Memories of Kenya fuel my ride to end polio

By Rotary International

Lindsey Griswold and her students at the Gede Special School in Kenya.

Lindsay Griswold and her students at the Gede Special School in Kenya.

By Lindsay Griswold

My passion for working with youth at an international level first blossomed during my time with the Peace Corps in Kenya. I served as a Deaf education volunteer from 2006 to 2008 at Gede Special School in Coast Province.

While I was not aware then of the significance Rotary would later have in my life, the school was built by the Rotary Club of Malindi, Kenya, a few months before my arrival. Gede serves not only students who are Deaf but also those who have physical and cognitive disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and even polio.

Living and teaching in Kenya was an incredibly meaningful journey that I continue to learn from and reflect on, even today. I miss the mamas at the village cafe, the beauty of the Indian Ocean, and most importantly, my former students.

My love of biking flourished when I moved to Chicago after the Peace Corps. I bought a road bike from Ciclo Urbano, a West Side bicycle shop that supports local at-risk youth through its earn-a-bike summer program. I used this as my sole mode of transportation and quickly learned the necessity …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

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