Did you accomplish everything you wanted to?

People have already started asking me about my time Kenya and "did I accomplish everything I wanted to?" or "did the experience meet my expectations?".

That's tough to answer since I didn't know what to expect, at all, when I took this opportunity to move to Nairobi and work for UNICEF.

In previous posts I've mentioned a few of the initiatives I've been involved in, namely working with the Kenya Primary School Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) on the child friendly schools program, the Ministry of Education/Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) on curriculum reform, International Labour Organization (ILO) on the World Day Against Child Labour, and World Vision Kenya on the launch of the Physical School Health Checkup project. All very interesting endeavours and valuable partners for me to connect with.

Me at the World Vision Offices

In the past month, I've traveled to Mombasa for the KEPSHA Annual Delegates Conference, back to Naivasha for a curriculum reform stakeholders' forum, and to Machakos also for curriculum reform but this time for a technical meeting on needs assessment instrument validation. But by far the most interesting workshop I've been to was right here in Nairobi reviewing the Dadaab Refugee Camp education strategy.

Highlights of these meetings include interviewing the head teachers in Mombasa - these men and women truly believe in making their schools safe, inclusive environments for their students to learn and thrive. I felt very inspired and amazed in all the different ways they are empowering their children. I also spoke to two representatives from the newly elected National Children's Government who were equally inspiring in all that they hope to accomplish in the coming year and all that they have achieved at such a young age - being elected deputy president and cabinet secretary is very impressive!

Learning from one of the KEPSHA head teachers

My buddy for the week! (Esther, daughter of my colleague Asseneth)

Faith and Geoffrey of the Children's Government

In the meeting about the Dadaab Refugee Camp I met people from several of the organizations that have been working there for the past three years. I learned about some of the success stories but mostly about the challenges that are preventing this coalition from reaching more children. It's heartbreaking to hear about the situation in Dadaab and more so about the plight of refugees in general. With the current situation in Syria at the back of my mind, my heart goes out to all those that have to flee their country and the conditions they have to live in, in the unlikely event they reach a refugee camp. For the first time (in a separate conversation with a friend) I learned about people who don't have any nationality! I hope the government can find a way to support these agencies in improving the quality of life for everyone in the camps, especially the children.

Almost every day since I arrived I've found myself in conversations at work, home, and socially (because this town is FULL of development workers!) that honed my thinking about "aid" work that has been/is being done in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa. I see why there are such mixed feelings from the National and International community about whether these organizations and agencies are helping or hindering "progress" and the definition of "progress" itself.

Five months here has allowed me to become somewhat clearer on what role I see myself playing in this sector. But of course I've only been able to scratch the surface on all that is right and wrong with development work. I hope to spend my last month creating a more defined path for my immediate future in this field and wrapping up the work that I've started. As for the relationships I've made here, well I'm sure they will continue long after I leave the continent. I'm happy to say that my experience in Kenya goes far beyond "work" and it is the people that I've connected with that I'll remember and cherish the most.

With Asseneth in Naivasha

 

With Meseret and Grace at an Internations event

With Jonah and Noelle - night on the town

So, I suppose the answer is yes. Yes, I've accomplished everything I wanted to. Which was to meet people and make real connections, to be open to every piece of knowledge and experience that was shared with me, to say yes to every opportunity that was presented before me, to ask for and accept work that would challenge and excite me, and to make a tangible contribution to my team and UNICEF. In short, to carpe diem.