Perseverance & Possibility in Kenya: Stories Capturing an Image of Intensity, Persistence & Big Dreams

ISBN-13: 9781492217114 / Angielski / Miękka / 2013 / 54 str.

Artfully Aware; Kristin Pedemonti; Hilary Wallis

Opis

Award-winning 'Cause Focused Storyteller', Founder of Literacy Outreach Belize and Lead Facilitator for Artfully AWARE, Kristin Pedemonti spent a month in Kenya collecting countless stories, photographs and illustrations from many Kenyan organizations and individuals. Kenya is a country of contrasts - from the huge, sprawling, modern metropolis of Nairobi with its traffic jams, skyscrapers towering to the sky and an emerging technology industry - to the hundreds of bustling towns and villages, some with traditional structures of thatch roofs and small shambas that families farm. Often when people think of Kenya they picture grasslands, Maasai Warriors, elephants, giraffes and lions. Most do not think of a modern city, over three million people, IT innovation and incredible creativity. But this is also Kenya. It is country of 42 cultures and languages. It is a place with a persistent prevalence of hope. It is also a country filled with stories. Stories connect us all, one to another, culture to culture, country to country. No matter what man-made borders we reside in; no matter what religion, culture or color of our skin we have, we are all united through our traditional and personal stories. These stories illustrate our similarities and celebrate our uniqueness. Every one of us has a story to share. Our stories matter. Our stories inspire. "This was de nitely my experience in Kenya. I met so many inherently talented people dedicated to contributing their gifts to lift up their communities and their country. I met Painters and Poets. Storytellers and Songwriters. Dancers and Drummers. Farmers & Film Makers. I met adults orphaned as children and teens who did not give up in order to pursue their passion. I met widowed women who refused to follow tradition to strike out on their own rather then be inherited. Women who had overcome the challenge of not only loosing their spouse, but to have their home taken, with all of their possessions returning to the deceased husband's family. Today these women are not only surviving - they are thriving They work together farming peanuts, sharing a common goal to provide micro-loans to other women in need. So many people I met learned their skill or their creative craft by digging deep within so they could connect with others to learn and also share their special gifts. Collecting the true stories of their real life journeys, with their challenges, their struggles and ultimately their triumph over adversity was beyond inspiring. Witnessing an art teacher and his students paint masterpieces within the Kibera slums in Nairobi was a mind-blowingly amazing experience. They remind us all to persist and pursue our passions. If we follow their lead, life's possibilities are endless " - Kristin Pedemonti, Lead Facilitator of Artfully AWARE