I hate to admit it, but I have always taken education for granted. Growing up in a suburb of Milwaukee, I attended a high-quality public school from first grade through high school. In my family, it was a given that I also attend college; I never thought twice about it. After college, I went on to pursue a graduate degree, mostly because I knew it was commonplace in the field of education, and I wanted to remain competitive in my career.
The opportunity to visit Hope Community School and the people of Twapia taught me that education is truly a privilege and not available as widely as I had always assumed. The children who attend Hope are given an incredible opportunity that will transform their lives: to go to school. Hope provides not only an education but a warm meal every day, a school uniform, and a place to build relationships and friendships.
I came to understand the scarcity of education in a few ways while I was at Hope. On our last day there, we visited the home of a 7-year-old student, Kareem. It was at this home visit where I learned that Kareem’s mother stopped attending school after 5th grade, and Kareem’s younger siblings, ages 3 and 5, did not yet attend school. Kareem’s mother made it clear that her dream is for all of her children to go to school and become doctors. As we walked to and from the home visit through the village of Twapia, it was apparent that many of the children did not attend school. Many of them followed us barefoot, giggling, laughing, and smiling, or they stayed in their front yards and greeted us as we walked by.
I also noticed a difference surrounding education when we gave our class talks. Small groups of travelers had the chance to speak in each classroom, telling the students about ourselves and giving them the opportunity to ask us any questions. Before we gave our talks, we were told to stress the fact that the reason we have found success is because we went to school and stayed in school. They asked us to tell the students to stay in school and work hard. This is something that I found myself reflecting on later. I don’t remember this message being stressed to me or my peers growing up, education is not necessarily a choice in the U.S.
Although many of the people in Twapia are not able to obtain an education, it is important to note that they were still full of joy and gratitude for what they do have. Hope School is making a huge difference in the village of Twapia, and I know they will continue to expand and reach more and more children. This opportunity has granted me a new perspective, and I am forever grateful. I look forward to continuing to support Hope from afar, as I now understand the profound impact they are making in countless lives.
Ashley Walker – January 2020
