Diapora of Hope 09

Fifteen women and two men from the United States and Canada were an excited and professional group of artists traveling to Philadelphia, Egypt, Kenya, Guatemala and Nicaragua to participate in BuildaBridge's annual Diaspora of Hope. The artists were joined by scores of local artists in each country as they planned, trained and implemented an arts camp on the themes of hope, peace, and unity with children from very difficult circumstances. The BuildaBridge Classroom model was the structure for each camp. This was the first year Diaspora of Hope conducted a project in Philadelphia with a local partner--a shelter abused women and their children. The mission of Diaspora of Hope is to provide children with a brighter future and build the capacity and sustainable development of local organizations serving these children who live in poverty. The following blogs from around the world describe the events of the week and stories of transformation.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Poetry and Music

By Rebekah Wilcox, BuildaBridge Kenya Team Leader and International Program Coordinator


Celmali Jaime

This morning, I woke up in Kenya for my 32nd Birthday. I was greeted by the early morning sun and beginning of a very warm day. I went downstairs in my host's home and had my regular breakfast of bread with peanut butter and a cup of chai. I was also lucky to have a Chapati left over from dinner last night. I smiled as I ventured out of the home alone and walked the dusty busy road to my first lonesome Matatu ride. I made it across the street alive and climbed aboard the Matatu. I rode into City Centre to meet my friend and fellow classmate, Celmali Jaime. Celmali is a woman I look up to. She graduated from the same graduate program that I am now in and is a Spoken Word poet. She and I both came to Kenya last year to teach at the first Kenyan Diaspora of Hope with BuildaBridge. This morning, we were invited to a concert that included a performance by Celmali and three of the Kenyan teachers who work with us. Said (drama teacher), Shadrack (visual arts teacher), and Jack (dance teacher), are all musicians and part of a hip-hop group called Mashahidi Krew.


The concert was held at an all girls high school where many students are from Mathare Valley and familiar with the teachers from the Inspiration Center (our partner in Kenya). It was great to be able to see the artists we work with in their element. Last year, we learned they were musicians, but didn't have the opportunity to see them perform. It was also an incredible birthday treat to hear Celmali perform. She is a talented artist that moves the crowd and makes me proud to know her.

After the performance, we had a delicious lunch of egg, rice, steamed vegetables, and bread. Then, we hopped back on the Matatus to go home. Said, his girlfriend Maureen, and Shadrack rode back with me to Gideon's house. When we got off the Matatu, we stopped by a local vendor for fresh sugar cane. This was in place of birthday cake and my first time eating raw sugar cane. It was delicious!

As usual, an event in Kenya took much longer than expected. I thought I would be out from 8:30am-1pm and didn't get home till almost 5pm. It was well worth it, but I found my American self getting frustrated and impatient during the times we just stood around waiting for things to happen. I wondered why we are always in such a hurry and don't take the time to just be. In Kenya, there is a lot of time to just be. I should be relaxed during these times, but I am just anxious and feel like I should be doing something. Perhaps by the end of my three weeks here, I will learn to breathe. :-)

All in all, it was an amazing birthday and I look forward to tonight when I will be working with other teachers to finish up preparations for camp.
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