Kisii Heritage Project
For the past year or so, the Ajiri scholars were all back at boarding school as the Kenyan government tried to compress two school years into one. This all translated to no school breaks and lots and lots of stress.
In March 2022, our students got back on more of a "normal" schedule with school breaks. In addition to paying school fees and living supplies, this meant that we could start back up our Ajiri programming. We are embarking on a year-long project called "The Kisii Heritage Project" where our scholars will go on hikes to discover fabled Kisii places, interview elders, draft historic maps, learn traditional Kisii crafts, and record all of their findings on a website. It's a good blend of what they know, what they don't know, and the use of the computer. And it all came about because Regina and Difna, the Ajiri social workers, weren't able to find many books on Kisii culture or history.
Of course, the "Kisii Heritage Project" isn't just about historical recordings. It is about our students developing confidence in themselves, connecting with each other, developing trust with our staff, creating programs such as hikes and outings that relieve some stress, learning to use the computer, etc. In the past month, our scholars learned how to make a traditional Kisii basket from an elderly woman, learned some traditional Kisii dancing and songs, made a traditional clay pot, hiked up the Manga Hills with some elders as guides, and recorded their findings on their website! Follow along this year-long project: