Day 3
I’m in Kitengela, about an hour southeast of Nairobi, with one other women’s education volunteer. Our day started around 9am with breakfast at the homestay: brown bread, butter, red plum jam, bananas, chai and malaria meds.
Our host mom, Lucy, guided us through a 30 minute walk to the Gihon Women’s Group. There are no street names just landmarks like a gas station, salon and corner market. The women’s meeting space is adjacent to a primary school, where kids dressed in navy uniforms screamed hello, held our hands or put their palms up to request a high five. Many yelled, “Mzungu (English speaker), look!” They were showing off their hula hooping skills. Kind of adorable and overwhelming.
It’s a small space (maybe 12′ by 12′) with cement floors and corrugated walls. Seven women were seated around a table and on the floor. Five had their heads down focused on beadwork, one jotted chemistry notes and the last stitched clothes on a black Singer sewing machine. There was also two bright eyed babies. Bonus!
Around 1pm, the kids line up to wash their hands and get lunch. Soon afterthought the chemistry student brings a large pot of red beans mixed rice and tomatoes and serves each one of us. 
I crafted a couple of spiral bracelets and talked through next week’s lessons with Agnes, the woman everyone brings their completed jewelry to. In the coming weeks, we will work on interview etiquette, teaching female hygiene to young girls, and basic computer skills.
The Jam 