Silver

IN THE STATEHOUSE. We arrived very early in the StateHouse. We settled after a fine breakfast and we were waiting for our fellow participants to receive their gold award. Before even the presentation and performance prepared for the president, His Excellency Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, Every student from my school were drooping. I was also drooping. We are the only people who realised our situation. No one else would know what we had been through. They would judge but we had no time to prove why we were dozing off. Well, we had come from an Adventurous journey in Taita-Taveta. We had been travelling the whole night to get to State House by morning. We hiked for five days in Taita-Taveta and we were soo tired. We had a very little time to sleep. Our legs and hands were swollen, however, we enjoyed our time and delicious lunch in the state House. My fellow participants, Gold level holders received their certificate. I was very excited since it was my first time in the StateHouse. I am glad. Thank you to our president for the invitation and for embracing us. UNFORGETTABLE MEMORY!

21

The biggest challenge I had doing the award is financial issues. Everything to take place and get planned, needs money. I was creating awareness about stressed caused by covid-19. I wanted to do this since I witnessed one of my guardian suffer mentally from the covid-19 pandemic. It costed me alot. I did not hit my goals even though I tried using my money. I am glad I helped my guardian and few people in my society.

Kenya

I have completed with my silver level and waiting for my award. I did tree planting as service, graphic design as skill and swimming as physical Recreation. I have started my gold level activities, service first aid, chinese language as skill and taichi dance as physical Recreation

I ALMOST GOT MARRIED! Kerio Valley is one of the adventure I will never forget. Trek for five days was a no joke. The story behind this awesome photo and the background can never be explained enough. The experience I got this 2nd day of hiking is exceptional. The challenges were challenging. I remember I almost got married in Kerio Valley. This is not because I was in love or dating and it was now time, nooo. The day started by checking out, we started climbing the hills to the Mountain. I was psyched, however my feet disagreed with my feet and decided the bristers I had from the previous hiking day would start paining. I didn't want to give up. Then my polyps decided it was time to swell, they blocked my nostrils and I could no longer breath via my nose but through my mouth. This dried my mouth, throat, all the way to my chest. When I sipped my water it, within seconds I got more dry. I was soo in pain but since everyone was tired I decided to try and keep up. I was not quarter on the mountain yet when I was unable to keep up. I decided that I would go slow while resting. By this time, it did not matter whether I would arrive at the check-in point the next day. My group realised I was left behind and they came back for me. We would climb ten steps up and then rest one minute. At some point they would help massage my blisters. Walking everyone would encourage us that we were getting to the top. We would hurry but we were not even close to the top. I got very tired and didn't want to keep going any more. We met with Kerio Valley residents and I had an idea. I would get married and let my group keep on going. Once they were gone and I had rested. I would phone my parents to send me bus fare and I would go home. A man was willing to marry me. This dilemma was so real. How would I live my group who had supported me to the top. I knew if I had, the following day they would have given up one by one. I decided to continue with their help to the top. After hiking the whole day till 7:00pm we arrived at the camp site. I was glad that I had copped the day. I was given another pair of hiking shoes for the next day. I knew a lot was coming my way and I had to be strong for the three more days that were coming my way. I still tell my story to many how I almost got married in Kerio valley.

Participant