Students at Mawewa School in Mathare were recently asked what they believe U.S. children do during their school break. Their answers were fairly accurate: Sleep in, play video games, go to the mall and pool with friends, attend summer camps, and travel to “exotic destinations” like National parks, beaches and amusement parks.For Mathare school children, vacation looks much different - their time is unequally divided between house chores and playtime. Parents in the slum provide their children with activities that will help them survive their tough environment. Of primary importance is learning life skills, including meal preparation, home maintenance, shopping for food and fetching water.After duties at home are fulfilled, many children have some free time for play. Boys mostly spend time with friends playing soccer and girls often work on creative hairstyles. If they can afford it, children attend movies at the local movie parlor.Many families use the break as an opportunity to travel upcountry (central Kenya) to farms and villages where parents were raised. This is the time to connect with the extended family and build relations with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who have not migrated to the urban center.While many of our students appreciate time away from the confines of the classroom and the tedium of homework, some of the children suffer from poor nutrition, confined and dangerous environments, and negative influences in the home or on the streets. For these, returning to school is a refuge from the storm.The eduKenya and Mawewa School staff are grateful to our partners whose gifts open the doors of transformation and opportunity. Through God’s will and your generosity, we provide the children with an outstanding education, safety within the school walls, nutrition, health care, and compassionate teachers who are excellent role models.