Feature: Chinese volunteer teacher brings hope to Kenyan slum children

A walk through the sprawling Nairobi's Mathare slums is not a task for the faint hearted, given the rampant crime and deplorable sanitation that bleeds water-borne diseases.

Liu Yimenghan, a 19-year-old Chinese volunteer teacher in Mathare's Chang Rong Light Centre has nevertheless defied doomsayers to pitch tent in a dreaded neighborhood and mentor its young souls.

Convinced that good deeds always pay dividends, Liu abandoned the comfort of an up market lifestyle to descend to the densely populated slum village and mould its youngsters.

The mathematics teacher at Chang Rong Light Centre whose renovation was undertaken by young Chinese volunteers last year has vowed to lend his skills and transform the lives of slum children.

During an interview with Xinhua, Liu said he relishes the opportunity to volunteer his time and skills to enable disadvantaged children realize their dreams.

"I volunteer three days per week to teach pupils at Chang Rong Light Centre. The realization that these children needed help to realize their potential inspired me to become their teacher on voluntary basis," said Liu.

In the month of August this year, he met a group of young Chinese volunteers who renovated Chang Rong Light Centre and promptly developed a desire to join them in the mission to transform the lives of disadvantaged children.

Liu has lived in Kenya for a decade and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in business management at a local private university.

He has developed a strong bond with the Kenyan society and is unwavering in his commitment to improve the welfare of youngsters growing up in harsh conditions.

"The challenges in Mathare and other slums in Nairobi are legion to 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 future," Liu said.

His stint at Chang Rong Light Centre as a volunteer teacher since August has transformed the world views of the son of a Chinese expatriate living in Kenya.

Liu underscored the virtues of sacrifice, courage and commitment in order to make the world more livable, prosperous and peaceful.

"Majority of well to do people living in cosmopolitan cities are not aware of the abject poverty that stalks slum dwellers yet their minimal sacrifice can make a difference," Liu said.

Inside one of the renovated classrooms at Chang Rong Light Centre, Liu exchanged friendly banter with pupils as he took them through a maths lesson.

His easy demeanor has enabled him to connect with young children and impart them with lifelong skills.

Liu's passion has been to improve the numerical skills of Kenyan slum children to prepare them for glamorous careers like engineering and medicine.

Likewise, he also teaches Chinese language at the school that bears symbol of Sino-Kenya friendship.

Before young Chinese volunteers came on board, Chang Rong Light Centre had mud walled classrooms and leaking roofs that exposed pupils to harsh elements.

The Chinese volunteers raised money to upgrade the school and have as well volunteered time to mould the Mathare youngsters.

Liu noted there is a growing army of Chinese youth committed to lend assistance to under-privileged members of the society.

He plans to teach at Chang Rong Light Centre until December and has big plans for the Mathare children in the near future.

"I intend to raise money in my college and possibly connect fellow students to Chang Rong Light Centre to enable them mentor the pupils," Liu told Xinhua.

He noted that Kenyan youth have embraced volunteerism to help the society deal with deep seated challenges like poverty, diseases, illiteracy and environmental degradation.

The young Chinese volunteers have left an indelible mark in the lives of Kenyan slum children and their teachers.

Angeline Atieno, the Deputy Principal at Chang Rong Light Centre, hailed the sacrifice made by Chinese volunteers to 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," Atieno said.

She added that her interaction with Chinese volunteers have improved her understanding of a rich culture.

Academic performance of pupils at Chang Rong Light Centre has improved thanks to mentorship from Chinese volunteers.

Zacheus Oduor, a 12-year-old class-five pupil said his performance in mathematics has improved due to quality mentorship from Chinese volunteer teachers.

"Since the Chinese volunteers came to our school, my performance in mathematics and sciences has improved. I'm confident I will be able to pursue engineering in the University," Oduor told Xinhua. Endit