I woke up feeling better than yesterday but still not 100%, not even 90% but I'm heading in the right direction at least. First thing's first I had to pick up my passport from the Kenyan embassy and if it had a little sticker in it then it didn't really matter what happened for the rest of the day, I was happy.
Good times, it had a little sticker so now I have free roaming over the rest of Africa as far as getting Visas is concerned. I don't have to stop at embassy's for days, I can just get the rest at the borders which allows me a lot more freedom (I'm a big fan of freedom). After i collected my visa I went for a little wander to see if I could find some better Internet access. I've been trying to send a vital message back home and I had to do it whilst I was in Addis otherwise I would be too late and getting Internet between Addis and Nairobi is going to be very tough I fear.
I found a posh hotel which had decent looking wifi but still the speed was so painfully slow. Yet another thing we take for granted back home but at least Addis is developing and obviously the Internet is vital for its businesses. I will still give them a good 10 years before smart phones and wifi are in regular use though. I was possibly going to visit a school that Theresa who I met briefly on Saturday works at. Unfortunately, with communication between myself and Peter Sam not easily made I had to give the school a miss and it was probably fair I stayed with STB for my last few days anyway as I have decided to leave on Wednesday.
I got back to the offices just before lunch time as the walk took me further than I had intended. Grimmy, one of the coaches was playing some games with the kids similar to Simon says but with chants and actions instead. The kids were loving it and it seems like everyday at STB is a fun and happy day.
After lunch I talked to Mestawet who works in the family integration department of Sport the Bridge. I go into detail about how STB work in another post but it really does amaze me that there is literally no barrier too high for STB to overcome. What impresses me even more is that if the child is willing to go back to his family but the family are unable to pay for schooling and the resources a child needs when growing up like clothes and food etc. STB will assist with the first year of schooling and all other costs and not only that but they will teach the parents skills in order start their own business or help to find them local jobs to ensure that the family can provide for the children. Everything Sport the Bridge does, has the child's best interest in mind.
I felt like a journalist as I asked Mestawet a lot of questions to get all the information on STB so people reading this blog can understand more accurately the different circumstances and situations that occur in Africa. As you read about some of the very sad stories and battles these children have to face everyday we can take huge inspiration from how they do fight these battles and also from the employees of STB like Mestawet, Grimmy, Jonas and all the other departments, as they have devoted their lives to helping these children.
Mestawet told me there was no common issue as to why these kids end up on the street. Not all the kids come from Addis either, some have walked miles from the countryside to the big city for a chance to get money. Violence, drugs, abandonment, death of family and sexual abuse are just a few reasons why these kids have ended up on the street. I asked Mestawet, "What's the main attribute you need, to be as good as you are at your job?"
"...love"
Her reply was so straight forward. There was no special skill, no specific way to talk to the children or to psycho analyse their behaviour, just love. The one thing every child was missing but what every child needs. The biggest thing that we take for granted is having people around us that love us and thanks to STB these kids experienced a lot of love not just from the coaches but from everyone, the kitchen staff, the cleaners and even the security guards.
It really was a great little chat and Mestawet is clearly a very special person that STB and all the kids, are lucky to have. I went for a wander whilst the kids were in maths and Beirdre has started to attract quite alot of attention. One of the lads at STB told me how much he liked my hair today and this was added to by one man at the Internet cafe mentioning something about Al Qaeda. I didn't know what he said as he spoke in Amharic but it turns out that Al Qaeda is the same in Amharic as it is in English! As I left the Internet cafe another man sat at a bar took the completely other end of the stick and called out, "Jesus? Is that you?" I had to laugh. To think I still have another 3-4 months left of growth is very frightening, I may have to start wearing a balaclava!
After all the kids had left I started work on cleaning Nigel. He was absolutely filthy so he took me a good hour to clean and oil but I find it quite therapeutic, especially as you know you're doing it to ensure a smooth and quiet few days of riding. I had good company also in the figure of one of the after school teachers that stays to help some 2nd phase children with their homework till around 5 o'clock.
He was very interested in my trip and I was more than happy to answer his questions as my role for the day turned from journalist to interviewee. It was nice to see him so amazed by my answers and I made sure I passed on my "Breathe and Believe" philosophy. After cleaning Nigel and finishing my little chat I was filled with an extra bit of oomph to head on to Kenya. Maintaining motivation is a battle, especially when you're alone, so you have to be open to everything in order to find it. I had it back and so with a bit of luck, tomorrow will go well and ill be all set for leaving Wednesday.
After a decent feed I hit the sick bed and put close on a great day that has taught me a lot and re-kindled my motivation.
No comments:
Post a Comment