Walk in my Shoes

Choka is a 16 year old boy who lives in a village named Ngumu, which is about 50kms from the nearest bus stop. In this case, 50kms from a semblance of a town. Choka lives with her great aunt, two younger siblings and three cousins. His great aunt, who is in her 70's owns a small 1 acre shamba where they plant vegetables and seasonal ground nuts. She also has two cows and a few chicken. With these she supports her extended family of seven. They do not have a lot and sometimes there's hardly enough to feed, cloth themselves and keep body and soul together. However, they are better off than most of the other families in the village.

Social services at Ngumu village are located...well...not in Ngumu Village. The nearest shop is 10kms away in the next village, the nearest hospital twice that distance. The nearest source of water, which is the river, is about 7kms away past the diminishing forest that serves as their source of firewood and herbs. Choka and his cousins have to walk past the river, into another village with an extra 5kms stretch to get to school.

Choka wants to be successful in life and since education is the key to life...so he's been told...he makes this walk to and fro, diligently, for 5 days every week! On his back is a large pouch with thin strings clasped around him (his school bag), on his head a well balanced bundle of firewood, a 5 litre gallon of water on one hand and broom on the other. His attire consists of a white shirt (once-upon-a-time white shirt), khaki shorts (redecorated in various shades of stains), snickers on their last breath to disintegration and ofcourse a piece of a sisal string serving as a belt, completed it.

So I wonder what is "success" to Choka? What compels Choka wake up every morning and walk all that way, burdens and all; to look for "success?

(to be continued)