A day of dancing, poetry and an important message on education

To mark Day of the African Child and to remember the children killed in Soweto, South Africa, the Young Leaders of the Kenya Girl Guides Association – in partnership with Brandpro Research and Communication and Global Youth Ambassador Beatrice Omweri – celebrated with the members of Mathare Mothers Development Centre in Nairobi by donating books to the library.

The programme for the day started with a welcome to guests from Esther Wanjiru of Groots-Kenya and dance and poetry from the girls.

One of the mothers who helped initiate the centre took guests through the history of the centre, which started in 1996 to help their girls get a place to read after school and do their homework.

The centre helps girls get back their lives by going back to school and getting educated for a better life. It provides daycare for children of the girls while they are in school and – together with Groots-Kenya – provides guidance and counselling for girls who have been violated.

The girls have formed a group called Young Ladies, who were trained by Young Leaders in 2012 on Guiding, leadership, reproductive health, cancer and advocacy and have been training other girls on the same topics at the centre and schools in Mathare. The library was started to help the girls get books to read and do their homework.

The guests’ speeches started with Prudence Vushia of the Young Leaders, who encouraged the girls to continue engaging with young leaders to help the centre.

The next speaker was Beatrice Omweri, A World at School Global Youth Ambassador, who mentioned the importance of the Day of the African Child and the mission for A World at School in getting children back in school and learning.

She emphasised the importance of education, especially to the African child – which was echoed by the next speaker, Wanja Kabuki, a young leader. Beatrice encouraged them to continue learning and staying in school to better their lives.

The last speaker was Dr. Yvonne Katambo from Brandpro Research and Communication who talked on the work that the organisation does and said one of their partners, Longman publishers, would contribute the books on their wish list for books for primary and secondary school.

She appreciated the mothers who founded the centre and urged the girls to continue learning and ensure they got the best out of education and better their lives.

The event ended with donations from Dr Yvonne, the young leaders including the Global Youth Ambassador and other guests. The children showed their appreciation to the guests for their donations by showing them their drawings.

The guests left the girls and their children ready to learn and use the books to further their education. Girl Guides worldwide say” “Education opens doors for all girls and boys.”