8/11: Learn without fear

I was back at work today. Last week I had planned to give Prisca, the supervisor, an article I had found about one of Plan’s campaigns: Learn Without Fear. The article was from a project in Kenya and I thought that was good since that could make it more personal for them. That was naïve, it in no way achieved what I wanted. The article starts out by saying explaining forms of violence which occurs in Kenyan schools and had been going on previously on the project the article was about. Before going on to explain the method they used to combat the violence. The violence which occurs when a child does something he or she is not supposed to do. It was simple really, they introduced a system of yellow and red cards much like in football/soccer. But Prisca and all the other teachers who were by now reading as well could not look past the beginning and see the solution. They kept saying: “this is child abuse, we don’t abuse the children, we just discipline them,” ‘ken’ them. I kept saying that I wasn’t accusing them of abusing the children, it’s like they don’t notice the reaction of the child that they are ‘kenning.’ Some cry even before they are hit, some sit quietly but their eyes betrays them, blinking madly, mostly they try to get as far away as possible. I was so mad that they can’t even what they are doing, sure, they don’t cause any long lasting physical scars, but psychological? Emotional? I know it is not as bad here as some places and they do realize that corporal punishment in schools in Kenya is illegal, but still they do not believe that is what they are doing. I will never forget the look in those children’s eyes. The rest of the day went by quietly the children were practicing for the graduation ceremony on Tuesday. After work I went to the cybercafé and then back to sleep and relax a little bit.