Seed: Students for Education Empowerment and Development

On our last day at Humwend, a SEED-sponsored student pleasantly surprised us with a thought-provoking poem he wrote.  While weak on the rhyming front, his words strongly speak to the inadequacies of the Kenyan government, and shed light on a main cause of the nation’s underdevelopment.  It goes like this:

Our MPs Could Not Have Done

By Kevin Ochieng

They gave many promises to us

Insisting that they will cater for us

But now they are despising us

Surely they have turned against us,

And are now hiding when they see us

For they are launching attacks on us.

On behalf of the school I stand

To congratulate you for your firm stand

For ensuring every student have a stand

And making sure they balance the stand.

For sure Canadians what you have done

Am sure our MPs could not have done.

You have been our source of joy

When we see you we see our joy.

For your kindness makes us have joy

And makes our hearts be filled with joy.

For sure Canadians what you have done

Am sure our MPs could not have done.

Our faces could not help smiling

For new bicycles sight was just amazing.

Eighteen bicycles was just amazing

And made us feel like we were daydreaming.

For sure Canadians what you have done

Am sure our MPs could not have done.

And you saw that it was not enough

And went on sponsoring more than enough

For sure that was good enough

And makes me feel happy and laugh.

For sure Canadians what you have done

Am sure our MPs could not have done.

Our hearts now have glimmers of hope

For your support has given us hope.

Our faces thought it was lots of jokes

Not knowing you were not ready for jokes.

For sure Canadians what you have done

Am sure our MPs could not have done.

As you leave have God’s journey mercies

And reach for Canada under his mercies.

May He protect you with his mercies.

Am sure we will meet under his mercies.

For sure Canadians what you have done

Am sure our MPs could not have done.

You are surely above all,

Every moment in our lives makes us recall.

As you land, pass our hellos to all

For you have raised us up all.

For sure Canadians what you have done

Am sure our MPs could not have done.

Reading this made us think: Are NGOs filling the role of Kenya’s incompetent government?  Should our work be to replace MPs, or to promote more effective and accountable government officials?  Surely the latter, for it is only when Kenya’s government starts providing for its own people that sustainable development can be said to be occurring.  In the meantime, SEED will continue to invest in individuals through education, for it is only an educated Kenyan who can advocate for political and social change.

On August 4^th, Kenyans will vote for or against a proposed new constitution, which will, among other things, decentralize political power in this country.  Presidents, Prime Ministers, and MPs will have less ability to squander money and resources away from the Kenyan population.  Local officials will represent every individual in the nation in parliament.  And maybe, just maybe, schools will finally receive the government funding they are annually promised but rarely receive, and students will not have to pay unaffordable school fees.  This will allow more youth to be in school, challenging status quos, realizing their potential, and changing the face of Africa.

I am praying that the new constitution passes, so that Kevin’s poem can one day be rendered obsolete.

Meghan, Alison and Jenny

Overseas Interns – Kenya