Joy Wanja

6 August 2010

Nairobi — Their social background forgotten, two teenagers brush up on their music side by side. The teenagers freely interact as they record songs to raise money for a school without decent classrooms and equipment.

But the teenagers come from two different worlds. One school is posh, with manicured lawns, equipped classrooms, tidy premises and vehicles parked in the yard.

The other is a ramshackle where the principal's office is squeezed between an rickety workshop and a dilapidated classroom crowded with students who do not know where they will get the next meal.

Despite the disparities, students of St Austin's Academy and Lavington Mixed Secondary School are at home as they mingle.

Lavington Mixed Secondary School was opened three years ago to absorb pupils from the free primary education programme locked out of secondary school by lack of Form One places and fees. It sits on a land owned by Lavington Primary School, which set aside a few classes to accommodate it.

Then come a helping hand -- the adjacent private school, St Austins, and a rare project was mooted to raise money to build classrooms.

"The project involves writing lyrics, recording songs, designing the CD cover and marketing it," says Mr Mumo Mwendwa, the head of Academic Services Limited that manages St Austin's and Coast Academy.

The project gained currency when efforts to raise money through a harambee failed.

At St Austin's, the students are gathered around a keyboard to produce tunes for the 'Hope' album expected before Christmas.

The collaboration between the teenagers from different backgrounds is admirable.

"The students are alike, their social-economic background not withstanding and their dreams and aspirations are the same," says Mr Mwendwa.

Kevin Hiuhu, 17, and in Form Three at Lavington Mixed, is a rapper and hopes his song, Tomorrow, will showcase his talent.

'Through every storm I believe I shall live to see a better day, tomorrow. Wake up with the faith that I will fill my plate and not sleep hungry today,' he raps.

Assisting them arrange the songs is musician and keyboard player Mike Jared Ashiuma, a member of the 'Basi Tu' band. Although blind, Ashiuma has an ear for musical notes.

"Their talent is raw but the students are gifted," he told Saturday Nation.

Fifteen-year-old Vanessa Kamau, a Year 10 student at St Austin's, says the collaboration has rekindled her love for music. One of her song encourages young people to be optimistic. 'Life is hard but you will make it,' goes the first stanza.

"When I was posted to the school last year, there were 92 students squeezed into two classrooms," says Mrs Judith Ombima, a teacher.

The school has eight classes. When it opened, the primary school lent it three classes, a lab and 10 toilets, Mrs Ombima says. Most of the students come from Kawangware, Satellite and Kangemi and cannot raise the annual Sh5,000 annual fees for development.

The school requires Sh100,000 to complete two classes in the first phase of the development plan.

It has three streams, 400 students and 13 teachers.

The practical lessons are impractical as the only laboratory lacks equipment and chemicals.

"Besides raising funds we hope this project will give students a platform to express themselves and the adults will listen," Mr Mwendwa adds.