Follow this link for more photos:
http://www.sportingchanceinternational.org.uk/Gallery%20files/Nakuru1.html
To get to the school that we were going to be working in for the next week we had to go on, what we can only refer to as, a hike! Across the high speed highway at risk of our lives then up the other side of the volcanic mountain. We saw the red gates and flashes of red jumpers before we saw the school. the gate was huge, but didn't fully open as the ground hadn't been levelled yet! Our first glimpse of the "playground" was a bit of a shock, it has also not been levelled off so the kids were playing a very skilled game of football, and others were running up and down the hill like crazy people! It's a huge space and these children were covering it in seconds...now we know why Kenya is renowned for its runners!
The teachers were all lovely and after a chat with the friendly head master we found out that the school held more than 450 students and 17 teachers...only 11 of which were employed by the government, the rest were former students or are funded by the parents. The government policy is that there should be no more than 50 students in a classroom, but if that was the case in this school a good majority would simply be standing outside! The teachers do such an admirable job though, and they are all so passionate and driven about improving the system; especially the head, he has plans for a tree nursery, making more classrooms, getting the kids reading every day and opening the library to them. It's just so hard when all the government do at the moment is pay for the equipment; paper, pens, text books. Some schools are still teaching under trees!
Tricky to prioritise we're sure you understand. We were set to work drawing and colouring in posters for the classrooms - we've never coloured in this many maps EVER! But they were really happy with them so for most of the week we have been comissioned various works of art, at times we felt like signing them! We taught our lessons which we had been given to prepare, George had science and Jess had maths. We both think that our teaching may need a tad of fine-tuning.
One day we took in our cameras and we've never seen such a comotion over trying to get into a picture...we're used to people running away or hiding their faces! And they giggle...every picture we showed them of themselves they just laughed and laughed. One of the break times we went into the playground and tried chatting to a couple of girls but before long we were surrounded on all sides as if we had something interesting to show! In the end we decided to channel the energy into the largest game of "duck, duck, goose!" that the world has ever beheld. When I say that I let some of them win...those kids are fast, plus they're used to the gradient...well that's our excuse!!Next week we're painting the classrooms, but today we're not going in...we have to attend a sports awards evening and make an effort - we've already got so used to not looking presentable! But we managed to squeeze in a visit to the hospital and aids orphanage which are funded by the catholic church. They're very clean and well run. The hospital is private so people have to pay for everything, even a consultation. The aids orphanage is a fantastic environment. It's heartbreaking that children no older than one have such problems this early in life, it's not fair. But if it has to happen then St Therese House of Hope is a warm and supportive environment to be. Good facilities and good routines. The lovely nun that showed us around was smiley and engrossed in the project. So far it's a eye-opening and fascinating experience.
Kwaheri x
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