Back to the Watoto: Growth and Sustainability

I cannot remember 10 days evaporating as quickly as they did this trip. Each day was filled with action, 3 young and demanding toddlers, me hustling around the compound and working with the children together and independently; multiple meetings between Tony, Penina and me, and subsequently Tony dealing with the social worker and DCO over two of our two teenaged girls.

Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.

~ Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa

We rescued Grace and Anna back in February, after they were removed illegally from their guardian’s home in 2016, by their mother. Mom is a drug user/ dealer and drunkard in Mombasa, which led her two daughters to us in 2013. These two girls were bright, curious and potential scholars with everything in the world going for them. When mom took them away from us and out of our reach to Mombasa, we knew the situation would be detrimental to them, but there was nothing we could do. Communication and follow through by the DCO was impossible, given their location. No one knew where they were until Grace contacted me via text 2 days before I departed for Kenya on February 24. We got the girls back very quickly, on a conditional and probational basis, with the stipulation that a pending family meeting with mom in attendance would determine where the girls would reside. Five weeks after rescue, this meeting finally took place yesterday evening.

Our vocal and charming toddlers...here, I was attempting to teach them how to be gentle with our beloved Puss-Puss. It worked, kind of.

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

~Lao Tzu

In the meantime, Grace and Anna settled into Watoto World Center and set out to destroy our peaceful environment. They both talked a good streak, and feeling superior to everyone at WWC, including management, did their level best to contaminate the younger and most innocent of minds, inflaming the matrons in the process. In the evening after I arrived, I took Penina aside and said “We have a serious problem here, and I don’t like it one bit. These girls are troubled, in trouble and need to either be relocated to a center for teenagers or sent to their grandfather and aunties in Matasia (town close to us). “ Penina’s eyes dissolved into relief as she spilled her heart out with me, explaining all the events that had occurred while I was gone. “These girls do not fit into the vision of Watoto World Center and need help we are not equipped to give them. Troubled teenagers are a cancer on any rescue center, particularly those who have experienced the freedom to wander the streets of Mombasa alone, as these two have. We need to act yesterday.” So the reader may have some perspective, allowing your teenage children run the streets of Mombasa would be tantamount to letting them run wild in Acapulco.

A person's a person, no matter how small.

~ Dr. Seuss

We have only exited out one troubled teenager, in 2015, after he threatened another child. The usual protocol in these instances is to hold a family meeting with the social worker in attendance, hash out the problems and come to mutual resolution. I have participated in many family meetings, always educational, informative and admittedly fascinating. This one I avoided, however, because of the particular social worker in charge of the case. My presence would have been an unnecessary distraction to her. The long and short of it is Grace harassed other children in school, creating conflict between students and teachers; she disrupted her classroom and the students in it; she stole her phone she arrived to WWC with, which was kept under lock and key in our office. The sacked matron had given her the key at night. She used her phone to call her mother and described what she termed hostile and unsafe living conditions at WWC. Grace was unable to reintegrate back into the safe and restricted environment of WWC, and rebelled her “containment” every single day. Penina was beside herself, yet did her level best to work with Grace each day after school. Consequently, Mom harassed me over text and phone and I promptly blocked her. Tony did the same. So did the social worker, after ordering her to the meeting (she did not attend). Grace managed to negatively affect everyone around her and in the process, corralled her sister to stand by her. Both the girls were chomping at the bit to get out of WWC, and used every tactic they could.

There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Tony and the social worker met with the family, and the girls yesterday. The social worker gave the girls the choice of living with their extended family or WWC. Naturally, they chose their family, as it means moving back into a dysfunctional system whereby they can get back on the streets. By the way, this is a very typical method of exiting children who create problems at rescue centers. Once we sign off, the DCO follows suit, and we are indemnified.

Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life.

~Sophocles

This situation and outcome hit me hard. I worried about these girls for the three years they were absent from WWC. While Tony and I both know WWC is not the right place for these girls, it is disheartening, knowing full well what lies ahead of them. These beautiful, bright minds are going to flounder. Their lives will be very difficult, something a teenager does not have the capacity to understand. They will likely end up prostituting themselves and remain on the streets for the foreseeable future. For me to say: We did our best? This is not enough. It’s a punch in the gut and a shot in the arm to work harder in our efforts to gather resources and enlist more help for all children in distress. Hence, the Community Center.

The Community Center is underway. Most unfortunately, as much as I tried, we did not complete this project, which is a personal disappointment. As I left today, I told Michael to cease all work once the foundation gets put in; we will pick up where we left off when I return in June. This directive was shocking to everyone, including Tony. All major work needs to be done only when I am on the premises. Everyone is well aware that I am unhappy about this development. Time was not on our side, but neither was the efficiency I expected and asked for.

The good news is, we have some truly wonderful programs ready to roll. My love of photography and conservation has spilled over into the Nairobi region, where I have met some illustrious and talented conservationists/photographers who are chomping at the bit to do their part in our community. Friends of Nairobi National Park will be speaking to the children and doing nature walks to introduce indigenous insects, bugs, plants and wildlife to the children. The District Children’s Office is on board with educational programs for the children and a separate one for adults; they too, are excited to be included. Joel from WMOTH is thrilled to bring his vast knowledge of agriculture to us. Incoming computer donations are going to enhance our weekend tution sessions for children (private tutoring). When I asked Michael, our fundi, to do a class on basic woodworking and finish carpentry, his face lit up like a lightbulb. I have a Trachoma clinic penciled in for July, which will take up one weekend, serving our community and beyond. {Trachoma is caused by the Chlamydia bacteria and is entirely preventable and curable. It is the leading infectious cause of blindness in the world}. We will host a musical group in July to teach the children formalized singing techniques. I have a Spanish teacher coming to WWC, ready to lend her expertise. These services will be offered voluntarily. I’ve been very straight forward about my expectations with each potential class/service. WWC will pay their minimal transport fees only. Gathering talent was a highlight of the week for me, due to the tremendous feedback and willingness to jump on this ship.

The soul is healed by being with children.

~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Our considerable shamba is a source of pride for the entire WWC family. I observe our workers throughout the day, and am continually impressed. Not to mention.. grateful. They appear to love their work, and it shows. Our growth and sustainability are what everyone is talking about. A very shy woman from our village came through the gates one evening, and thanked me for 'helping us with food'. She waited patiently on the driveway while Penina selected her spinach. We no longer allow visitors to pick their own veggies; eliminating footprints and damage to our raised shamba beds is far more important.

Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.

~ Fred Rogers

We have not been cleared to move forward on a new batch of chicks. Our vet has advised we use the next month to continue sterilizing our chicken house, to ensure we have removed all traces of the illness that wiped out our crop. When I return in June, we will begin again, slowly.

Every child you encounter is a divine appointment.

~ Wess Stafford, President Emeritus of Compassion International

I have learned over the years in Kenya, that fear clouds my vision on what I want to accomplish with WatotoWorld. At night, when I am back in Nyumba Yangu, my head clears after a busy day, and I am able to focus on my own abilities to steer this ship in the direction it needs to go. My goal is not to teach those around me, because we are all students. My goal is to inspire. I am truly blessed to have and to love this work...it is purposeful and extremely fulfilling. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, " To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

Old men can make war, but it is children who will make history.

~ Ray Merritt, author

From somewhere over the African continent, I am coming home. The challenges I face on a daily basis encourage me, and make me endlessly optimistic. It's a wonderful feeling to be tired and happy at the same time.

I send my most heartfelt thanks to each of you tonight, for supporting my vision and work. Without you, none of this would exist.

Much love,

Simmie, Esther, Grace and Mueni