The View from a Drawbridge

This is Kimani Ng’ang’a Maruge. He spent most of his life fighting for the independence of Kenya. For his troubles he saw his wife and two children slaughtered before his very eyes by the British Imperialists. He also spent 8 years in prison where he was tortured. They whipped him, they cut off his toes. They split open his skull. God save the queen, right?

Needless to say with all that going on, he didn’t have the opportunity to get an education. Even if he had had the time, education was not available for black Kenyans when he was a child. But when Kenya became independent and offered a free primary education for all, he was the first in line to sign up. Unfortunately he was 84 at the time. He only wanted to learn to read. Didn’t his country owe him that after all his sacrifices?

After much controversy, Maruge was indeed allowed to attend school, and he did so for several years until his death in 2009. Because of this he was allowed to speak in front of the United Nations about the importance of education and he is in the Guiness Book of World Records. National Geographic even made a delightful movie about him called The First Grader, which is how I learned about this amazing man.

We Americans tend to take education for granted, but for many in the world, especially girls, it is but a distant dream. Some are prevented because they must support their families or the school is too far away or education is not emphasized in their culture. Sometimes it’s a tiny yet formidable roadblock of not being able to afford a school uniform. But the lower your education, the higher your risk of violence, HIV, poverty, and using aggression to solve your problems. The terrorists of this world tend not to be well educated, nor do cult members. Educated people build stronger families, stronger communities and stronger economies. It is in everyone’s best interest that the world be an educated place.

Today is National Call-In Day to urge your Representative to support a US pledge to support universal access to education. It will only take a minute of your time but it could help bring about a more peaceful and prosperous world. Won’t you help? If so, visit the Campaign for Education USA.org and find out how to participate. It’s the right thing to do.