As part of their three-week trip to Kenya, the Nyendo students immersed themselves in the life and learning of their partner schools in Kangemi and Kawangware – a densely populated district of Nairobi with around 250,000 inhabitants, 65% of whom are children. Most families there live on less than 2 US dollars a day.
Nyendo students from Germany have been helping the so-called “Kangemi Kids” since 2012. Up to 14 partner schools have been supported in 13 generations of pupils to date. Since 2016, 12 German school groups with almost 50 young people have traveled to Nairobi to meet their partners in person and spend some time living and learning with them.
Four pupils from Prien am Chiemsee visited their partner schools in April and eight from Rosenheim in May. The focus was on meeting as equals, learning together and social entrepreneurship. The program was complemented by visits to initiatives such as “Beloved Daughters” and “Seed Savers” as well as impressive nature experiences – including a hike in Olorgesailie and a stay at Earth Camp.
The trip was deeply moving for all sides. A principal from Kangemi describes:
“We were very happy to be able to spend time with the German schoolchildren. When talking about our lives, it became clear that the young people from Europe also often have to struggle to make their contribution – for example one schoolgirl, who works as a care worker to support her family. Her story has encouraged our students and teachers to work even harder for their own future.”
Images tell more than many words
Check out the impressions of the Prien students’ visit in our YouTube short and the picture collage – they show the experiences, the togetherness and the emotional depth of this trip in a way that no written text could ever capture.
The trip ended with a moving farewell at the Oseki Retreat – filled with new perspectives, new friendships and a stronger awareness of global learning and solidarity-based initiatives.
