A pencil sharpener a day keeps Hepatitis away

Before traveling to Kenya, I'd asked some fellow Americans who had experiences in Kenya themselves, if there were any school supplies in particular that Kenyan children are lacking. The overwhelming response was pencil sharpeners and futbol (soccer) pumps. Apparently, the schools here receive large donations of pencils and futbols, but no means to utilize them. Many Kenyan children use old rusty razors to sharpen their pencils, which puts them at risk for contracting Hepatitis. 

So I asked Tosh about this issue over breakfast this morning. At first, he was reluctant to admit that pencil sharpeners are scarce, and a rare commodity here, but when I told him that I brought some to give to school children, he was unable to hold back his eagerness. He admitted that his entire school only has one or two pencil sharpeners and his class rarely sees or gets to use them. I showed him the big bag of sharpeners I brought and told him to take some. I was surprised at how modest he was, only taking two. Most 9-year-olds in America would have grabbed as many as they could of any object they wanted that was offered up to them on a silver platter.

Then, Lucy came in the room to iron Tosh's clothes and gasped when she saw the pencil sharpeners. "Where did you get those," she exclaimed. "I have been searching everywhere for a place to get sharpeners for my girls." (whenever Lucy says "my girls" see means the hundreds of students she oversees, not merely her own 2 daughters). I offered her some as well and, once again, she chose to only take a few (for her entire school), despite the fact that I would have given them every last one if they had asked. Lucy told me that I should save the rest for the other schools I visit because every school in this region is in need of them.

I must admit that I am surprised to learn how widespread this shortage is, and would personally like to bring an entire suitcase full of them back to Kenya when I visit home over Christmas. In fact, I am even going to look into ordering a large supply of pencil sharpeners from an online manufacturer.

Friends and Family: if you have any connections or suggestions, please don't hesitate to share them with me. Furthermore, if any of you feel inclined to purchase and donate pencil sharpeners for me to distribute to the schools desperately in need of them, please snail mail them to my parents' house & I will bring them to Kenya after Christmas.