34
The missing Kenya Airways plane was found in pieces on Sunday night, debris scattered far and wide, and three quarters buried in a swamp, only 23 kilometres from Douala airport, Cameroon. Apparently the plane crash landed only minutes after take off and there are no survivors. It sounds like a desperate job trying to recover personal belongings and bodies from the muddy, waterlogged site.
One news story that stood out concerned a twenty five year old Kenya Airways stewardess, with a BA Hons in social sciences. Apparently she had been discussing with her parents how she planned to help out with her younger sisters’ school fees, just before boarding the fated flight.
If a young person in Kenya has managed to gain a good education and has found a decent job then they are expected to contribute to the family’s costs long after leaving home. I can’t imagine many graduates in the western world who are saddled with having to help parents and siblings out financially when they are working, but here it is commonplace.