One of the things I had most looked forward to before the trip to Kenya, was getting the chance to work with the schoolchildren. Many folks know I was a teacher before Bible College but haven't been in a classroom since 2003. In Kenya there is always a language barrier when speaking to children. They already speak their 'Mother Tongue' or tribe language, then secondly they speak Swahili, and English comes third. So there's always lots of pointing and smiling and grabbing a passing adult to speak/translate if you really want to say something. In the photo above I am pointing to this wooden number insert puzzle, something very common here in the UK and most children have played with one. When I lifted the puzzle piece out of the tray to demonstrate, the children had never seen anything like this before. I mentioned before how they do all their learning from the chalkboard, as there weren't any toys or resources in this school, which is why we took as much as possible.
The lady on the above photo (in the red top) was a neighbour living by the house we were staying in. Her and her husband (and young daughter) took an interest in what we were doing in Kenya and invited us for meals and and also visited the school with us. She was a brilliant classroom assistant too!
It wasn't easy playing with puzzles on the narrow desks, but the children loved it.
The children can't get down and play easily on the floor as it's only dirt and very dusty.
I showed lots of photos in my last post about the new classrooms that were built. The photos below show how three age groups shared this room...
The next few photos were taken in the classroom up from the first class. The girls loved threading the letter beads and making words.
We took lots of balls and outdoor toys like this huge ball which was a big hit...
I had taken a World map for the school. I don't think the children could really understand at first what the map was about. I think a globe may have been better but we didn't have one! I showed them where we had come from and we looked at where Kenya is on the map. The teacher was really excited about the map.
I really enjoyed working with the older children, writing a letter in English to a schoolchild here in the UK. Before Christmas we went into a local school here and did an Assembly about this upcoming trip to Kenya. The Headteacher expressed an interest in some of her children writing to some of the children in Kenya. I was happy to help the older children write to a future penpal.
In Kenya, the children have to pass an end of year test before they can move up a class. A child who is an orphan may have a sketchy education and take longer to move up to the next 'standard' or class. One girl (an orphan) was 13 and in with the children aged anywhere from 8 to 11. She didn't seem to mind and was happy to be at school. She is in the photo below, leaning on a green book...
While I was writing the letters with the older children, Kate played with some children using playdough. We'd brought shape cutters from the UK and had a chap cut up some broom handles to make rolling pins for the children. They had never seen anything like it.
Kate cooked up the playdough in Mama Dickson's kitchen. She was so friendly. We all laughed about the hen sitting on some eggs in the back corner of the kitchen...
People here in the UK had generously given us bags of children's clothes. We took as much as we could over with us and gave out clothing to the orphans..
The little girl on the right is the daughter of the friendly neighbours. She helped give out the clothes to the orphans when they were visiting the school.
School Uniform is very important in Kenya. One of Kate's goals was to kit out the orphan children with a set of uniform, school shoes and 2 pairs of socks and undies. We jumped o a pikipiki to go to the early morning market...
It took quite a while to get everything.
Buying school shoes for the orphans...
Back at the school we gave out the new school uniform and shoes.
It was very humbling and the children looked so smart.
This is samuel and his sister...
Our family have sponsored his schooling for a year.
Here's the whole school...
Good News school has a satellite school a few miles away for children who live too far to attend here. We visited briefly one afternoon. The children seemed very young. We were told that this school would benefit from the toys and resources too.
One afternoon, I enjoyed sitting outside with some of the teachers after school when the children had gone home...
... and on the final day I ended up talking to the teachers and demonstrating some of the teaching resources and methods we use here in the UK. They were very interested in how interactive it was. Again, I was humbled to do this.
During this time we had a visit to a beautiful waterfall...
and attended Dickson's Church...
Our team of four with Michael (a friend from the business training)...
Me and Samuel...
The week we spent in Webuye was like a roller-coaster. Extreme highs and lows. When I look at the photo of me with Samuel and I think about how this one boy's life has changed for the better, all the tough bits about the week don't seem important.
I will post next time about our time in Nakuru.
I love how excited the kids all looked. By the time I reached the end I has tears in my eyes. They are happy when given so little. The orphans look very smart in their uniforms. Looking forward to your next post. Hope all is well.
Posted by: Chipper | June 13, 2012 at 03:25 AM
Must say you look quite at home in the classroom situation. Looked like very hard work but very worthwhile. Good to think you have made a difference in these children's lives. Look fwd to next instalment. Love xxx
Posted by: Maz | June 18, 2012 at 02:19 PM
God love you. What a calling. Caring people like you make the world a better place. Enjoyed all your pictures and sites from the other side of the world.
Posted by: Love To Crochet | July 04, 2012 at 02:31 AM