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Meet our global family
Now it’s time to meet a girl from Kenya. As you read about Yvone and her family, think about what you might have in common with them.
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Ambitious and intelligent, Yvone is 11 years old. She lives with her grandparents, her aunt, three siblings and three cousins in Konjiko, a village in Kenya. Her community is located near Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. The village is also close to the Equator, so it is very hot there. Yvone and her family speak Kiswahili and English.
Yvone is one of seven grandchildren living with Eliakim Dude, 62, and wife Patricia, 54, who’s youngest daughter Gaudencia, 25, has been part of a Catholic Relief Services initiative Integrated Mothers and Babies Course IMBC program which is a pre-program for Early Childhood Development ECD. She is now a lead mother, checking on the other mothers to make sure that they are practicing what they learn in their group. Guadencia’s whole family has noticed improved nutrition and sanitation practices. They now diversify their diet, plant different crops, keep eggs to eat not sell, all resulting more energy to work and for the kids to attend school.
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Home and Family
In Kenya, chores are one way Yvone helps her family too. Each morning she washes dishes, sweeps the house, prepares lunch for the younger children and washes their school uniforms.
Yvone’s family has a hut where the family eats and sleeps, a stable for the animals and a separate kitchen hut. During the rainy season, the family collects water from a system on the roof. When it’s dry, they borrow from neighbors or walk to a community water point to fetch water.
Yvone’s family life has changed for the better thanks to a CRS program that teaches families about healthy food. In our next story, you’ll learn how.
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Joy of Learning
httpv://youtu.be/wICfg-HqxDE Just like Trinh and Maria Ana, Yvone’s family works hard to send her to school. Her grandparents believe that having an education is an advantage in life and want all of their grandchildren to have the opportunity to go to school. Her grandfather, Eliakim, sold 42 heads of cattle to pay for his children’s education.
Yvone’s grandmother, Patricia, says: “I have a dream for my children to study and to be able to do anything possible to earn a living.”
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Dreams for the Future
And Yvone? She wants to be a hairdresser so that she can earn money to help her family. She dreams of one day being able to buy a car and give rides to her family, so they won’t have to walk far distances.
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Pilau (Spiced Rice) – Kenya Recipe
Makes 6-8 servings
- 1 t ground cumin
- 1 ½ t all spice
- ½ t black pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 4 c water
- 2 c basmati rice
In a medium bowl, combine the cumin, all spice, and black pepper. Set aside. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and red onion and sauté for 10-15 minutes, until dark brown. Add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, and spice mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the potatoes and the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add the rice, stir, and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked, and the liquid is absorbed.
Materials are gathered from Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl: https://www.crsricebowl.org.