A long walk to education

 

CEBU—Kevin Kent, 9, wakes up early in the morning to fetch water from a nearby river. He rubs the sleep away from his eyes, rummages through his things to find something to wear for school, and grabs the empty containers in their home. He walks downhill with his younger sister, Kiesha, breaking no sweat at all.

 

“We’re used to walking alone,” Kevin shared.
“I carry at least two water containers for my mother to use at home.”

 

The view of the mountains stretches as far as their eyes can see. With the chilling morning breeze, they trek down a treacherous path—a path that Kevin and Kiesha grew up on. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, light begins to tear through the sky. They quickly fill their containers with fresh water and enjoyed a good swim.

 

 

“It’s hot on most days so we always look forward to swimming!” Kevin exclaimed.

 

After taking a bath and changing into the clothes they brought along, Kevin and Kiesha briskly walk home and rush to their mountaintop school before the bell rings.

 

Over 600 children in Kevin’s community as young as six years old scale cliffs and take on a 60-minute descent to reach their school.

 

“My favorite class is Math. I like learning,” Kevin said.

 

 

Wake up, fetch water, walk to school, play a bit and go home — just the everyday routine of children like Kevin. Kevin’s father is a construction worker in the city and comes home only once a week. His mother heavily relies on Kevin to help her take care of his siblings.

 

“When classes are over, I enjoy playing basketball the most.”

 

Even with his responsibilities on his shoulders, he finds the time to play with his siblings and other children in their neighborhood.

 

When asked about his dream profession, he responded, “Any job will do as long as I have work.”

 

Kevin’s honest hope for the future is to finish his studies. At an early age, Kevin understands how important it is to find a job so he can help his family.World Vision/May 29, 2017

 

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