Thank you to the Students

I wanted to write this as a thank you to the other 5 who have put so much of themselves into this project to not only make it work, but make it work wonderfully.
Not one of these UBC students has ever asked for recognition, but they have each done so much to make this project amazing for these youth in Kibera, I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you Alia Somji for putting in more time than was physically available to meet deadlines.

Thank you Josie Wong for putting in so much extra effort than was ever recognized.
Thank you Sarah Malleson for always keeping us mindful of the bigger picture and always offering to do what she could to ease the burden of others.

Thank you Eiston Lo for adding a perspective that few of us had and doing what you could to meet the kiberan students requests.

Thank you Brittany Baum for tying up the millions of loose ends and working more hours on this then there are in the day.

There have been many organizations and individuals that have helped see this project come to its fruition, but the other 5 have never personally been thanked and so this email is to thank them for all of their time, energy, strength, blood, sweat and tears that they committed to this project to see it happen and grow.

I am so proud of all of you, and thank you for making this happen.

kath


Posted by Kathy Cochrane

CLICK: Connecting Leaders Internationally to Collaborate Knowledge.

Today was very interesting as it was our first day in what feels like a year that we were able to sleep in for a couple of hours. After revamping our original schedule to free up the morning, the team met with some SIFE students from the United States International University of Kenya. Instantly we all seemed to 'click' with one another and the afternoon that we spent with them at their campus passed quite quickly. We had a great lunch together and afterwards we talked about who we were as individuals and who we were as collective groups (SIFE and SE:101 Africa respectively). After sharing the goals and missions of our projects, we were all very excited to see how much common ground we all seemed to have with one another. It did not matter that we were from Canada, or they were from the various areas of Kenya; we all understood and appreciated the value of being involved in the manifestation of energy into development within the international community. It is this shared understanding that has brought us together.

At times in Canada I have felt somewhat lost in what feels like the infinate discrepancy between the way things are and the way things should be. The way that the world has dealt with the issue of the "African problem" has become, what I believe to be the greatest failing of human kind. It is within our power to abolish absolute poverty by educating and enabling and yet, there is so little that is done to rectify this unnecessary problem. I feel lost because this discrepancy is vast and it is on such a scale that I, as an individual, feel somewhat powerless to its size. However, meeting with these students gave me so much encouragement that I feel reassured that, indeed, changing the world and the way the world works is not only possible, it is inevitable. As individuals who want to change the world, our efforts are somewhat futile; however, as a collective group of passionate individuals who want to change the world by collaborating all of our efforts and personal strengths, there will be an inevitable change from the way things are now to the way they have the potential to be.

Development and evolution are inevitable consequences of time; now is the time for us to embrace our roles as global citizens and synergize to consequently create insurmountable efforts to develop our world in a way that is beneficial to all, rather than leaving a vast proportion behind. What opportunities lie ahead for us my friends... they are astounding.

Kathy.


Posted by Kathy Cochrane

You Learn Something New Everyday

Lesson of the day:
Do not take photographs of government buildings in Kenya. If you do, the nice man with the angry look and the AK-47 will come up to you and formally inform you that it is illegal to do so and proceed to detlete the pictures you have taken or proceed to arrest you if this is a problem
Lesson learned, do not take photographs of goverment buildings in Kenya.

Kathy


Posted by Kathy Cochrane

Market your self!

Today was great. After a review session, to which everyone expected turned up on time, Alia and Sarah did a phenomenal job of the Marketing Workshop. This was by far the longest workshop, and yet they handled it so well, it went better than any of us could have asked for. The participants were so engaged the entire time, they were constantly taking notes (especially Frank!) as well as asking questions of the intricacies of the Marketing World.

Even at the very end, after two intense hours of hard learning, they were laughing and making suggestions throughout the skit that Sarah, Josie and Alia created.
After, we had an equally productive Break Out Session that resulted in5 marketing surveys being created as well as two other participants working towards other parts of their business plans.

Because we had a long, tiring day that used up far too much brain power, we played soccer (football) with a number of the participants. We were more entertainment fodder than useful players, but everyone had a good time none the less (the youth were actually constantly encouraging us, even though our skills were somewhat lacking). Teaching them how to play Frisbee was somewhat redemptive and fun at the same time.

It is really neat to see how much more comfortable everyone is becoming; cartoon- or william but on a lady's wig and pretended to be his cousin for us- it was great.
This has gone so well so far, and I am so proud of all of us (the youth and the team) for working so hard to make this happen, and make it amazing.
Day 3 out.

Kathy


Posted by Kathy Cochrane

Calm before the Meyhem

It feels somewhat surreal that after 6 months of 20+ hours/ week we have come to the point at which half of us have left and the other half are soon to leave. It is so exciting, and yet it feels so strange. We are actually here... well, not here as in Kenya, or at least not yet for me, but here at that place in time where we have done all we can do and we're about to begin that which we have been working towards in the past 6 months. It is very surreal indeed!
But it so exciting! I hate flying, but I am so excited to go!

GO team!

Nairobi is 10 hours ahead of Vancouver, so i will be there in 59 hours!


Posted by Kathy Cochrane