Volunteer Maggie Gaughran gave six Daraja girls the opportunity to learn skills that can lead to immediate employment – training to become CPR instructors. The group was chosen based on their submission of a one-paragraph application explaining why the wanted to take the course. Here’s an excerpt from Alice N. and Teddy’s applications.

“When I was young I went to play with some other kids near the road – we witnessed a car accident. People were really injured and nobody in the crowd could help; they all stared. I have always held that dream of learning how to conduct first aid and also teach people so that if such a thing happened I could save a life. Daraja is a land of opportunities and I really want to learn CPR so I can have the skills and teach others.” -Alice N.

“Lisayo practicing CPR on an infantI think learning CPR is important because it is applicable everywhere, as long as the place has the presence of man. As we humans are exposed to numerous health hazards – injuries, accidents and falling sick being just a few – so must we find the quickest means possible to save lives. It is my belief that knowledge of CPR is the greatest and quickest savior in such crucial situations, when even hospitals are out of reach.” -Teddy

Joyce and Carol from Form 1, Alice, Teddy and Joan from Form 2 and Mary K. from Form 3 successfully completed the program and taught their first CPR lesson to their classmates who had never learned CPR before.