'Aspire to Inspire before you Expire'

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."
Epictetus

The title of this blog is inspired by the students at ACREF who wrote this quotation on the blackboard of their classroom. They say that the best teachers are those that inspire their students. I guess I've thought a lot about inspiration the past couple of weeks. Who inspires the youth in Kenya? What inspires the youth? What is the driving force to make mentors and rolemodels try to inspire their students when life appears to be so bleak?

I don't like to admit it but money is one of the driving forces of motivation and inspiration. The work of a teacher is undervalued universally. Its a thin line and a tiny thread to walk on because the teachers are the people who are forming and shaping the ideas and opinions of the leaders of tomorrow. Even in places like Ontario where teachers are decently compensated, there are still attacks on how much work the teacher actually does or how much vacation time they receive. The reality of the Kenyan classrooom is high volumes of students, long hours and poor pay. Teachers make approxamately $1200 CAD a year and can have upwards of ninety students in their classes. With hardly enough money to pay rent and food, there is little incentive to inspire students by giving them a quality education that refreshes their mind, body and soul. Why would a teacher want to put a lot of effort into their work when they get little in return and the challenges are so high?

Something that surprised me is the hardworking and dedicated teachers at ACREF that make so little yet work so hard. ACREF teachers are lucky to make a quarter of what a teacher at a government school makes but are passionate about teaching and are there for the students. True, most of them hold down other jobs but overall they are the most educated and qualified teachers I think I've met in Kenya. It restores my faith that it doesn't matter how much or how little you make financially but that you are happy in the job you are in. Although this timbit is reassuring, it is still scary to think about how little these teachers live on.

I met a girl at ACREF that has been dealt one of the most difficult cards in life I think I have encountered in Kenya. She has four sisters, all of whom have dropped out of primary education. Her mother has remarried to what appears to be not the greatest father figure forcing her to leave home and live with another family. Although she has a roof over her head, she must make all of her purchases on her own including clothes, wash products and her school fees. She has greatly improved her test scores but fears they might be slipping because she is struggling to make ends meat. She said to me that she is desperate to complete secondary school because her dream is too move out of the slum. Her story is inspiring because she understands that the path out of poverty is a good education and she is thirsty for that education. Its amazing to see this young woman combat everything in her life and stll want to transform her own life and the lives of people around her.

I think back to my childhood and even now to the people that truly inspire me. I think of famous leaders like President Lincoln, P.M. King, P.M. Trudeau, Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, Nelson Mandella and Maya Angelou. I think about the personal connections and people of inspiration I know; too many to list here and I think about the opportunities I've strived for to make a difference in my community and in my world. These are the people and things youth should be depending on for inspiration not the shiny and flawed figures and phony characteristics of the tragic Hollywood Story. I hope that youth I encounter are able to learn about the world's greatest leaders and learn from the people that are setting examples in their communities like the workers and volunteers at Education for Life, the exceptional teachers that do strive to inspire students or even the entrepeuneur who is changing the way life is lived in the slum each day.

I know that I am inspired by the people I meet each day and I can only hope that I am able to make inspired choices and promote inspired thinking. It requires a collective effort to change the culture in which we live. I want each person journeying along side me to make a concious effort to lead and not follow because the power of one cannot be underestimated.