Saturday, 29 December 2012
A SPECIAL THANK YOU NOTE FOR 2012
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| every person deserves a second chance |
I find it so strange yet see it
as a part of the big picture that what I am currently doing at the juvenile
prison is a plan I made over eight years ago. I had just dropped out of college
after two failed attempts and had come to Nairobi to make a phone call that
would change my whole life. I had come to Nairobi to call Papa Shaq who had a
reggae show on Metro FM. It was the easiest of plans yet it took me three
months to make the call.
The day I made the call was just
like the many Saturdays before it. My cousin’s wife had invited me to a
wedding. The plan was to hook me up with the many ladies we would meet at the
wedding. I had taken a bath and was using her lotion when I realized it was
high time I made that very important phone call. I opted out of the wedding.
“Okay, then you can buy milk,
warm it and give it to Marcus,” she said giving me a twenty shillings coin. “Make
sure you don’t forget James.”
“I will give him milk at 5 pm. I promise,”
I replied.
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| girls doing an assignment during one of the reading event 2012 |
A few minutes later Papa Shaq
came on the air. I looked at the twenty shillings coin lying next to the radio.
Now I know you can tell what was going through my mind. I looked back at
Marcus, my one year old nephew lying on the bed. I put two and two together and
realized there was no way Marcus would tell his mom he didn’t have milk at 5
pm. I took the money and headed to the nearest phone bureau in Mbotela Estate. And
as I made the most important phone call in my life, tears streamed down my face
freely. It was the first time I cried in public and wasn’t ashamed about it. Days
later I met an Indian and Zambian from the Don Bosco order of brothers. We struck
a friendship immediately. Every Sunday, after mass we would head home where we
would discuss music and talk about making change in the world. Top on our list
were the things we would do in the lives of children.
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| children attending my second reading club event in April 2012 |
With time the two brothers made
me come up with a yearly plan about the activities I wanted to do with children
at Kuwinda where they had a project. And just like the many things I have been
involved with in the past this one didn’t take off. Instead I was left with my
master plan which I would look at all the time until it became etched in my
mind. Then I started working as a TV producer, something which I chanced on and now love doing. There are a lot of other things and goals I have set my eyes on achieving with my life. It goes without saying that one can achieve a lot when they put their mind to to it even when they are not that cut-out for the job. The story of my life attests to this, and I have been having fun pursuing my purpose and the best is yet to come.
I am writing a whole book about this but to cut a long story short, what I
am doing with the boys right now is an exact replica of the master plan I made
eight years back. The first few months were difficult and many were the times I
flirted with giving up the whole idea of working with juvenile offenders.
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| Toloi telling the children a story during the reading event |
Were it not for Richard Onchuru,
Wanini Kireri, Jackline Wanjira, Grace Otiende, James Ngugi and later on James
Bukachi, I would have thrown in the towel. One thing is evident if I would have
done that I wouldn’t be happy. For when one finds their true purpose their life
takes a different turn, and my life has indeed taken a different about-turn and
I am leading a fruitful life.
Seeing that this is meant to be
a special thank-you note and not my book (which is in progress), let me thank the following:
Papa Shaq for playing Luciano’s Its Me Again Jah on Saturday just before
6 pm. Richard Onchuru, for being there through my tears, doubts and whining. Jackline
Wanjira, for laying down the foundation. Judy for allowing us to use her
barbershop. Maureen and Hosea, for their valuable time and energy. Chris Job
and Shadrack Melody for giving me shelter at different points.
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| the 2012 Christmas cake for the boys at the juvenile prison |
Look out for the full story in my
upcoming book Life’s a Song (The Convictions of a Late Bloomer)
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| cover of my upcoming autobiography |
2012 CHRISTMAS PARTY AND SHAVING AT THE INDUSTRIAL AREA JUVENILE PRISON
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| Cake made by Syokau, Marigold Cake House |
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| Ambrose and Maureen doing what they do best |
The day began early with numerous
phone calls to make sure everything we needed was in place. Well, just like the
many ones before, some things worked, others didn’t. Meshack (a boy I am
mentoring) and I met Maureen and Jerry her brother at Tender Touch Barbershop
and Salon at Ayany Estate where we were to pick to stuff and get Ambrose to
accompany us. Meshack had his work cut out. Since he wants to be a lawyer, his
role was to see and get to listen to stories about boys his age. Ours was to
shave, talk to the boys and share with them the Christmas spirit.
On our way to the prison we
picked a cake from Syokau at Nakumatt Prestige then after picking a few things
at the supermarket – a box of biscuits, plastic cups, knife and juice – we set
off. As luck would have it, we met Pauline Wanja, who in charge of the prison
and she had very good things to say about our work with the juveniles. Well,
ours was an easy task – get in, shave the boys, talk to them after which we
were to share the cake, biscuits and juice with them. This is easier said than
done. It took us a whole four hours to get this done. By the time we were done
nobody wanted to hear the word Christmas, juveniles and shaving. We just wanted
to go home and crash to bed.
I am eternally thankful to the
wonderful people who make it possible through their generous support,
contributions, advice, time and energy they put into the programme in general. Since
we began in late July 2012, a lot of good things have happened. Many boys have
given their lives to Christ, many have regained their freedom, many have
reconciled with their parents and the people they had wronged. A few of them
have been convicted for the offenses they committed while some of them are
still behind bars as we try all we can to help them. Being in prison isn’t a
cup of tea, neither is it a walk in the park nor something I would wish even on
my worst enemy.
We have been able to help the
boys go home after intervening in their cases. We have also spoken to parents
over the phone and managed to convince them to visit their sons in prison. We have
also accompanied parents to the court, sought for recommendation letters from
schools and visited a number of very grateful parents. Only in one instance
have we dealt with the men in these boys’ lives, the other men have wanted to
have nothing to do with their sons. The rest of the people we have been dealing
with are the women, the mothers to the boys. In a world where mentorship is
needed now than ever, I strongly believe men should get involved in raising
children instead of leaving it to the mothers.
The prison authorities report
that our intervention is reaping fruits. Such kind of good reports need sustainability
which means funding, human resource and a concerted effort from each one of us.
I remember the first time I met the boys. Richard Onchuru, a lawyer whose
assistance has sustained this dream this far, and I met the Assistant Prison Commissioner,
Wanini Kireri. There I was, thinking I needed more resources and funding. But she
was adamant that if I wanted to make a change then I had to start the programme
there and then since she was convinced I had come at the right time and was therefore
the right person to do it. At that time I was undergoing a lot of challenges which
I am yet to overcome.
A lot of water had passed under
the bridge and there we were – celebrating our first Christmas with the boys
behind bars. Nothing was enough, nothing really is when you are behind bars. But
we had to make do with what was available. We had three shaving machines and we
got busy, after hours of toiling, standing inside the dingy hall, the time the
boys had been waiting for came. One of the new boys who had spent a mere week
behind bars shared with us his experiences behind bars.
“I was arrested for defiling a
girl,” he said. “While what I have done isn’t a good thing I don’t like being
behind bars especially on Christmas. But I thank you guys for coming to cut our
hair and share with us a cake and juice. “
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After this we cut and shared the
cake and a glass of juice. About five hours later we stumbled inside a
restaurant in town and had a much deserved lunch as we shared our experiences
for the day. I am happy to have spent half the year and my Christmas with the
boys. And though some of them have committed serious offences against humanity
my conviction is that they deserve to stay behind bars, go to court and rejoin
the society once they are free with dignity. These are our sons, our
neighbours, our children’s friends, our daughter’s future husbands, our
grandchildren’s fathers, uncles and neighbours. And much as they have done what
is not right they deserve a second chance in life. They need our help. Who knows,
through our intervention we might save tomorrow’s Kenyan man. This can only
happen to one boy at a time. I take this opportunity to thank each and every
person who have helped keep this dream alive and afloat. I don’t know where I would
be without your help and generosity. This is a difficult journey that only you
made possible. I will be forever grateful. And as we step into 2013, I hope to
get the funding needed and ask that you continue giving the way you have done
this year. In 2013, the year of jubilee, we look forward to scaling greater
heights and transform more lives through this noble cause.
Thank you so much for being there
for us in 2012. May God bless you abundantly and may He supply for all your
needs, now and forever.
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