In each class, the children sang, recited and followed the teachers’ prompting to read the words and numbers off the hand drawn posters on the wall. In one case, the teacher used a bent wire coat hanger as a pointer. That was it for resources, teaching and learning. In many ways, it was pitiful but talking to Pastor Stephen we understood something of his heart for this community and the importance of his struggles to keep this school going with no funding.

After our tour, we were seated outside on 4 plastic chairs behind the only 2 tables the school owned, donated by ICRI. The children came up, class by class and performed their songs again, followed by the parents who sang a welcome to us in Kiswahili. Pastor Stephen then stood up and in a very official way welcomed the honoured guests (us!). The chief spokesperson for the parents did likewise followed by the principal from a neighbouring school. We then introduced ourselves and thanked them for their welcome. I hope I managed to sound official in response. I congratulated them on their achievements and said that they must be very proud of their children.

We presented them with rice and maize. This had to be photographed to a chorus of cheers and ululations. We then went back inside to sign the visitors book. Stephen shared his challenges – no money, no food for the children, no resources and teachers leaving because he can’t afford to pay them. Many of the children are HIV positive. Many parental relationships fail and partners separate with children frequently being displaced. Stephen praised the community who work together to carry water each day to fill the container at the hand washing station. They also make blocks of soap for the children to use. Both of these actions have seen a huge reduction in disease.

Stephen asked the parents’ spokeswoman to join us. He told her very clearly that we had not given him any money. The only gift we had brought was the rice and maize which he had insisted we give direct to the parents. She was to go and tell the other parents this. I thought this was very astute. White faces represent wealth, donations and sadly, often corruption. We were struck by the sign above his desk – ‘Feed my starving children’

We were offered snacks of biscuits, popcorn and juice – which they obviously couldn’t afford but it would have caused offence to refuse. We did wonder how germ free it was.  After this, pastor Stephen stood up and pronounced a blessing on all of us then told us, without irony, that we were now free to leave! Outside we had to high-five what seemed like several hundred small black hands.

Driving off in a cloud of dust through the slum, scattering chickens and goats, we were pursued by a crowd of grinning children until we sped off back into Nairobi.

It had been a surreal experience and humbling to think that merely by being white and taking the time to visit, we had somehow bestowed favour and honour on this tiny endeavour to improve the lot of such an impoverished community. Their lives are incredibly challenging, they have nothing and yet there is hope, commitment and common purpose in their daily struggle. We experienced a genuine welcome and there was a lot of smiling. Are we better off in our society with all our material wealth?