Teachers in China often receive bribes in exchange for giving extra lessons. (Photo : www.rfa.org)
Chinese volunteer educators have continued to brave the slum areas of Mathare in Nairobi, Kenya, to bring hope and teach Kenyan kids amid rampant crime and dire sanitation.
Nineteen-year-old Liu Yimenghan, one of the volunteers who set up tents and mentor the children, said that he is convinced that good deeds always pay dividends.
Liu is a mathematics teacher at the Chang Rong Light Center, which was renovated by the volunteers in 2014.
In an interview with the Xinhua News Agency, Liu shared his vision of helping the disadvantaged children realize their dreams.
"I volunteer three days per week to teach pupils at Chang Rong Light Center. The realization that these children needed help to realize their potential inspired me to become their teacher on a voluntary basis," he said.
A son of a Chinese expatriate in Kenya, Liu further stated that his work as a volunteer teacher has transformed his world view.
"The challenges in Mathare and other slums in Nairobi are many and include poor sanitation and water-borne diseases. Each one of us can offer some form of assistance to ensure the children have better prospects in the future," he said.
Before the Chinese volunteers came, the Chang Rong Light Center had leaking roofs and mud-walled classrooms. The mentors then started raising money to renovate the place as part of their goal to mold the Mathare youngsters.
Liu added that there is also a growing number of Chinese youth who committed to dedicate their time in teaching the children.
For Angeline Atieno, the center's deputy principal, the volunteerism of the Chinese teachers has helped transform formal education in Mathare slums.
"It has been a rewarding experience working with Chinese volunteers to improve education standards in Mathare slums. Our pupils have treasured every moment with the Chinese volunteers," she said.
