A Lamp and Books Make Learning Easier for Teyiaa

Alleviate Poverty and Promote Economic Growth Fund
October 05, 2016

ChildFund International

Teyiaa is a jovial 6-year-old girl from a village in Emali, Kenya. She has three brothers and two sisters and lives with her father, grandmother, two aunts, two uncles and seven cousins in a group of mud huts called manyattas. Recently, Teyiaa received books and a solar lamp as the result of a donation made through ChildFund’s Real Gifts Catalog. We asked her how school is going for her now.

Can you tell me what a normal day is like for you?
I wake up at 6 a.m. I drink tea, and then I walk to school. After school, I play with my friends, check on the goats and help my grandmother to wash the dishes. At night, I do my homework and eat dinner before going to sleep.

What was it like before, when you didn’t have school supplies?
There were times when I did not have books to read or write. In the evening, I could not study at home, because it is very dark inside the manyatta. My eyes would hurt because the kerosene lamp is not bright enough and it makes a lot of smoke. I would really cough at night.

Before you had books, how was school?
School was fun but difficult. I found it hard to learn because the books were very few. After class, my friends and I would practice writing on the ground because we did not have books.

Do you like having books of your own?
Yes, I like having my own writing and reading books. I also like having my own solar lamp. I write and read the books whenever I want, and I use the solar lamp at night while doing my homework.

What kinds of things are you learning in school at the moment?
I am learning how to read, write, count and draw.

What is your favorite subject? What is your least favorite?
My favorite subject is Kiswahili (Kenya’s national language). I also enjoy athletics and hide and seek. I don’t like maths. I don’t understand some of the things we’re taught. It is very difficult.

What would you like to say to the people who gave you the books and lamp?
Thank you very much for the solar lamp and for the books. This is the best gift that I have ever received. If I had not received this lamp, my eyes would still be hurting. God bless you.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
I would like to be a lawyer when I grow up. I also want to help my parents and my community. I also want people to respect me.

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