DBSAs Previous LifePeoples impression of Africa and Kenya is usually galloping wildebeests, mighty lions, peaceful elephants, elegant giraffes, magnificent multi-colored clouds surrounding elongated mountain ranges, and leaves of acacia trees scattering across heaven and earth. In Kenyas capital Nairobi; however, a group of people are being forgotten.Mathare slum in Nairobi is Kenyas second largest slum. The slum encompasses a meagre three square kilometers of land, yet dwells nearly 70,000 people. Among the population, 60% are AIDs patients and the vast majority is suffering from malaria, cholera, typhoid and other malignant diseases. The buildings are hastily scraped together from metal pieces. Water and electricity are non-existent. The streets are filled with garbage and animal excreta, exuding a constant sickening stench. Volunteers would walk carefully to avoid the sludge water to the end of the Mathare North Road every day, where they would eventually reach the Supporting Education School, Mathare Light Center. (A corner of the slum)The Mathare Light Center, now named Hope Primary School, serves as a beacon of hope to all who desire a bright future. There are currently 214 students in the school, in which 165 of them are third grade or below and 49 of them in fourth grade or above. Currently there are six local teachers that teach mathematics, science, English, and Swahili. However, due to the salary being only 1,400 Kenyan shilling per month (about 20 Canadian dollars), the teachers have been living beyond their means. They have been voluntarily teaching, believing that one day the children will be free from the shackles of the slum that so rigorously bind them. The classrooms of the school are constructed using metal pieces and tree trunks. These dilapidated metal pieces often gave the children severe lacerations (The situation has improved drastically after the reconstruction). Every classroom has a blackboard, chairs and tables. The blackboards are often painted boards, which obscure writing. Moreover; the lack of blackboard erasers causes the children to wipe the boards with their hands, which in turn bombards the classroom with dust. (The backside of the school)A volunteer once saw a local boy, no more than five, picking up a carrot next to a garbage can and happily putting it in his mouth. The volunteer ran to him urgently and knocked off the food from his hand while screaming NO anxiously. The boy smiled with sincere innocence and quickly faded into obscurity. Due to hunger, girls around 14 years of age are often abducted because of food, which causes unwanted pregnancies. The children in the school have bright smiles, simple, and ignorant eyes; fascinating yet heartbreaking. These children might be HIV carriers and their smiles might fade away someday. Surveying these grave conditions, volunteers cannot help but to think about what kind of changes they can make with ones own meagre efforts. (Little sleeping angel)On January 2014, Hongyu Yang from Shandong University and Jingxue Li from Taiwan Fu-Ren University went to Kenyas Mathare Slum Supporting Education Center and took on the position of community-supported teachers. During the experience, Hongyu Yang and Jingxue Li proposed Slum Dream Building Project to help raise money for the children in the Mathare Light Center to pay part of their tuition and entrance examination fee, as well as purchasing daily necessities to their families. (Volunteer Hongyu and the kids)On July 2014, a Dream Building Program led by BinBin (Chris) Yin was launched to fund-raise for the reconstruction of the Mathare Light Center. The intention was not only to reconstruct the center but also improve the poor teaching environment, which would attract more children from the slum to enrol. Chris hoped to kindle these childrens dreams through education.(Volunteer Amber and the kids)(Volunteer Wing and the kids)(Volunteer Jess and the kids)The reconstruction project was divided into two phases. In the first phase, the team constructed four small classrooms and a washroom. The second phase included the development of a library, a kitchen, and an addition of four small classrooms. On day 32 of the project, reconstruction has successfully concluded, and Mathare Light Center officially changed its name to Chang Rong Light Center.(Volunteer Chris conversing casually with the construction company)Looking back, Mathare Light Center School was built with metal pieces. The centre was perpetually hot and stuffy. It had rainy leakages, dim classrooms and atrocious air quality. The kitchen was located close to a drainage ditch, which led to awful sanitary conditions. In addition, childrens lacerations from metal scraps often spread and promoted disease. Today, the school has a permanent school building (with eight small classrooms, a library, a kitchen and a toilet), which greatly enhances the learning environment. Children are able to learn in a bright and spacious classroom, and therefore have gained the means to pursue their dreams.

(School after reconstruction)Slums have always been a complex issue. We understand that the previous two phases of the dream building project might have only incurred minimal changes to the big picture. But just like the old Chinese adage suggests, a journey of thousands of miles cannot be achieved without the accumulation of each single step, just as the enormous ocean may not be formed without gathering every brook or stream. We hope that through our efforts, we can bestow positive energy to todays society. We wish to reach out to individuals, public organizations, and social enterprises to gain their aid in providing a child, a family, or even a society the hope of survival. To see the progress of slum dream building project or if you wish to know more information about us, please do not hesitate to contact us through these public platforms: Contact usWeChatdream_in_africa2014Sina weibo@Facebook: Dream Building Service AssociationTwitter: DBSA2015Volunteers Chris (University of British Columbia) WechatY18635039955Amber (Harbin Institute of Technology) WeChatjiangkunqiWingShenzhen University Wechat632887854JessicaChicago University WechatOoMelodyoOLucinda (Shandong University) Wechat: lucindayang1205Attachment: Construction successfully comes to an end on Day 32! (A letter to all donators)Dear donators of the Slum Dream Building Project, The dream building project aimed at reconstructing Mathare Light Center began on July 22, and now, on day 32, reestablishment has officially drawn to a close. Your affectionate gaze has always been focused on the children in the slum. We hope to share with you the smiles of the children, share the delight of witnessing the development of the school. It is just like nursing a baby, Mathare Light Center has slowly transformed into reality from a tiny seed, a tiny dream. We are gratified as we are thankful.Looking back, Mathare Light Center School was constructed with old metal pieces. The centre was perpetually hot and stuffy. It had rainy leakages, dim classrooms and atrocious air quality. The kitchen was located close to a drainage ditch, which led to awful sanitary conditions. In addition, childrens lacerations from metal scraps often spread and promoted disease. Today, the school has a permanent school building (with eight small classrooms, a library, a kitchen and a toilet), which greatly enhances the learning environment. Children are able to learn in a bright and spacious classroom, and therefore have gained the means to pursue their dreams.The children in the slum are unfortunate; fate has ravaged their body and soul. However, they are also lucky, as they have your love as accompaniment. Your solicitude has given the children the courage to trudge on; your benevolence has given the children the opportunity to dream; and it is no other than societys generosity that has given sorrowful souls hope, and less fortunate people strength.We cannot detail every single glorious moment in humanity, nor can we describe every single instance of love and affection that warms the heart. It seems that we have expressed all of our gratitude that we possibly could in our lifetimes on the days that we received a donation. Yet no amount of appreciation is sufficient enough for the love and sincerity that you granted us and the children. It does not matter whether capability is high or low, nor how much a donation is, nor how late you are at expressing your benevolence, the only important thing is in your love. Your kind-heartedness enkindles a new life, and your kindness shall give a child, a family, or even a society the means of survival.We now give our special thanks to Ms. Zirui, who donated about 6200 dollars. Due to the immense amount, the principal has decided to rename Mathare Light Center to ChangRong Light Center (ChangRong is the father of Ms. Zirui). For further details please see (Announcement: Mathare Light Center has officially changed its name to ChangRong Light Center) Includes an interview conducted by volunteer Jiayun Liu on Ms. Zirui.

(About the school)

(School before construction)

(School after construction)

(Classrooms before construction)

(Classrooms after construction)

(Front door before construction)

(Front door after construction)

For all those benefactors that have donated more than 100 dollars, we allow you to leave your signatures on the outer walls of the school. At this point, there are still many anonymous donators, we sincerely plead for these benefactors to contact us. We are deeply grateful.

(Volunteer Xue Chen is writing down relevant information)

First and second phases of the project (since July 24)s expenditure list:

First and second phases of the project (since July 24)s transaction receipts:

Special note: we will be using the leftover money (about 1330 dollars) to purchase textbooks, encyclopaedias and so on. We will update frequently on any future progress.

As a token of gratitude, the children have created their own specials ways of thanking you10 dollars or more: Personal appreciation letters written by the children themselves in Swahili 20 dollars or more: The appreciation letter and a special Kenyan present100 dollars or more: We shall earnestly engrave your name on the outer wall of the schoolWe have already begun to gather the addresses of the donators, and we estimate to send these letters by September. For this reason, we sincerely hope that each and every benefactor leaves their name and contact information. We greatly appreciate it.

To follow us, please scan the QR codeWe express our sincere gratitude to all benefactors; we thank you for your kindness, love, and solicitude. It is you that have given the children a chance to live a happy life. We thank you again!Sincerely, The Dream Building Team August 22, 2014