African Homestays and Community Engagement: A Case Study on Reciprocity and Neocolonialism

Abstract

Do homestays benefit host communities, perpetuate neocolonial relationships, or both? While the St. Lawrence Kenya-Semester Program (KSP) has centered homestays as an essential component of experiential learning and community engagement since 1972, this article flips the script and places homestay families at the center of knowledge production on study abroad. Drawn from 15 years of homestay experiences in Nyeri and Kericho counties, we situate this program as an important case study to analyze host community perceptions of the benefits and challenges of homestays for rural agricultural Kenyan communities and the implications this has for study abroad assessment and community engagement. Abstract in Swahili Je, mpango wa wanafunzi wa kigeni kuishi kwenye nyumba za wenyeji husaidia jamii husika au hushadidia mahusiano ya kikoloni mamboleo ama yote mawili? Programu ya Chuo Kikuu cha St. Lawrence ya Kenya (KSP) imeuwekea uzito mpango wa wanafunzi kuishi kwa jamii wenyeji kama kipengele muhimu katika ujifunzaji wao wa kitajriba na mtagusano wao na jamii kutoka mwaka 1972. Ingawaje, makala haya yamebadilisha mtazamo na kuziona familia zinazohusika katika programu hii kama vituo muhimu vya uzalishaji wa maarifa katika masomo ya ughaibuni. Tukizingatia tajriba ya miaka 15 ya KSP kupeleka wanafunzi kuishi na jamii katika kaunti za Nyeri na Kericho, tunaitazama hii programu kama kifani muhimu cha kuchanganua mitazamo ya jamii wenyeji kuhusu faida na changamoto za wanafunzi kuishi na familia za wakulima vijijini na pia katika kutahini programu za masomo ya ughaibuni na mtagusano wa kijamii.