Habiba Gicheru

Nairobi, Kenya 

Through this, together

The whole season had been tough and nothing seemed to be looking up for the small family. It was the sixth week since the entire country had gone on a lockdown.

Gakenia and her friends had been out of their minds with joy to skip school for the week. Unknown to them, it would be much more than that. She admitted to herself she had grown bored and tired of watching TV every day. She had missed school, her friends, and -most importantly- she missed her mother’s smile. Her mother had always been a strong woman with a cheerful vibe around her.

Gakenia knew the situation at home was not good, her mother and so many of the surrounding adults looked stressed and worried. Always watching the television, waking up with no sense of who they were and what to do now. She held her mother in her arms on their little sofa, and did what she used to do to her when she was little and sad. Gakenia held her, and sang the songs of the old days to her.

The songs of their ancestors. Songs that promised healing, and a better tomorrow.