 Buddies hold NYC rally for access to education Spend enough time with the buddies and you'll hear them repeat this mantra: "Lack of education is a life sentence." That's because a girl who is denied the chance to go to school spends the rest of her life without the knowledge an education provides. On September 13, as the buddies converged on New York for the last leg of their campaign, they carried living proof of this mantra: Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge. At 85 years old, Kimani is the world's oldest student. He started school last year, when a law in his native Kenya abolishing school fees made it affordable for the first time. Kimani came to New York with the buddies to deliver a message to world leaders attending the UN Summit to honor their commitment to provide all children with an education. As he toured the city in a yellow school bus, a NetAid staffer caught up with him for an interview in Central Park (see photo). Kimani was accompanied by the principal of his school, Jane Obinchu, who acted as his translator. NetAid: What kept you from going to school when you were younger? Kimani: I was not able to go to school because of poverty. NetAid: What did you do instead of going to school? Kimani: I worked as a casual laborer for the white settlers in Kenya. NetAid: Do you have any children? Kimani: Yes. I had 15 children in total, but 10 of them passed away. NetAid: What is the most difficult subject for you in school? Kimani: English. NetAid: And what are your favorite subjects? Kimani: Kishswahili, Kikuyu and Mathematics. NetAid: What have you learned from the younger students in the school? Kimani: What I like most are the games that the children play. They teach me games and I tell them stories of the colonial days. NetAid: If you could speak directly to the leaders meeting at the UN, what would you tell them? Kimani: They should help the children of the world to go to school. All children must get an education. Many countries have street children; if there is a way that they can be helped, it would be wonderful. Read the first entry of the BuddyBlog, Buddies Arrive at Netaid, and see where the buddies started their global campaign.
| 
