We are Strong

I came here knowing that this was going to be hard, that there would be a language issue. That there would be cultural differences. I worried what we were teaching would go right over their heads or that they wouldn’t care.

I was wrong.

I have watched these kids blossom. They have gone from incredibly shy and only giving us the textbook definitions to kids with an attitude and  kids who are assertive. Kids who stand straighter and know their rights. Girls in Form 1 and 2 who would take over their group and become the leaders, telling the older boys what to do! Students who said barely anything during our class hugged us and cried with us when we had to leave.

The skits that came through were incredible. Every skit that was shown had layers upon layers. They talked about relationships, abuse, abortion, pregnancy, all in the same skit! I was blown away by these kids and how much they had learned. They had taken everything in. One line stays with me, a little Form 1 girl is protecting her neighbour from being beaten and the man is now threatening to beat her and she says “ You will NOT beat me because I am strong!”

A student asked me what I have learned from them. My answer to her was more than you or I will ever know. What I didn’t have time to tell her was that not only had I seen changes in these kids but I have changed myself. I have seen that even a little time can change the way people think. I have learned that not everything is black and white and that there is that bit of grey matter in between. I have seen how a group of kids can grow and become a force to be reckon with.

I was worried that what we were teaching wasn’t enough or that it wouldn’t make a difference. Looking at our students and seeing how much they have changed over the last month I know that these students will make leaders, these students will be someone important. The amount of pride and love I have in these students was not something I had anticipated.

Four weeks, 8 classes, 16 hours. It was enough.

Carly