Robert Malii spent a day handing out uniforms to each of the children. Photo: Annie Malii
Mwikali Musyoni, sister of Robert Malii, who died in December, 2004, while giving birth to her sixth child.
The grave of Robert Malii’s sister, Mwikali, and the hut where she lived with her children. “Look where my sister comes from, Look where she lived and where she’s lying.” said Malii. “It bothers me a lot.” Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Polaris for The Tribeca Trib
Pushing her bike, a girl struggles uphill with two containers filled with water. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Polaris for The Tribeca Trib
A mother and child from Usalama make the 30-minute walk between their village and the stream, bringing home water for cooking, drinking and bathing. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Polaris for The Tribeca Trib
A child gets water from the stream. “That’s the best water you can get in my area,” said Malii. People walk on it, wash in it, it’s really nasty.” Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Polaris for The Tribeca Trib
Villagers fill their containers. Malii said that the people of Usalama can hardly imagine that one day they will have clean water right in their village. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Polaris for The Tribeca Trib
For their school lunch, students are served corn cooked in water that they carry to the school. This is their daily meal, supplied by the U.S. Photo: Robert Malii
Robert Malii’s mother pours corn in order to clean it. Pouring the corn is meant to separate out the lighter dust, blown by the wind, from the kernels
These children, like many others in Usalama, had only tattered uniforms to wear to school. But they are often the best clothes that they own. Malii said that at least 60 children were expelled from school because they did not have adequate uniforms. Photo: Robert Malii
Village leaders meet to plan committees that will oversee schools, water, the orphanage and other aspects of the community’s life. Photo: Annie Malii
In August, a seamstress measures the students for 426 uniforms. The entire village came together that day to celebrate. Photo: Robert Malii
A special village meeting was held on the day of the uniform fittings and a dance performance was staged by some of the students. Photo: Robert Malii
On the eve of Robert Malii’s return to the U.S., students dance in their new uniforms. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Polaris for The Tribeca Trib
The three Tribeca parents behind Mwikalii’s Gift are, from left, Karen Brodsky, Oliver Phillips and Monique El-Faizy
