kenya project 09.

asante sana.

a version of the final empowerment speech given at the end of our training.

Firstly, we would like to thank all of the teachers and administration for allowing us to come to your school for the past week. Without their openness and co-operation, we would not have been able to meet and interact with all of you, so can we clap for them,

karabunda (clap x 4)
karabunda (clap x 4)
senorita (clap x 10)

Secondly, I think we should thank the QHO/YESS team. Did you enjoy the team being here this week? Can we thank each person from our team? I’ll point to them and you can tell me their name and give them a big riap clap. Sindio?

...the QHO/YESS members are given celebrity status
as they are introduced by the students screaming their names...

Who are the last people that we need to thank? Do you guys know? The last people we need to thank are all of the people standing in front of us. We need to thank each and every one of you, the students. I think that I can speak on behalf of all of QHO and YESS when I say asante sana to you. You have all been amazing students and your energy both in and outside the classroom has been unreal. At the beginning of the week, when we came to this school, you were all the students. Now when we look out at you, we don’t see students, we see teachers. And as teachers, we want to encourage you to share what you have learned with your brothers and sisters, your friends and family and the surrounding community.

I have one last thank you. I want to thank you again, specifically for all of your questions this week. Each class had so, so many questions, and I want to encourage you to keep asking questions. Keep asking questions for the rest of your lives, because ‘knowledge is power’. Can you repeat after me,

knowledge is power
knowledge is power
knowledge is power.

and by asking questions, you gain knowledge. You all have the relevant knowledge and information to make informed, responsible decisions in your lives. Responsible decisions in the many different relationships in your lives. Responsible decisions related to the transmission, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Responsible decisions regarding your sexuality. With knowledge, we are capable of making informed, responsible decisions in our lives, to live in the most positive way possible.

Finally, we as a generation of youth have the power to effect change. I am going to share a favourite quote of ours,

“you must be the change you want to see in the world”.

We need to be the change we want to see in the future. We cannot wait for other people to make this change for us. When we recognize an unmet need in our community, we can’t wait for someone else to take on that responsibility. We can be, and we are the people to change the world. Along these lines, some of our classes have learned a little rap about the future, so I’m going to ask you a question,

‘Are you somewhere, in the future, do you look much better than you look right now?’

I’m somewhere, in the future,
and I look much better than I look right now.

...the energy level is contagious and
the chorus is repeated until it is echoed by the entire student body...


thank you.
lake solai. seet kobor. mawe. athinai. kiamunyi.

asante sana.