we must not leave any children behind

SO I was like a mommy today. I took my fave kid in the house, Fama (wearing her new white shirt from America..) to school today. She is 14 and it was her first time. School in Senegal finally started today despite being scheduled to startOct. 9. We went to the school I know very well as me and Jeremiah are starting a huge school garden project there soon. So I asked the principal to meet with her and I and sign her up and he agreed. I enrolled her and brought her into her new class where she is the oldest one and met her teacher. She was so scared and was acting totally shy with the teachers and principals which is very unlike her.

After school all of the other kids in the house who are younger and have been in school already surrounded her and asked her questions, etc. Overall they were pretty nice about it minus a few laughs when they learned what level she was in because its the first. Fact is she doesnt know how to read and that was making me too sad.

When I asked the head of the household ( my senegalese mom) if i could take her to school she was confused why. I was like what if she is sick? How will she read medecine labels? She wants to know how to use a computer and cant if she cant read. Yiye (mom) said she shoud just look for a husband. I said thats ridiculous to say. She said Fama isnt smart and, resisting the urge to call her rude which is rude to say here, I told her not to say that and that our lil Fama is smart and will be going to school.

I was feeling so much like a mom today, guiding her through all of it, scared as hell when adults asked her questions. It made me nervous even! But after I left her all staring holes into her desk in the classroom, I was glad I did it. If I did not do that today she would have never gone to school. And that is simply unnacceptable. So after lunch we went to the market where I bought her a bookbag and supplies. All in all its not very expensive AT ALL so the fact that there are so many kids left behind is just troubling. Education is not valued by many as they dont see the benefits it can reep.
It makes me really angry at times the way there are so few mentors and role models here.

It can be very depressing here between that and all of the other sad things and states of things and people(like everyone and their mom having malaria and people not believing in themselves enough to do any personal or business investment just to state the first to examples to pop into my mind...), but I am developing a thicker skin to it all and trying to do my part in this big fascinating world.

Today is a great day though because my lil girl ( who was all smiles since i told her she was going to school because she wants to work in an office one day NOT be a freaking slave wife)
had her first day at school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Education for all. no child left behind for reals. inchallah.