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Issue 00555 |
February 21 - 27, 2009 |
issn 0856 - 9135 |
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Society |
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Illinois lady brings ‘English’ to Arusha
Daughter provides maternal assistance to a local hospital here By Staff Writer A Clarendon Hills resident Valarie Kalember, is expected to board a 26-hour flight to Arusha on February 20, coming to teach local children here ‘the fundamentals of English.’ She won’t be here on her own though, Kalember who works as an English language instructor for Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181, in the Illinois state of America, already has a daughter volunteering in one of the local hospitals of Arusha as surgeon. Valarie is also set to volunteer here, at a local kindergarten and some two orphanages based in Arusha. While here, she will probably be staying with her physician daughter Caroline, who jetted in Arusha since January 27 and since then has been offering her medical skills here. Kalember will teach about 20 kindergarten pupils every morning, and work as many as 50 older elementary school students in the afternoons. The Clarendon resident ‘expects’ the students here to have very little experience with the English language. "They've been exposed a little bit to it, but I'm not really sure how much," Kalember was quoted in her Clarendon Hills’ community newspaper. Kalember and her daughter Caroline have long envisioned a trip to Africa. Thus, it's ironic that Kalember's trip comes courtesy of her daughter's studies at Northwestern University. A fourth-year medical student, Caroline is said to be working in a maternity and delivery ward at a local hospital but still not known which one. Operating through a United Kingdom-based health care organization program called "Work for the World," she will be helping physicians to deliver babies. Last summer, when she saw that her mother was in awe of her overseas opportunity, Caroline arranged for her to be there alongside her, albeit a few weeks late. Caroline left for Africa Jan. 27. They both will return to Clarendon on March 13. Though they both have been cherishing the opportunity to travel and work in Africa, mother and daughter will not be working in ideal conditions. "My mom was told not to expect electricity, water or really anything you can use," Caroline said. "So I think at the hospital I can expect the same thing,” she had said earlier on. Judging by the way the local Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) and the Urban Water Authority (AUWSA) currently work, she could well be very right. But that is not all, as one of the orphanages she will work with is having trouble paying its rent and buying basic supplies, Kalember has started collecting donations to ease their hardship. Thus far she has collected about US $2,700 (Tsh.3 million) from Oak School in Hinsdale, as well as a Chicago restaurant she frequents. Monroe School in Hinsdale is also planning to host a bake sale to raise money for Kalember's trip. "It's just been wonderful," Kalember said. "I thought I'd be lucky to get US $1,000 to bring down there." Though she's hoping her efforts will be beneficial to the children of Arusha, Kalember may still miss certain American pleasures during her time overseas; TV programs for instance. "My husband will have to tape '24' (Popular action mini-series) while I'm gone," Kalember said.
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