Aberdare Ranges Primary School - Nakuru

Faith and me

The morning repeated itself - showers, breakfast, wifi and a rush to the bus. I had the same delicious white omelette.

We arrived for the school assembly at 9am. The kids were all sitting out on the chairs, waiting for us. Although it has a roll of 960, only 350 students were there because it was school holidays. I can't believe how many people came in - it would never happen in NZ!

The choir

Acrobatics

 There was a very military-like marching display, speeches from Madam Carol, the principal, and other officials. Then the kids performed Waltzing Matilda for the Aussies, a Haka for the kiwis, traditional singing, more acrobatics and a modern dance to the Chainsmokers. The kids enjoyed these performances as much as us. We handed out certificates for everyone in the choir, they had come 5th in a national competition.

Dancing to the Chainsmokers' 'Roses'

We then met our sponsor children. I had been scanning through the crowd, trying to guess which one was Faith based off the photo I had received of her. We lined up and the children lined up opposite us. Faith was called up second to last and gave me a bracelet. She was tiny, even for a 7 year old. I told her I'd see her later.

The signs posted around the school

We then got a tour of the school - it was so brightly coloured with green gardens. We ended at the Sew Women Can training school - where solo mothers at the school are taught sewing skills so they can support themselves. We bought baskets, aprons, fabric elephant door stoppers. I didn't have much cash with me for everything I wanted.

Next up was watching the school sports - and getting involved. The sponsor kids were meant to meet us, but Faith took so long by the time I met her I was ordered cheer on the sports. She sat with me quietly, the language barrier was hard.

The kids were really interested in my hair and asked me several times if it was real. I managed to sneak Faith away for a quick photo and meet her mother, hired as a cleaner at the school. Aimee from Sew Women Can translated for me. One of the Aussies - Mica rushed up saying that I had to participate in a sack race, so I said goodbye and was taken away again.

Faith's mother, Faith and me

Next up was lunch for the kids. We helped serve huge vats of rice and beans, while other passed the food out. The portions were huge and the rice scoop I was using was a plastic plate! It really hurt my hand. The kids lapped it up, coming back for seconds and thirds until we ran out of rice. Then they couldn't eat the beans with their hands. They shared plates too.

Then dishes - I have no idea how they hand wash 960 plates normally - my back ached. We had our lunch in the library at 2pm. We rejoined the games half an hour later, I sat with Faith and her sister Charity. She told me they had 3 brothers but 2 had passed and 6 sisters! She also started braiding my hair while lots of other hands grabbed at. All through this Faith sat close to me, quiet but beaming. I felt like she was proud to have me there.

Faith looking at the camera on the right while Charity plaits my hair

Raewyn, our guide from So They Can, said the kids don't get jealous of having sponsors, but they do get jealous of those who meet them.

The kids chanted a final farewell led by Carol and we reciprocated. Then I took Faith to the library to give her the presents I haphazardly had bought before travelling, and invited Charity to take a polaroid. I said my final goodbye and she asked if I would be back. I couldn't say.

The others had left for Miti Mingi Children's Village, walking the children who lived there home. Luckily a young boy sponsored by a Joanne Shore led us through the corn to the village. Lots of workers on the way said hello. It was beautiful countryside.

Faith and Charity outside the school before the walk home

We read the kids some books before hopping into the van homebound. Everyone was too tired to talk so Julius the driver cranked his RnB medley.

The evening repeated with drinks looking out over the beautiful view and buffet dinner. We started talking about work then laughed until we fell asleep.

The next morning we piled into the vans for Aberdare Ranges school. It looked really different when it was empty.

After waiting around on African time, our helpers mixed the paints and we got to work on three classrooms. Julius found us a radio with pop music. Us Kiwis had finished the first coat by 10am, we then moved to the 3rd classroom, second coats on both and finishing the two tone edges by hand. The classrooms were painted brown and cream colours.

Our little helper

At midday we went into Nakuru, a much bigger, dustier, dirtier city than I had imagined after being in the countryside the entire trip so far. We went into a gated mall with armed guards, visiting Western Union, a supermarket like Kmart and a coffee chain similar to Starbucks called Java. The coffee was really good, I got a macchiato. The waitress doubled over laughing when she saw one of the Australian's braids she got done at the school!

Then it was back to painting, we did the kitchen and the staff room. Madam Carol kept ordering the paint to be watered down each time it nearly ran out and working us longer. At 5pm, Raewyn said that was enough and ordered us back into the vans. We had a hilarious conversation with Julius about finding Ben a nice Kenyan lady - he asked if Ben liked small, medium or large?

The kiwis - Nina, Hayley, me and Ben

We got back while the sun was still shining so we had beers on the deck.