The Patrician School - Brother Paul's not-so-little miracle

After spending a day with Nurse Josephine at the Patrician School Clinic, I became quite curious about the Patrician Primary School itself and asked Brother Paul if I could plan a visit there. He happily agreed to take me there the following morning.

Brother Paul built the school in 2003 with funding from the Brothers of St. Patrick’s as well as his little home town in Ireland, and some help from the Lions Club. He bought a tract of land in Kabongo, 10 km. east of Eldoret, adjacent to the site of the violent post-election riots and “ethnic-cleansing” of Jan 2008, and what an impossible! impassable! dust-laden! spine-manipulating! and pot-holed! road we took to get there!!! Brother Paul hired local contractors to built the 2 long classroom wings, enough room for 8 grades plus a pre-school...as well as the “long drop” toilets (of which he is very proud...no explanation needed). Then he invited the poor to fill the classrooms; any child who could get there daily was welcome to be a student and for those unable to pay, some scholarship was awarded. Private schools abound in Kenya, they are everywhere; built and sponsored by companies, countries, service clubs, religious groups and even private individuals who feel the call to help. Public schools are just not quality schools, and Kenyans realize that the key to raising standards in their country is thru education of their youth. Those who can possibly afford it, send there children to private schools.

Patrician Primary School now has almost 500 students. Children in Kenya speak Swahili at home (given there are 42 tribes, that means there could be up to 42 different dialects spoken in every classroom) but starting on the first day of pre-school, only English is allowed. Reading and writing of Swahili is taught as a “class” for one period daily. I visited every classroom, listened to the recitations, watched the board work and scratched my head as I audited the decimal and algebra equations of the upper classes. From 4th grade on, each student attends a computer class with Mr. Sammy, where he teaches them hi-tech skills on 15 donated computers. All the teachers are young, inspired and clearly love their students and are loved in return. Through their energy and vision they inspire a thirst for knowledge.

This spring marks the completion of the last building phase. Last year, after giving a speech at a fund-raiser, Brother Paul was told that a “Mr. Hilton” had arranged a meeting. When asked what needs remained for his school, Brother Paul said he wished to build faculty housing so that teachers would have a clean and safe place to live and not have to leave the campus after classes, thereby being more available to the students. As for the costs, Brother Paul said he needed living quarters for 18 teachers at US$10,000 a unit. Mr. Hilton (yes, THE Mr. Hilton of the hotel chain!) took a blank check from his pocket and filled it out for $180,000. The rest of the donations have been small but adequate for the school to function.

Teachers at the Patrician School are paid US$125. a month, compared to the Kenyan public school wages of US$160. monthly. However, they receive new housing with private bathroom and flushing toilets (!!) and may move their entire family in with them, and everyone may use the on-site Health Clinic. This school also bought the neighboring 40 acres on which they plant maize and kale and tomatoes for the student meals. Since so few homes in this poor neighborhood have electricity, they have a boys and girls dorm for a small number of older boarding students who need light so they can study late into the night, or have come from a distance to attend.

The children are amazingly very well-behaved. One class was taking an exam and as I peered in the doorway, every head was buried in deep concentration and there was absolute silence...all this while the teacher was in another classroom, teaching another class! The children are honest, exuberant and polite. “Sassiness” is just not part of their culture. Hands shoot up when the teacher asks a question but no one speaks until called upon, then the child stands and replies. If the answer is incorrect, all those little hands silently shoot up again. It’s all so REFRESHING!

My time there seemed as if it were straight out of a late-night “SEND IN MONEY RIGHT NOW!!!” infomercial except this was the REAL deal; these kids truly are abysmally poor and Brother Paul honestly spends every donated dollar trying to improve their lives. It is mandatory in all of Kenya that students wear school uniforms, and I noticed so many children with tattered and torn sweaters and ripped shirts/skirts that clearly had been handed down a few too many times and/or were just not the right size. The children are required to wear black shoes and to keep them polished but for most, this is the only pair they own and there is no money for shoe polish. Brother Paul started a meal program, serving 2 meals a day (and a 3rd for boarders) when he realized they didn’t have food at home and had trouble concentrating due to constant hunger. Few of these kids have clean water for bathing.

As I made my way thru the classrooms, I was overwhelmed at how absolutely delighted the children were to see me, a “Munzungu” (white person) and they rushed toward me. Each wanted so badly to shake my hand, repeating over and over “How are you? How are you? How are you?”. I had a good laugh when they quickly added “Fine, fine, thank you very much” before I had a chance to reply. I have little doubt that the Patrician School brought them the first joy they’d ever had in their young lives, thanks to Brother Paul.

If you wish to donate to The Patrician School ($20 will buy school supplies for the whole year; $100 is a full year’s tuition), the address is:

Brothers of St. Patrick, c/o Brother Aquinas Cassin, PO Box 116, Midway City, CA 92655

  Click on the arrow in the picture above, I have  embedded a short video about Brother Paul and his school.
                                         
                                    

Little kids rush to the door, they are very excited to meet me.

Pre-school, mandatory in Kenya. In consists of 3 years:
Baby class, Middle class and Top class.

Brother Paul helping stir the pot for hot lunch. It alternates from rice and greens to rice and beans. Often this is the only meal some of the poorest students get in their day.

Changing classes

I saw this on the chalkboard of the 6th grade class. I have no idea what it is.
Education is taken very seriously, all students have exams every 3 months and must attain a certain
grade level to move.

Teacher Sammy and his donated computers. From 4th grade on, all the students take computer class 2x week and are thrilled.

I help out in the kitchen. Looks like lentils today - fine with me!