America's past provides Kenyan futures
Jillian Melchior
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: News
Three Kenyan women came to Hillsdale College this year as freshmen. They plan that their education will better their country.
Abba Kidenda, Cynthia Nyakeri and Gladys Anyenya received scholarships to attend Hillsdale through the Zawadi Africa Education Fund, a program geared to helping exceptional young African women receive first-class American educations.
"You settle for things you get all your life, just because we are a third world country," Kidenda said.
"We are here to get a different way of doing things," Nyakeri added. "Our democracy is not your kind of democracy."
They said they have struggled to catch up on American history. For them, Thomas Jefferson was never a household name. In Western Heritage, English, history and politics classes, they find themselves trying to learn about historical figures, places and concepts American students take for granted.
But the American founding is vivid to them in a way it is not to native students, Kidenda said. Kenya, too, is struggling to achieve stable democracy.
"Our history is going on now," she said.
Last winter, the Kenyan elections resulted in voter fraud allegations, violent tribal clashes and lengthy argument. Eventually, parties negotiated a precarious power sharing agreement with help from the international community.
In the meantime, the women recounted, Nairobi was a dangerous place to live.
"Everything was on fire," Nyakeri said. "It didn't even look like Kenya on TV. It looked like Sudan. It was actually safer at night. The people were recharging for the next day of violence."
But Nyakeri, Kidenda and Anyenya said the lessons they learn at Hillsdale will help them change the future.
"What Hillsdale stands for - the freedom and liberty thing - is what I hope to take back to Kenya," Anyenya said. "Kenya is one of the countries that is very corrupt, so our understanding of truth is lacking."
She said she hopes fight that problem as a college professor.
"As a teacher, I can influence the students to be better," she said. "They hold the country together."
Abba Kidenda, Cynthia Nyakeri and Gladys Anyenya received scholarships to attend Hillsdale through the Zawadi Africa Education Fund, a program geared to helping exceptional young African women receive first-class American educations.
"You settle for things you get all your life, just because we are a third world country," Kidenda said.
"We are here to get a different way of doing things," Nyakeri added. "Our democracy is not your kind of democracy."
They said they have struggled to catch up on American history. For them, Thomas Jefferson was never a household name. In Western Heritage, English, history and politics classes, they find themselves trying to learn about historical figures, places and concepts American students take for granted.
But the American founding is vivid to them in a way it is not to native students, Kidenda said. Kenya, too, is struggling to achieve stable democracy.
"Our history is going on now," she said.
Last winter, the Kenyan elections resulted in voter fraud allegations, violent tribal clashes and lengthy argument. Eventually, parties negotiated a precarious power sharing agreement with help from the international community.
In the meantime, the women recounted, Nairobi was a dangerous place to live.
"Everything was on fire," Nyakeri said. "It didn't even look like Kenya on TV. It looked like Sudan. It was actually safer at night. The people were recharging for the next day of violence."
But Nyakeri, Kidenda and Anyenya said the lessons they learn at Hillsdale will help them change the future.
"What Hillsdale stands for - the freedom and liberty thing - is what I hope to take back to Kenya," Anyenya said. "Kenya is one of the countries that is very corrupt, so our understanding of truth is lacking."
She said she hopes fight that problem as a college professor.
"As a teacher, I can influence the students to be better," she said. "They hold the country together."
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