Off to Schools

As yesterday ‘Heros’ Day’ in Kenya today was a bank holiday - however Light Spring Academy was open although slightly depleted in numbers. Our arrival was greeted with African tea and ground nuts after which we went to meet the children who were asked to introduce themselves. As they quietly spoke, some afraid of the strangers in front of them we knew that this shyness would not last. It was about 5 minutes after they had gone back into their class to practise for their end of term celebration. Their singing and dancing is really amazing!

Their home lives however are often far from happy. Some have HIV, one of the brightest 10 year old’s father has died from it it, her mother is infected and she was born with it. Others have very chaotic lives. While the children were playing we went for a walk in the village to see some of the homes the children come from. We visited one home where only the ‘wife’ was at home, although she was very young and had only come yesterday. Polygamy is common and some ‘marriages’ the wife will only stay a few days. Poverty often forces young girls into these situations. Another family we visited make a living by cutting rocks into smaller pieces, it is hard work and if they manage to sell them, a whole pile is worth £3.

After lunch we went to Booker Academy - a good boarding school where we played some ‘cricket’, however by this time it had started raining so it was indoors with around 100 children, not ideal!

Dinner at Fred and Esther’s then bed zzzzzRead more