They know how easily some young people are swayed in any direction by the mention of money. All these groups - Al Shabab,  Mungiki, Al Qaeda etc have one thing in common and that is DEATH.  They are established groups with rich leaders who are only interested in using recruits and then killing them.  Do you think training in the Kenya army is a joke?”  (All said they know it’s very tough). “Kenya army training is nothing compared to the groups’ training. The army trains and takes care of its trainees. These groups train mercilessly; they kill, injure, sexually assault and mishandle recruits. Thus very few, if any, get through the training. If they don`t like you they don’t send you back home. Rather, they kill you! If at the end one is lucky enough to complete the training, what mission will you be sent on? They will send you to kill not to protect. They only go out to kill and to steal. So these, my dear young people, are criminal groups that sell their tactics by promising lots of money - yet their only reward is death.  I am not even sure that they pay recruits. To me, this can only be referred to as modern day slavery. I really doubt that they pay. And in case they do, then the money would only mean anything if the recruits have graveyard banks.

Life is all about making the right decision. I grew up in a slum called Eastlands. As a matter of fact you can`t even compare Eastlands to Dagoretti. You people are in a far better environment. I grew up surrounded by neighbors who were involved in criminal activities but I chose not to join them. I knew who in our neighborhood possessed a gun, sold drugs etc. It was the order of the day. Many of my age mates died from the bullet. I will let my friend talk about this as he understands the topic better but I would urge you to never think about joining a criminal group. It never pays. You are all very lucky; you have people who are interested in your lives. Please make good use of the chances offered to you.

Being born poor doesn`t mean you will die poor.  Work hard and shape your future. With your sponsors help the sky is the limit. Today if you look at me, would you guess that I was once a very poor kid? (I wish I came dressed in my very expensive designer clothes and jewellery). I am where I am today l because I worked hard and was focused. Today I dine with many important people, they listen to me and I am respected by many. I work with many ambassadors. I travel a lot. I am driving a good car and I live in a fairly good area.”

Kavu then took over. He is a well known radio presenter who has become very famous. Our students were very excited to see him in person. He hosts a morning talk show at Ghetto radio which most young people listen to. He was very brief:

“I grew up in Manjengo, and we were very poor. I lost hope and was stupid enough to join criminal gangs. It started like a joke; I snatched handbags then went on to join a carjacking gang. Life as a criminal, wasn`t sweet at all. It was very stressful, and the money I got from it wasn’t helping. In fact, I drank most of it. I was a tormented soul, I saw my friends dying, I lost many. From a gang of over 20, only 3 are alive today. I was arrested and sentenced. It’s then that I decided to change. Robert played a big role in seeing me transformed.  It was a long and hectic journey that I would not wish my worst enemy to travel. I then realized I had a talent.  If only I tried to discover this talent early instead of taking shortcuts. I am now among some very successful journalists in this country. I enjoy radio show hosting and I am competing with the topmost radio presenters - Caroline Mutoko, Shaffie Weru and Maina Kageni. If I have managed to make it this far then all of you can make it too. I very much regret my life in crime, so that is why I talk to young people to let them know that crime is ugly and it torments ones soul. You are better being poor than a criminal. I am very lucky to be alive today and more so to have had people to hold my hand when I decided to leave my past life of crime.”