Brewing Chang’aa to Pay School Fees: A Story of Poverty in Nyalenda

My mother said she brewed chang’aa to pay school fees.

She did a lot of casual jobs. My mother said she brewed chang’aa

for us to get food and eat. My mother said she brewed chang’aa

and paid rent in Nyalenda with it. My sister’s house was similar

to this one, with a car like this, the middle part was a curtain. This was the sitting

room, that was the bedroom. That was my sister’s house. But

even now when I see it, I feel like sleeping there. When I see it, I think

about where my brother is. When I see it, I see him. When I see my mother,

I think about my mother, who made sure we were on record for brewing chang’aa.

So today I understand that this poverty is like, this poverty is like sleeping

inside a cage. Do you know what that cage is?

Now I understand. Today I understand that a child

can stay at home. That it is because there are no school fees, even I once

at one point did not have school fees. I know what

lacking school fees is. So now I understand

you as an oppressor. Today I understand that you lock this child

the way you lock prisoners inside a cell. I am not the one who locked

one day to KCSE. Mosoya Central Police Station.

When you go to do an interview, you must voice out the

following day when you go to do an interview. I saw them from

primary school, up to secondary. Even now

at home they still recognize them. Now I will tell you that staying in a cell,

what I know about staying in a cell is that I have stayed

in a cell. I myself with my own eyes, I have seen the problems

that are down there. I have also seen the good things that are

down there. So what is it like then?

It is about helping the people.