Chinese volunteer teachers bring hope to Kenyan slum children

Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-11-9 19:53:01

Volunteers pose at a training session in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, in 2009 before heading to Sierra Leone, Africa for a one-year teaching program. Photo: CFP



 A walk through the sprawling Nairobi's Mathare slums is not a task for the faint hearted, given the rampant crime and deplorable sanitation that breeds water-borne diseases.

Liu Yimenghan, a 19-year-old Chinese volunteer teacher in Mathare's Chang Rong Light Center, has nevertheless defied doomsayers to pitch tent in a dreaded neighborhood and mentor its young souls.

Convinced that good deeds always pay dividends, Liu abandoned the comfort of an upmarket lifestyle to descend to the densely populated slum village and mould its youngsters.

The mathematics teacher at Chang Rong Light Center, which was renovated by young Chinese volunteers last year, has vowed to lend his skills and transform the lives of slum children.

During an interview with the Xinhua News Agency, Liu said he relishes the opportunity to volunteer his time and skills to enable disadvantaged children realize their dreams.

"I volunteer three days per week to teach pupils at Chang Rong Light Center. The realization that these children needed help to realize their potential inspired me to become their teacher on a voluntary basis," said Liu.

In August, he met a group of young Chinese volunteers who renovated Chang Rong Light Center and promptly developed a desire to join them in their mission to transform the lives of disadvantaged children.

Liu has lived in Kenya for a decade and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in business management at a local private university.

A change of view

Liu, the son of a Chinese expatriate living in Kenya, underscored the virtues of sacrifice, courage and commitment in order to make the world more livable, prosperous and peaceful. His stint at Chang Rong Light Center has transformed his world view.

"The challenges in Mathare and other slums in Nairobi are many and include poor sanitation and water-borne diseases. Each one of us can offer some form of assistance to ensure the children have better prospects in future," Liu said.

Liu's passion has been to improve the numerical skills of Kenyan slum children to prepare them for glamorous careers like engineering and medicine. Likewise, he also teaches Chinese language at the school.

Humble beginning

Before young Chinese volunteers came on board, Chang Rong Light Center had mud walled classrooms and leaking roofs that exposed pupils to harsh elements.

The Chinese volunteers raised money to upgrade the school and have volunteered time to mould the Mathare youngsters.

Liu noted there is a growing army of Chinese youth committed to lending assistance to underprivileged members of society.

He plans to teach at Chang Rong Light Center until December and has big plans for the Mathare children in the near future.

"I intend to raise money in my college and possibly connect fellow students to Chang Rong Light Center to enable them to mentor," Liu told Xinhua.

He noted that Kenyan youth have embraced volunteerism to help the society deal with deep seated challenges like poverty, disease, illiteracy and environmental degradation.

The young Chinese volunteers have left an indelible mark in the lives of Kenyan slum children and their teachers.

Angeline Atieno, the deputy principal at Chang Rong Light Center, hailed the sacrifice made by Chinese volunteers to transform formal education in Mathare slums.

"It has been a rewarding experience working with Chinese volunteers to improve education standards in Mathare slums. Our pupils have treasured every moment with the Chinese volunteers," Atieno said.

She added that her interaction with Chinese volunteers has improved her understanding of a rich culture.

Academic performance of pupils at Chang Rong Light Center has improved thanks to mentorship from Chinese volunteers.

Zacheus Oduor, a 12-year-old pupil, said his performance in mathematics has improved due to quality mentorship from Chinese volunteer teachers.

"I'm confident I will be able to pursue engineering at university," Oduor told Xinhua.


Newspaper headline: Spreading light to Africa


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