What is it that I can see....

f I turn my head left, as I type this note upon my very dusty, hardy and work when it wants to work laptop computer, and look out through the barred louver window I see in the distance one of the main streets of Kaptembwa. There are the local people going about their daily business, some trading in vegetables, some in kitchen supplies; buckets mops etc, some selling charcoal.

​The beat of African music can just be heard and gently the leaves on the banana palm near the window moves slowly a gentle breeze almost cooling me. It’s actually hard to believe that I am sitting here, in a room with two ‘Kenyan made’ desks from plywood and chipboard a little rough around the edges but they do the job just as well as the tables from the departmental store. The office chairs are perhaps the only ‘fine’ looking pieces of furniture in our little office here at the Gabriel Learning Centre. There are boxes of supplies still to unpack, chalk, rulers, pencils to be used by the nursery school children and the students that work committed in the next room with their pedal sewing machines.

Already I have seen progress by these dressmaking students, from paper patterns now to small skirts being made, practice items but nevertheless I am amazed how quickly they are learning a skill that will keep them in good steed for the years to come. It used to be hard to imagine even having my own project, where would I start, how could it be done, what will I do? A thousand one questions that would circle my sleepless brain. Now that the Project is up and running and I see the students and babies come in daily I can only wonder why I worried so much. It’s true if you put your mind, commitment and hopes into your dreams then it is possible that it will come to pass.