A Hello with love from Kenya

This is Brandt and Laurie writing from Kenya.  What an amazing group of people we had together for this year's Orkeeswa/Groton exchange!  We feel so lucky to have been a part of it all.  On the last day before we departed we collected the poems that were written by the students and we wanted to post just a few of them for everyone to enjoy.  Here you can find both versions- English and Swahili!

I Will Guide You

By Tania, Anna and Ninayo

Long braids in your hair,

A visit to the city.

Where are you going? What will you do?

Stay in the bright orange tree.

I will teach you not to worry.

Take a leap of faith-

Open the window, go up to the roof;

Build a house, simple and big.

Don’t worry about the tools.

I will teach you how to use them.

Msuko mrefu ndani ya nywele zako,

Tembelea ndani ya mji.

Unaenda wapi? Utafanya nini?

Kaa ndani ya mti wa machangwa unao ng’aa.

Nita kufundisha usiogope

Nenda na matumaini madogo

Fungua dirisha nenda juu kwenye paa.

Jenga nyumba na kubwa usihofu kuhusu vifaa.

Nitakufundisha  jinsi ya kuvitumia.

Into The Past

By Edu, Baraka, Ngirung’a, and Britton

The water from the oceans

And the blueness of the skies

Gives me good blessings, good life.

Stars, planets, earth, moon:

Ancestors and grandparents, all in heaven.

I miss you, my family.

I want to give you peace,

So I will remember you

As the water from the oceans

And the blueness of the skies.

Maji kutoka baharini

Na rangi ya bluu angani

Hunipa Baraka; maisha mazuri.

Sayari, nyota; mwezi na dunia:

Ukoo,babu na bibi wote mbinguni.

Nawakumbuka wote familia yangu.

Nawatakia amani

Hivyo niwakumbuke

nyie kama Maji kutoka baharini

Na rangi ya bluu angani.

In The Future

By Alexandra and Scholar

Education for my mama.

Responsibility to family, to parents, to home.

Where are you going? What will you do?

Failure will change this future.

What will happen?

Only one thing, one thing.

Empowering women, our community.

So I will remember

To stay strong

For the education of my mama.

Elimu kwa mama yangu.

Majukumu kwa familia kwa wazazi na nyumbani

Unaenda wapi? Na utafanya nini?

Kufeli kwake kutabadilisha baadaye.

Nini kitatokea baadaye?

Kitu kimoja tu kitu kimoja.

Kuwawezesha wanawake, kwenye jamii yetu

Kwahiyo nitakumbuka

Kuwa na nguvu

Kwa elimu ya mama yangu.