Letter of thanks

What follows is a letter I recently received from Jennifer, the mother of Annette & Allen Ngigi ... remember them? The family who were looking for assistance back in February.

I have removed the names of the recipients as that is not the point. What is of relevance is the difference you can make in someones life, the positive change you can bring to a family.

If you have helped in any way or have agreed to sponsor a child, this letter is for you.
_ _ _

To: Matt & Friends across the world
From: Martha Jennifer Kinuthia

I greet you all in the name of Jesus Christ. It is a great honour God for giving me friends such as you Matt & all other friends across the world. I am so indebted to you for what you have done to my children, my dear parents and more so to me.

Life had almost lost a meaning to me especially when I realised I could not help my children’s education, feeding and sheltering them amongst other basic needs. I am a single mother of three lovely children, two beautiful daughters and a handsome son, aged 17 yrs, 12 yrs and 7 yrs respectively. My children and I suffered from a broken marriage and eviction due to post election violence in my country Kenya, a case well known across the world. I lost everything I had but thank God I was left safe and fine with my children. Life has not been easy for us since then.

Before the time of the post election, I had adopted a girl and a boy who were under my custody. My responsibilities to them was to feed them, shelter and education but I had to send them back to their parents when I lost everything because supporting my old children was a problem too. Several times I sent a school fees proposal for support of these five children’s education which was all turned down because these two adopted children and my very own had at least one parent and donors wanted to support the orphaned only.

There are so many women and their children in my country who are suffering and nobody is ready to help them stand on their feet or support their children. Most of these women and their daughters would turn to prostitution the only alternative left hence we never fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. This is where I almost was heading to see that my children’s ends meet. Young girls like my daughters would have ended in the same route in order to cater for our daily basic needs.

Several times I went looking for a vacant job in the field of accounting and with a rude shock, all chances I got they wanted my body before they give me a letter of appointment to prove I’ve passed the interview. Single mothers and vulnerable girls are mistreated by society here in the sense that you must give your body in exchange for any support of help of any kind you need.

Most friends and organisations here are supporting only when a problem arises and we are not looking forward to solving and eradicating the problem that causes new infections to reduce HIV/AIDS death rates.

I am a Christian by faith and living in the fear of God but where was I heading to? Prostitution as I said earlier which seems to the order of that day and would rather have died than wait to suffer of AIDS.

My dear friends across the world, you are hearing from the horse’s mouth. We women in most parts of our country are assets and no people worth any respect at all.
As we look after those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS and also the less fortunate people, I beg you please hep me to help these dear ones to fight both poverty and new infections by supporting the families especially in training them to be self-dependent. Women have low esteem and lack self-confidence so we can give them counselling so they may have trust and confidence in themselves to becoming productive people for the growth of our society and the nation at large. Training them, feeding them and education for these orphans and vulnerable children.
X & Y, you are two people in a million. Words fail me to tell you what you really mean and have done to my family and I have never seen or met a people with a heart of God such as you. I did not deserve your favour to my children but you choose to stand by me.

As you know I have been on doctors supervision due to acute ulcers caused by depression, high blood pressure and believe me the doctors recent report says I have healed too fast. You have made my healing. Touching the lives of my children you touched mine too.

To all those friends who are doing the same to so many families across the world, God bless you so much. You have given me a reason to continue living knowing so well that you’ve given my children a hopeful future. My children, mother & I owe you sincere love. We thank you a million times and it is my prayer that even these children will do you proud. We love you and thanks once again.

To all our friends all over the world, thank you very much. I have some basic training and a certificate in accounting though I lacked funds to go further. I have trained in dress making of African attire and modern dresses though I lost all my business. Also I have knowledge of weaving and hand knitting amongst others. I wish to give this knowledge freely to all those women and young girls that they may be self dependent on completion of the training even as we back them with a sewing machine and some materials to start with; counselling them on how we can bring up and HIV free generation but this is only possible with your support.

Thank you very much even as you back me up in empowering our women and young girls in this project of the orphans and vulnerable girls and the less fortunate families. God bless you so much.
To X & Y, God bless you God bless you. To our other friends all over the world God bless you too. Thank you once again

Yours sincerely,

Martha Jennifer

_ _ _

I'm heading home to the UK ce soir for 10 days so I may be a little quiet in the coming days. Sure you understand.

Can't wait to see many of you

M
xx

Still stuck in Nairobi

So I was supposed to fly back to the UK last Friday night, but of course all that was scuppered by the volcanic ash. However, taking it as an opportunity to visit Nairobi I have seen every wild animal the city has to offer and much more. I have been to a crocodile centre (did you know they don’t have a tongue?), visited orphan elephants (most either fell down wells or their parents were victims of poachers), and a giraffe sanctuary.
I also got to look around the Karen Blixen house ... the lady from Out of Africa.

As the disruption continued, I decided on Monday that the best thing to do was to head back to the school and get on with things. But just as I was about to leave, I got a call from the guy I am staying with asking me if I wouldn’t come into his office and spend the week speaking to his team and reviewing the business; seeing as he is putting me up I didn’t feel I could refuse. And so here I am doing what looks a lot like what I used to do…it’s not so bad especially as it only confirms my desire not to work in an office.

Anyway it is now Wednesday and I have just been told that, everything permitting, I will be on the Friday night flight out of Nairobi.

Painful choice

Some people have the enviable ability to choose the right thing. Whether it be from a menu or whatever, I envy them. When you’re having dinner with them, you know you should just order the same things… but you don’t and when the food comes you sit there staring covetously at their plates saying to yourself, “I wish I had ordered that” and “I hope they offer me some”. Yip, some people have the enviable ability to choose the right thing. I’m not one of them.

The same holds true for massages. I had a massage in China back in October on the evening of a flight home. The girl pummelled the crap out of me as she swung from a rope attached to the ceiling. On the Sunday my back flared up and I couldn’t walk or go to work for 2 weeks…I have never felt pain like it. Now some will tell you that it was the limbo competition during our party on the Saturday night (which I won incidentally), but I maintain that it was the massage.

The Saranova Mara Game Camp has a wellness centre, the “Tuliol Wellness Centre” and feeling in the need for some wellness, I decided to book myself a massage. Studying the list of therapy services, I narrowed it down to 2 choices:
i. Coconut Cinnamon Scrub Skin Polish (45 mins): Made from finely grated coconut, this scrub excels toxins and dead skin from the body leaving it soft and renewed.
ii. Kahawa Scrub (45 mins): Made from finely ground Kenyan coffee, this richly aromatic scrub will sooth your skin and elevate your mood.

Hmm? Decisions decisions! I should have phoned a friend, but seeing as we are in Kenya and Kenya is famous for coffee, I plumped for option 1 and reserved for 18h30 that night (night 2).

At 18h25 I strolled up and announced myself. I was instructed to shower and return wrapped in towel. I clambered on to the bed and lay down ready to turn off my mind, relax and float down stream. What I got instead was 45 mins of rendition. The first few strokes were agreeable…it soothed certain itches…but it rapidly descended into agony; it was like being rolled in broken glass.

To get better idea of what it was like, try this at home. Go to your kitchen and dig out your grater. Now take that fine side that you never know quite what to use on, apply it to your skin and rub it all over you for ¾ of an hour. What do you mean you don’t want to?

For the duration I gritted my teeth. The masseuse kept asking me if I was relaxed and true to my Britishness I nodded and mmm’d, all the while thinking of the Guantanamo terror suspects and whether their interrogators ask them the same thing as they waterboard them for the n’th time.

My punishment over, I gingerly climbed down and ever so gently put my clothes back on. Tipping the lady and telling her that is was delightful (I’m so British), I walked home to apply Savalon liberally.

15 mins later, having suffered the further ignominy of getting lost on the way back to my tent (all them paths looked the same by night), I surveyed the damage in the mirror. I was one big graze.

Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.

Masai Mara

It’s 4am and I can’t sleep so I decided to write. Don’t you hate creamer? I’m writing this with one hand as the other hand pours tea down my throat then switches to hold my nose.

Shortly before 07h00 this morning, a monster Toyota Land Cruiser pulled into the compound of Kiiru’s home in Nairobi. David (my driver) and I had an early start to make it to our destination by lunchtime. It’s a 4-5 hour drive to the Masai Mara game reserve. I was awake at 05h00 like a child on Christmas morning. This has been on my to-do list ever since I could understand and appreciate what David Attenborough was telling me…undoubtedly the greatest living Briton.

Heading westwards out of Nairobi, we passed through the aptly named Westlands to pick one of the Trans African Highways in the direction of the Rift Valley. Trans-African Highway 8 (TAH 8) runs from Lagos-Mombasa and is worn down by the weight & numbers of trucks that plough along it every day ferrying goods from the Indian ocean ports to and from the land-locked countries of central African: The DRC (which David still refers to as Zaire), Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda etc.

David & I had met before when I first arrived here back in February. He had driven me up to Murang’a that time. The journey to Murang’a however is only and hour and half and for much of it I had slept, so keen to get better acquainted we struck up conversation. We chit-chatted about the usual subjects: Kenya & the UK, families & work, and then the question that always arises when blokes run out of other things talk about … “do you like football?”. Well that was it. As the wheels on the van went round and round, we talked about the World cup, the Champions League, we discussed the greatest ever players, we debated whether Messi can rightly already be considered one of the all time greats (it wasn’t much of debate seeing we both agreed).
I talked Liverpool, he talked Arsenal; and although a fan he was a strong critic of Wenger’s transfer policy, the shortcomings of their midfield (the lack of physical presence if you want to know), the over-reliance on youth etc.

So engrossed was I in the conversation, I almost didn’t notice where we were. Rounding a sweeping right bend in the road, I looked ahead and there before us stretching as far as the eye can see I had my first view of the Rift Valley. It’s phenomenal. Almost immediately a reverential silence settled over us; even the engine seemed quieter as if to it were aware of the importance of the moment. Just as I was thinking, if only we had a cup of tea, David swung the 4x4 into one of the lay-bys with a look out point and a café. Oh he’s good! He has all skills required of a game driver: knowledge, patience, a sunny disposition and the uncanny ability to read the passengers mind. David ordered us 2 cups and a slice of bread and butter as I took photos of the rift valley and the Logenot Crater, an inactive crater/volcano which dominates the valley floor this point.

Tea over and resisting the temptation to buy some traditional tom toms, we got the show back on the road. We began our descent of the eastern edge of the rift continuing along the TAH8, but after only a few kilometres more we turned left at the town of Hot Springs (Mai Mahiu, the literal translation is Hot Water). I smiled to myself as I thought for a second or two we were in Hot Water as we headed south east along the valley floor towards Narok, the largest town in the Masai.

As we sped across the base of the Rift Valley, David told me all about it. The Rift Valley, or le Rift Valley in French, stretches a massive 6,000km. It begins (or ends depending which way you’re going) in Syria, crosses the Red Sea in to Ethiopia, sweeps through Kenya and Tanzania; and on to Mozambique. In Africa, the valley divides into two, the Western Rift Valley and the Eastern Rift Valley. We were in the Eastern Rift Valley and at its deepest point. It was (and still is being) formed as the divergent plate boundaries which meet more or less in the red sea (where Somalia sneers at Yemen) move apart, splitting the African Plate into two new separate plates. Eventually, as the rift deepens and widens, Somalia will break away from Africa to form the new Somali Plate … can’t happen quick enough for some here!

As you cross the valley from east to west the vegetation gradually changes from large lush leafed trees to rolling fertile farmland to thorny trees & scrub and finally the classic grassland you’ve seen on the TV. The valley used to be the home of wild animals but less so now as they have been displaced and hunted out of there by man … don’t you just hate us?!

(The dawn chorus has just begun … and I’m now on my second cup of tea and creamer … it’s not getting any better)

We pulled into to Narok shortly before 10h40. Narok is the largest town in the Masai and last stop before the Masai Mara reserve. Already here there was a liberal dusting of traditionally dressed locals. Having learnt that the lodge I was booked into has a pool, I needed something to swim in. We ducked into the Tumaini Fashion Centre (which was having a back to school special) on the look out for some beautiful Hawaiian swimming shorts; not being able to find any I settled on some tartan boxers on which I proposed to sew up the fly. David graciously kept his thoughts to himself…another key driver quality. We pushed on.

About 30km after Narok the ministry of roads had run out of tarmac so the remainder of the journey was dirt track. I knew we must be getting close when my bottle of water was thrown from the dashboard and sure enough at 11h21 we pulled up to one of the Masai Mara gates. We passed through without a hitch and in a matter of minutes we arrived at the Sarova Mara Game Kamp.

Agreeing to meet David at 15h30 for our afternoon/evening safari drive, I swapped my bags with a Masai warrior for a hot mint scented face towel. As he escorted me to the reception, I wiped my neck and reflected on sad predictability of it all; how this proud Masai man, the latest in a long line of proud Masai men is now handing out towelettes to tourists. Indeed, they still refer to them as warriors here, although the only war I can see them fighting is the one to maintain their culture and resist our encroachment.

My room was still being prepared so I grabbed my book and keen to sample some of the “Refreshing African Hospitality” the camp promised, I settled down on the veranda of the bar overlooking the pool. Satisfied that no one else had the same swimming shorts as me, I ordered a beer from Peter who, incidentally comes from the town just north of Murang’a. In what seemed like a matter of seconds, it was there; a beer, but not just any beer, my first beer since January, my first beer in Kenya … ice cold with an ice cold glass. I took a photo of it and, disregarding the fact that I had no-one to share it all with, decided I wouldn’t call the king my uncle. I toasted absent friends.

At 15h30 as agreed, I met David and together we headed out into the reserve. Almost immediately we spotted Buffalo by the hundred maybe the thousand. There are so many, you can almost be excused for becoming blasé about them, but then on the horizon a familiar shape of which surely no one can ever tire.

There is something wonderfully moving about seeing an elephant. There is something in the way they move, something in their slow lumbering majesty that touches your soul. They are truly awesome. Before it was bastardised by a generation to describe anything and everything it was used to describe elephants; the word was invented to describe elephants.

A much better writer than me could no doubt put it into words. The big cats are unquestionably amazing in their speed, power and ferocity, but there is something more in an elephant. It’s their in the rhino and the whale too, and I am sure the mountain gorilla. The whole world looks back at you; everything you know to be good about the world and everything that is bad is reflected back in their eyes, it’s almost painful. Woe betide us should we drive them to extinction. Getting my soap box for a moment, if you don’t have a cause you should get yourself one, and you could do a lot worse than this.

As we moved on I turned to David - “I’m sure you never tire of this job”. “You’re right” he replied, “I could never work in an office”. “I hear you” and I promised myself never to again (we’ll see if that’s one I can keep!).

By 18h30 we had seen 4 of the big 5 (5 if you consider a Cheetah to be a Leopard in Cheetah’s clothing). We watched Rhino devouring bushes, Giraffe striding gracefully across the plain, Hyena menacingly circling Impala, Ostrich with their head in the sand, Gazelle bounding along faster than we were allowed to drive, and above everything Vultures circling. We watched a pride of lions sleeping on their backs with their feet in the air…they could almost mislead you into thinking they are placid.

I loved the Kruger Park but there is something more here, and it’s not just the quantity of animals. The landscape alone is simply breathtaking. It’s like driving through an endless wheat field; an ocean of gold punctuated only every now and then by a flat topped acacia tree. And the smell! Standing up in the back of the van with my head out of the roof I thought to myself that someone really needs to invent a camera that captures the smell at the same time. It’s everything you imagined and much much more. If you haven’t been come, if you have been, come back.

Smells Fishy

Last Thursday, Benson the carpenter and I had an outing to visit the fish farms of Sagana. Now it is a fact that the Kenyan do not eat that much fish, but having heard a lot about the set-up at Sagana we wanted to check it out for ourselves and see whether it is something that some of the youth groups here could get involved in.

We had agreed to meet in Murang’a town just after 09h00. But my first stop was the post office to pick up another parcel from Liverpool FC…no wonder we have zero funds in the transfer kitty! This time it contained some t-shirts that we can give out to the best performing children after the next set of exams. The fact that I have to pay £7 in customs duty for every parcel I receive is by the by.

With parcel in hand, I strolled down the “Famous Café” (you must know it then?!), took a seat where I could see all the room, ordered a dufia (white tea no sugar) and sipped it happily as I waited for Benson. All good days begin with tea…in my experience a day cannot truly be considered to have started and started well if it does not start with tea. Benson duly arrived, got himself a “chai” (white tea with sugar) and together we excitedly talked about the day ahead of us. We were sure we’d have a whale of a time. The plan was to get the mutatu the 15 or so miles to Sagana then walk to the fisheries in the hope that we could not only persuade them to let us in, but show us around also.

We washed down our drinks, deposited the Liverpool T-Shirts at the pharmacy run by a friend of Benson’s who tried to convince me I was sick and need to buy all kinds of remedies, and hopped into the a waiting mutatu bound for Sagana. Benson settled down at the back, and I was seated upfront with the driver. This happens a lot me getting sat up front… drivers have even gone so far as to move the person already sat upfront in order to seat me there. I used to be honoured (if a little embarrassed if it meant shifting a lame octogenarian), but now I am sure there is more to it than that. I have started to notice that when I sit up front, not only am much more visible to the policemen who stop us at the road blocks but furthermore, our propensity for getting stopped at the afore mentioned road blocks is less. They are USING me… as some strawberry blond beacon to our law abidingness! Oh I feel so cheap!


Although the journey from Murang’a to Sagana is only short, the landscape changes markedly in that short time. In the 20 or so minutes it takes, you pass from the lush green rolling Murang’a hills to the flatter grassy plains of Sagana.
We alighted just before the town of Sagana itself…just across the river which marks the frontier between the 2 districts of the same name. After taking a couple of snaps of the river and looking out for crocs, Benson directed us down a dirt track that ran perpendicular to the road, parallel to the river. After a hundred or so metres, we met up with some train tracks. So accompanied by the river on our left and the train tracks on our right, we snaked along the dirt track in the direction of the Sagana Fisheries.

Loving all things train related (apart form leaves on the line and the wrong kind of snow) I was interested to see where the tracks led. Fortunately they continued in our direction and before long we began to pass cereal mills, timbers yards & coffee depots; the tracks branching off like a palm tree to serve them. But no activity was to be detected at any of them, they are all of them deserted; the tracks now just a reminder of long gone golden days when Sagana was bustling hub. Sagana is sadly now just graveyard.

Intrigued to know why, I inquired of Benson what happened; after all they have all the infrastructure there to be a distribution centre and they still grow and produce large quantities of tea and coffee further to the north. Benson laid the entire blame at the foot of the second president (quite an achievement). Although Kenya gained in dependence from GB in 1963, it has only had 3 presidents in that time (we are on the 3rd currently). The first, Jomo Kenyatta (1964 –1978) is still revered and his face still smiles back at you from all the notes and coins. He was a freedom fighter during the end of colonial times and it seems can do no wrong. The second, Daniel arap Moi (1978 – 2002) was, according to Benson a right piece of work. It would seem he single handedly ran Kenya (into the ground). In addition to his role of president he apparently acted as minister of interior, minister of transport, minister of agriculture…and all portfolios executed with same incompetence. I don’t know much about it, but what I have dug up is not positive:
i. He appointed his supporters to key roles and changed the constitution to establish a de jure single-party state.
ii. In 1999 the findings of Amnesty International and a special investigation by the United Nations [were published which indicated that human rights abuses were prevalent in Kenya under the Moi regime.

We pressed on. The unmistakeable smell of leather filled the air as we passed a tannery before we started to see pond after pond…not the kind of ponds you may have in your garden, but large rectangular ponds measuring 50 m x 75 m (165ft x 250ft). Passing through the gates, we walked up the well kept path under well kept palm trees and presented ourselves at the well kept reception. The receptionist smiled and scurried off, to return accompanied by a smartly dressed man of about 45 years of age who introduced himself as Isaac, the general manager of the Sagana Fish Culture Farm. Everything about the place was well kept.

Isaac led us into his office and sat us down to make our introductions. I told him I work for Birdseye and that my grandfather, the world famous captain Birdseye had sent me on a strategic sourcing mission to Kenya to identify and qualify potential new suppliers. I assured him that he too had had reddish hair in his youth and that my beard would turn white in the years to come. Benson I introduced as Rick Stein’s sous-chef, who was accompanying me to ensure the highest possible quality for our new Birdseye range of Rick Stein branded fish fingers…after all there’s “nothing but the best for the captain’s table”!

Just codding! We told him we were from St. Anna and keen to learn about the set-up there and whether this is a potential revenue project for the youth groups in the area.

Isaac was only too happy to tell us the history of the centre and willingly agreed to show us around. The fisheries were founded in 1948 by an ecologist & missionary whose name escapes me (John something) and now comprises 150 ponds covering 170 acres. The farm was started with the following aims:
. To demonstrated warm fresh water fish farming
. To research and trial of warm water aquaculture
. To train fish farming extension workers
. To produce fingerlings for fish farmers

Now it is a fact that most of Kenya’s fish come from the great lakes of Victoria in the east and Turkana in the north. But due to over fishing and the unsustainable farming methods (sound familiar?), the Kenyan waters of Lake Victoria are more or less exhausted. Owning only 4% of the surface area of Lake Victoria, the Kenyan fishermen are now invading the remaining 96% recognised as Ugandan water … all the ingredients for another war there then :-(

So with demand beginning to grow and supply falling, the government is stepping in to increase supply whilst simultaneously promoting small businesses. The government has allocated KES1.1b to the ministries of fishery development to construct 200 ponds in each of 140 constituencies (plus to provide feed for 3 months until the first generation of fish can be sold and the money generated to pay for own food). Excel calculates that to be 280,000 ponds, each designed to contain an average of 900 fish, that’s a lot of fish…25,200,000

The centre also conducts on site training and supports those interested in setting up their own ponds. Furthermore the centre rears fish (do you rear fish?) from eggs to larvae to fry; this takes somewhere form 2 to 3 months before they reach fingerling. Like a big slow moving watery conveyor belt, the fish are transferred from one pond to another as they grow. When ready they sell the “fingerlings” to the farmers and cooperatives to stock their ponds to the tuna KES3/fingerling (to the tuna … get it?).
By now Isaac was getting into his stride. Having told us about the centre and its operations, he continued with the construction of a pond. “The following factors need to be taken into consideration when considering building a pond” he announced. Things should always be considered when considering I find:
. Water (it’s the environment for fish Isaac informed us);
. Gradient of the land: not ridiculously steep as it will all run away (could be a showstopper for us seeing as the school is on a hill!);
. Soil: ≥ 25% clay otherwise the water will drain out.

Shape is also important. The fisheries department recommends a rectangular pond of about 20m x 15m as the fish are easier to catch come that time … doesn’t sound very sporting to me. Kidney shaped pools are frowned on, as are those infinity ones with massage jets and an island bar the middle.

There should be an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other so water can flow in and out as needed. The floor of the pond should also slope downwards from the shallower inlet end to the outlet end, thus ensuring the fish can learn to pick up a brick from the deep end.

No running is allowed, as is no diving, no dunking, no bombing & no petting ... we don’t pee in your toilet, please don’t pee in our pool.

Explanations over, Isaac took us around the facility. From the hatchery to the fry ponds, and on to the fingerling ponds with the chicken coops erected on stilts over the water so the chickens poop into them providing much needed nitrogen and prosperous for plant growth, it was all very interesting but don’t take my word for it: http://www.fisheries.go.ke/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=89&Itemid=2

The tour over and eager to spend some money but unable to find a fridge magnet, we picked up the information booklet for KES200 / £2 to learn more. I have it next to me and jolly informative reading it is too. Having thanked Isaac warmly and we bid him farewell and made our way back towards Sagana for refreshment (more tea) and the bus home.

As I write this I am sat in Nairobi and tomorrow morning at 11h00 I have a meeting with a company called Dynamic Business Start up Project (http://dbsp.co.za)

DBSP's vision is to train and assist unemployed people to earn their own money, by self employment, thereby getting themselves out of the trap of poverty and providing jobs for others. Their mission is to provide outcomes based business skills training, information and after-care support to entrepreneurially motivated individuals, particularly those from an economically disadvantaged background, so that they are able to establish (or improve) their own viable, sustainable business, targeting especially under developed & rural areas.

I will be discussing with them the different projects we are considering launching with the youth groups and the community around St. Anna (including the fish) to see how they could help us.

I’ll let you know.

Night night.

Oh, on Wednesday of this week I head to the Masai Mara for 3 days … I have treated myself to a Safari before flying home to the UK on Friday evening.

Success story (the best so far!)

One of our neighbours has 2 cows. When I inquired to what their names were, I was told they are both called “Meni”.

As you cannot have 2 cows with the same name, I persuaded them to rename one of them “Daisy”.

Result :-)

I Wish...

Just before the exams, during the Monday morning assembly I asked every child to complete the sentence “I wish…”.

What follows are the responses I received. If you read only have time to read a couple of blog posts, this should be one of them. From Martin who wishes to be an Army and Anitah who wants two presidents, to Jane who wishes to come to England to see the wildlife and another Martin who seems to want everything, they make quality reading.


Class 8

John Wesley: I wish I would be a soldier so that I can be protecting our country
John Muriuki: I wish we be having subject contests on Saturday after lunch. I wish we be having weekend challenge every term. I wish we be having computer classes
Nicolas Mwangi: I wish to be having a weekend challenge every term. I wish we could be going for drama festivals once a year in our school. I wish we could have a library in our school
Godfrey Kagonu: I wish we could have computer lessons. I wish we would have games. I wish to be a doctor or a computer engineer. I wish the 4K clubs would start and for drama
Caroline Wanjiku: I wish that our school should have drama - music festivals. I wish that we should be attending computer classes. I wish that our small school will be the first in the Murang'a district
Antony Gatumuta: I wish me I could be a good person in future…and also to be like Cristiano Ronaldo
Joseph Githinii: I wish to be an engineer of industries. When I grow up I would wish to overcome a university. I wish to help people in society and take care for environment
Obed Nduati: I wish to be an aeroplane engineer. I am very pleased about this job because it earns people a lot of money
Kennedy Kihara: I wish our football team could have a uniform and a nuts shoes (football boots) even the goal keeper
Ann: I wish I be a surgeon so that I can be doing operation to the sick
Kelvin Mwago: I wish to be a surgeon and be operating on people with special needs with care and loving
David Lee: I wish we be having computer classes. I wish we be having some church instruments e.g. piano, drums
Eliud Waweru : I wish there be a club of 4K club which will be able to keep the school clean. I would also say that on Sunday we be going to discuss maths in dining hall
Gerishom Ndahi: I wish we be taking some tea on Saturday and Sunday in the evenings at 4:00pm. I wish we be given some lesson on computer. I wish we be going Gathukeini for service like last year
Patrick Mwangi: I wish when I grow up I could be a good person in our country Kenya. I wish to be a pilot when I grow up. I wish to be as tall as you Mat
Eric Mwangi: I wish twe be having weekend challenges every term. I wish to be an electrical engineer
Beth: I wish to be a nurse. I would treat sponsored people free of charge. I know God will fulfil my career. With God everything is possible
Pauline Wangari: I wish I would be an air hostess I would carry Matt to his place free of charge. I know God will help me reach to my career
Mary Njambi: I wish I could ba doctor in future so that I can help the poor and other people
Delphine Njoki: I wish I could ba doctor in future so that I can treat people kindly. I work hard to reach my goal.
Adrine Njoki: I wish to be a surgeon I would be opearting those who are being hurt by vehicles and others
Lizzie Njeri: I wish to be a doctor in future. I will work hard to fulfil my dream
Stella: I wish to come to your country to see your people
Peter Mbugua: I wish to carry on with my education and be a responsible person in the future. I also wish that in our school we be learning foreign languages like french , spanish if possible. I also with to fulfil my dreams
Esther: I wish our school would have a drama festival like in the last year but one. Many people were singing traditional songs and dancing
Joyce: I wish I could be an air hostess and that I will take Matt to his country the time he will be going back
Rose: I wish to acheive my goal and my dreams to come true. I must work hard in my calss & education
Wilson Mwangi: I wish we could be going for games at Iria stadium on Tuesday and Thursday
Washington Gatuma: I wish we be going to debate after church on Sunday. I wish we be planting food crops around the school compounds. I wish we be taking some activities such as singing, cycling, planting and others
Dora Malemba: I wish I would go to university and achieve my career dream
Elizabeth Nyambaru: I wish you could be telling us a story
Duncan Muchugu: I wish that you would visit us again and live longer than that. I wish here at school there will be a school bus
Brian Njae: I wish my parents to live long life on this earth. The same thing applies to my dear sister, cousins, relatives and friends. I hope that I and my parents will live happily. I also hope that we will all succeed in all we do and also we as people of God will attain and become responsible and respected people in the future
Joseph Maina: I wish to be a doctor

Class 7A

Margaret Wangui: I wish to be a newscaster
Ruben N'gang'a: I wish I go in the football match in South Africa
Josephine Wamaitha: I would like to be a surgeon. I would like our school to have a swimming pool. I would like our country to have a ship
Moffat Ngari: I wish to be one of the best football players in the world and I hope it can happen because of God
Alex Mwangi: I wish you a good holiday when we close school
Naomi Njoki: I wish I would be a teacher so that I cold help the pupils in the future and to pass them knowledge
Immaculate Wanjiku: I wish I could be a surgeon to operate the peoples kidney
Nathan Kamau: I wish to be a lawyer when I grow up
Esther Wanjiru: I wish to become a doctor
Virginiah Klaihiga: I wish to be a doctor because the doctor treats people when they are sick and give people good hygiene
Christophe Maina: I wish our country to be peaceful
Julius Mwangi: I wish to be a pilot
Jane Njoki: I wish to be a teacher when I grow up
Wilfred Kamweru: I wish to be a preacher so that I will help so many people in the country and the world
Brian Karuki: I would like to be a banker
Martin Muciri: I wish to be a Kenyan army to defend my country and for our peoples
Wilson Thuo: I wish to be an engineer
Evan Nduna: I wish to become a newscaster when I grow old
Jane Waithiru: I wish my country will be having a better government to command well and be with better hygenic IDPs (Internally Displaced Peoples). I wish the school will provide a school bus
Naftaly Komoche: I wish in our school to have clubs and singin games and funs
Kelvin Maina: I wish my country will be peaceful
Bernard Thuku: I wish to be a pilot
Jane Njoki: I wish to be a teacher
Perminus Mboro: I wish to be an engineer whose job involves designing and building engines machines roads and bridges

Class 7B

Morris Ndungu: I wish we could have a school canteen. I wish the school could go on a tour of Momabassa. I wish to be a pilot
Francis Gichuki: I wish the school to go on a trip to Narvasha
Lilian Wangari: I wish our school to be number 1 in the zone and I also wish to join a good secondary school
Jotham Kamau: I wish our school to have a canteen. I wish to be a banker
Hellen Wanjiru: I wish to the be minister of games and sports and pass well in my exams
James Mauthi: I wish to be a surgeon when I finish my university
Caroline Muthoni: I wish to become a nurse
Gerald Kamau : I wish to perform well in exams
Leah Nyambura: I wish to be a manager of a bank and to have a swimming pool oin our school
Moureen Wanjiku! I wish to be an accountant in a bank and pass my exams. I wish to be an accountant to be given contact to count money and perform well in my education
William Gitau: I wish our school to go on a trip to Rift Valley. I wish to be a pilot when I grow up. I wish our school to have computer lessons
Mourine Wairimu: I wish to pass my KEPE and KEGE and get money to go to America
Samson Kibe: I wish to be an accountant
Phyliss Wanjiku: I wish to be a surgeon. I wish our school to have a canteen and a wimming pool. I wish to be taking porridge with sugar
Edith Wanjiru: I wish to pass my exam well and to be a banker and one day come in America
Tabitha Nyaguthii: I wish our school to have a canteen and a swimming pool and pass my exams and go to America
Christine MK: I wish my school to have a drama and musical festival and musical instruments such as pianos and guitar. I wish my school to have a tour to Mukurwe Wa Thagathonga on Saturday and Sunday to be enjoying there (the Kikuya spiritual home). I wish my school to have a canteen


Class 6A

Julius Materu: I wish I could be a liverpool footballer
Alex Gikongo: I wish I could be a pilot
Brian Kariuki: I wish could be a manager
Irene: I wish I could be a newscaster in the future.
??: I wish I would be a magician so tat I can do magic to peoples
Derick Mwangi: I wish to meet Obama
Jeremiah Ngure: I wish I would be the goal keeper for Liverpool
Kelvin Kanyingi: I wish I could be driver
Peter Kimari: I wish I could be a footballer so that I could go to Liverpool
Caleb Wambugu; I wish Matt a nice time in St. Anna
Mary Waithira: I wish when I grow up I would be a pilot
Joyrose : I wish I would be a surgeon when I grow up in my future
Beatrice Nyambura: I wish I would be a surgeon when I grow up in my future
Jecinta : I wish to be a teacher when I grow up
Charles Mwangi: I wish our school should have a bus and big field
Benson Mwaura: I wish our home could have electricity
Ignatius Motunyojo: I wish our school should be for boarding only
Agnes Njeri: I wish I was a surgeon in my future
John Alo: I wish I could have a ball. I wish I could have a pump. I wish St. Anna could have a pool
Esther Njoki: I wish I could be doctor
Harrison Karunyu: I wish I could be an artist in future to be drawing big pictures

Class 6B

Francis Maina : I wish to be a goal keeper
Michael Wangiobme: I wish you be staying all your life here in St. Anna. I wish the blessing can be poured on to you. I wish I could learn well and buy my own aeroplane because I could have carried you to your country we take your family members and wome with them at Mombasa. We enjoy the sea breeze in the beaches the cool air. I wish when you go back to England we will be missing you a lot. I wish I could have two hearts to keep all your love which I have got from you. I wish I could have money I could buy for you everything you want in Kenya. I wish in our school we could have a bus. Those are my wishes.
James Kariuki: I wish everybody in our school could have a bicycle. I wish in our school there was a bus. I wish we could be buying things in the school. I wish the teachers would continue to teach very hard and they instruct us (the last sentence was changed from: I wish the teachers would not beat us very hard but they instruct us)
Jackson Maina: I wish I could like a footballer
David Macharia: I wish in my life I could have good knowledge and wisdom which will help me and others
Purity Njoki: I wish one day God must give you more love than you have to us. Everything you have done for us is more than I expected. May the Lord pour forth you many blessings like the manner from heaven. All of us in St. Anna we are thankful. I wish also that your team Liverpool the next time they will go for games it will be the first in the world cup. And I wish the club that we are planning (music club) for I will take it very seriously every time. Tahnk you
Brian Mwangi : I wish in my life I could have good knowledge and wisdom which will help me and others
Moureen Wanjiru: I wish I could be a teacher I could teach your younger brother in London. I could be teaching him free of charge even. I could be teaching him tuition in my house. I could show him the way in which he could have respect and obedience. I hope I grow up faster. Thank you
Anniet Wangari: I wish I could be a doctor I treat you free of charge. I help even my fellow people who are around me and my country. You and your extended and nuclear family are perfect. God bless you, thanks
Alex Mwangi: (How are you Matt?) I wish at our school to have bicycles which we will be riding. I wish to have a lot of wisdom. I wish to have a god and a rabbit at our home.
Kenneth Maina: I wish I am a bird I could be flying in school
Lucy Muthoni: (Dear Matthew) I wish you be staying here with your family and your children be in this school. If I would be like you I have been build a house here. Lastly don't go to your country because we love you so much. I can wish you to be like my brother. Thank you. Your loving friend
Maurice Githinji: I wish St. Anna to have a bus and bicycles for riding here in the field at break time. Every class to be having twenty bicycles. I wish my life to have good success. An I excel
Joyce Wangair: (To Matthew) I wish I could be a pilot. I could take you back to you country and then bring you back here. I could go and take your family at Mobasa where they could enjoy the beautiful scenery and cool climate. I wish God pour for you showers of blessing live like flowers which come out every year. I wish the club which you are making with Purity will proceed and I will be there. I wish one day you will go for a tour and I am the one to take you. And I wish when you return England tell Jo we are missing her. Thank you very much
Anitah: I wish we could have a flag of our school. I wish the president and other member of parliament to remove the IDPs (internally displaced persons) in the camps and find a place to stay in this country so that people cannot run away from Kenya. I wish I could be president of Kenya I would say their ... no labour to children so they cannot run away from school. I wish we could have two presidents so that they can rule every part of Kenya. I wish when I grow up I will help St. Anna and I will have enough money I will sponsor one child in this centre of love. I wish would have a big house like this (drawing).

Class 5

Ian Gitau: I wish I could be a Jesh. I would be happy
Antony Mwangi: I wish I could be a pilot
Lee Waneru: I wish I could be a driver
Sharron Njeri: I wish Matt had stayed here for the whole year but he is staying for six months because when he will go back to his work.
Yvonne Wacera: I wish I could be a police
Collins Kiragu: I wish to have a car
LydiahMuthoni: I wish I could have a car of driver
Mary-Ann Nyambura: I wish here our country Kenya could have peace but no war. And we us Kenyans we would have peace.
Daniel Muraya: I wish St. Anna could have three vehicles and a representative flag for the players or teachers
Anthony Mwangi: I wish I could have this (picture of football)
Naomi Wanjiru: I wish I could be a musician someone who sings
Stephen Kuira: I wish I could be a manager (drawing of man dressed as soldier ordering another man pushing a wheel barrow)
Erastus Njiiri: I wish the country would have a new constitution
Kelvin Kirigu: I wish I had a helicopter I could go every where I want to go
Brian Chege: I wish our school had a swimming pool I would be very happy and I could be the best in the swimming competition
Ephantus: I wish to be a teacher
Alex Chege: I wish I could have a bicycle
Jackline Muthoni: I wish I could be a pilot. A pilot is a person who flies an aeroplane
Dennis Mwangi: I wish I could be a driver I would be carrying people
Antony Maina: I wish I could be the police. I wish I could be a player in the world (cup)
Kelvin Ndiritu: I wish for a good holiday
Wallace: I wish I could be a doctor I would treat people
Jackson Maina: I wish I could be a driver
Felista Nyamathira: I wish my school should have a flag and an aeroplane
David Kiarie: I wish in this school they could be a swimming pool. I could be a good swimmers
Jadiel Ndegwa: I wish I could be a pilot. I wish I could be a driver
Leah Wanja: I wish to be a pilot to be visiting you in your country. And Jo's car. A pilot is a person who flies an aeroplane. And Jo to come back and stay forever.
Vivian Wanjika: I wish when I grow up to be a doctor who can treat everybody and any disease
Kennedy Maina: I wish I could have a bicycle and I wish our country to have peace and love each other the way school of St. Anna primary school have loved other people. And I wish I could be a polove of our country and have a helicopter to visit my friends who are far away. And our school have a car and God heard my prayers I was a container and a car I am so happy
Joan Joyce Wanjiru: I wish in our school we have our own flag and a new bus
Annet Wanjiku: I wish our school would have an aeroplane and a swimming pool. Jo will come back after a few months/years/terms. Matt to stay here for the whole year.
Janet Wagaturi: I wish in our school has a bus

Class 4

Joseph Irungu: I wish you come to class 4
Moureen Wamburi: I wish to visit England to visit your home to see your mother and other many people in England with many things. I wish you to live in Kenya we love our friend Matthew. And you come with Jo.
Jackline Wangui: I wish to visit Britain I think it is a wonderful place
Esther Wangari: I wish you all the best
Mary Waithera: I wish to visit Britain I think it is a wonderful place
Cynthia Wangari: I wish to visit Britain I think it is a wonderful place
Jane Wangari: I wish to go to England to see the wildlife and tall buildings. And visit your capital city in England
Beth: I wish you to come with Jo Lomax to visit our school. Thank you because you came again. When you go back you greet Jo because she is my best friend and greet her mother and they come again. We love our friend Matthew

Class 3 : None received...just wait till they come back!

Class 2 : I only received one

Martin Maina: I wish I could be rich to buy things for myself. I wish I could be getting all marks in school. I wish to be a policeman to catch bad people. I wish I would be a scout to be raising the flag. I wish I could be a driver to drive vehicles. I wish one day to go to Mt. Kenya. I wish to be wise like the three wise men. I wish to be a pilot to be driving an aeroplane. I wish to be a doctor in Sweden. I wish to be a banker to be counting the money in the bank. I wish to be a mechanic to be repairing cars. I wish to be a farmer to be growing crops and to feed animals. I wish to be a carpenter to be making things form wood. I wish to be a pastor to be preaching in the church. I wish to be a teacher to be teaching pupils. I wish to be a doctor to be treating sick people. I wish to be a fisherman to be catching fishes. I wish to be a baker to be baking cakes and breads. I wish to be a grocer to be selling things in the shop. I wish to be a milkman to be bringing milk to people. I wish to be a headteacher so that I can head a school

Rabbit Season!

I am a father! At some time over the last 48 hours, our pregnant rabbit gave birth to a clutch/brood (collective noun anyone?) of 7 or 8 bald blind pink baby rabbits. They look like cocktail sausages and are probably just as filling.

Not having a rabbit hutch option on my camera I chose the nearest animal setting I could find, aquarium, and took some snaps. I think they came out ok and will upload them when I go home (I am going home on the 16th April).

I wanted to share the good news with you.

Term 2 Projects

A couple of people have already asked me what projects I intend to work on next term. I am hoping this means they wish to choose one to finance ;-) Although I have yet to settle on the short-list, the long-list currently looks like this:

1) School & Community Library
2) Solar Power
3) Branding & selling St. Anna Own Brand Products (Dried Fruit)
4) “Renting” Neighbouring Unused Land
5) 4k Clubs
a. Music club costumes
6) Jane Wanjoki’s House
7) School Trips
8) School "Houses"

1) School & Community Library

As I am sure I have mentioned before, we have a 20’ x ‘8 shipping container here on site (not the one that arrived recently) which is ripe for conversion to a school & community library.

We submitted a detailed plan to a company in Nairobi via the Bishop’s son Kiiru, who were supposed to get back to me with a quote but I have yet to hear anything. However Kiiru will be coming up to Murang’a this weekend for Easter so I will touch base with him to find out where we are.

The main problem with container conversions here in Kenya is the temperature. Those things are like an oven so whatever we do with the container will have to counteract the heat. There are all kinds of coatings that can be applied and ventilation installed, but if this turns out to be a bit steep, we will turn to plan B i.e. build one from scratch.

2) Solar Power

Although teachers have told me to prioritise the library, my feeling is that this one is the biggie. Our electricity supply is erratic at best; and now what with it being rainy season ‘n all, it cuts out each day exactly 5 minutes after the rain starts to fall. The continual outages are also negatively affecting borders learning … the school day ends at 19h00 instead at 21h00.

We had received a quote earlier this term from some contacts in France which was very reasonable, however since providing them with a plan of the school & the lighting requirements (number & type of lights per class, 2-3 hours per day etc) a few weeks ago, I have not heard anything back. I am worried they are gonna turn up in the night and clear the place out!

Actually together with the mail sending the plan and details, I asked for and am waiting more information on the company, the people they propose sending to assist in setting up the local network up and training the locals (this is a must). Not having had a response is leading me to doubt the veracity of their proposal (I’m so cynical). This would be a real shame as all other quotations we significantly more expensive; I remember thinking when we received it that it was too good to be true.*

That said, this remains for me the priority project. If we can start small and first ensure the children can study in the evening, we can then think a little bigger and even imagine selling some of the power back to the grid.

* Wouldn’t you believe it, the same day I penned this update the quote arrived: €6,090.00

3) Branding & Selling St. Anna Own Brand Products (Dried Fruit)

The name “St. Anna” is inextricably linked with the Bishop and, like the Bishop it is well known, trusted & respected throughout the Murang’a and Gathuki-ini area. This “brand” recognition must be leveraged to the benefit of the school. The name should be used to create to a portfolio of “own branded” products which can be aggressively marketed to sponsors & the community.

There are tonnes of fruit here and I am sorry to say a large portion of it goes to waste. Potential revenue is currently rotting on the ground all around the school; this must not be allowed to happen. So my idea is this: We will organise a series of meetings with the local farmers to propose the formation of small cooperatives around different products. Excess produce from the local families and farmers (e.g. mangos in season, bananas and pineapples) will be brought to a central point (St. Anna) for processing & transformation into a final product that can be packaged & sold on.

Having read all I could find on the subject of drying fruit, I am convinced it would be a fairly simple task to construct drying trays made of wood & that screen stuff you find on windows and doors to keep out insects. We then peel & prepare the fruits, pre-treating them lemon juice to stop the browning and place them on the drying racks; to accelerate the process we could also consider picking up a dehydrating machine (somewhere between £30 - £300).

This pooling of production & processing will allow us all to benefit from economies of scale in production (1 larger more efficient drying installation) & allow us to negotiate prices from a position of strength (buyers will not be able to trade us off against each other).

The products, branded as “St. Anna” can be sold directly to buyers and through a point of sale at the school and the revenue shared amongst the cooperative.

This concept could then be extended to other products such as honey, cotton printed bags 4 life, woodwork. If we take the long view for a second, once the St. Anna brand is established and if products are making sufficient a return, we could imagine renting a small premises in Murang’a as an outlet staffed by 1 or 2 members of the local youth group. Additional youth group members would then become responsible for a product line e.g. product line manager “dried fruit”, product line manager “honey”, product line manager “bags 4 life” and act as travelling salesmen responsible to soliciting and making contracts in the location, zone, region. Youth group members will be paid a small basic salary and a % per piece/product sold e.g. the product line manager selling Bags 4 Life at 100sh could receive 10sh per bag.

4) “Renting” Neighbouring Unused Land

Many of the school’s neighbours have large shambas (gardens) which are not being completely used. My plan is to put this land to productive use for the benefit of the school & community.

At the beginning of next term, together with those who know the surrounding neighbours, we will identify 1 or 2 local families (and later more) and who are not using 100% of their land. I intend to approach them in the hope of coming to an agreement to “rent” a part of their land in exchange for produce cultivated upon that land, or a % of the profit made upon its sale (assuming the produce is not all consumed at the school)

The next step would be to recruit a small team of local residents as a workforce. This team should be remunerated in the same way as the land owners or if any of the team have children attending St. Anna their time could be offset against school fees.

I think this is a good plan.

5) 4K Clubs

Outside of football & volleyball, there are currently few extra-curricular activities for the children. Having discussed at length with some of the teachers, the idea is to form 4 new clubs (not sport related) designed to provide children with fun & educational opportunities.

Coming under the heading of the 4K Clubs (Kuungana – to join, Kufanya – to do, Kusaidia – to help, Kenya – to Kenya) these activities should balance teaching children life skills & responsibility with providing them a forum for creativity & self expression. With that in mind, next term the following activities will be offered to the pupils from which 2 must be chosen, 1 from each pool.

Pool A: Physical
. Rabbits – Feed, water and clean the rabbits
. Gardening – Use unexploited land behind the girls’ dormitory to cultivate vegetables (for school & rabbits)

Pool B: Creative
. Music – Choir, dance & music with the objective of organising community performances and participating in local competitions (for this a costume/uniform of some description will be required)
. Drama – Staging small productions of the childrens’ own invention plus producing larger pieces for performance to the school & community.

A pupil & teacher will be assigned as ‘lead’ for each of the clubs and a planning will be established that ensures each activity is pursued seriously (seriously in the organisational sense not the not fun sense).

It is important to note that all of the above groups with the exception of drama were suggested by the pupils themselves. In fact the music group met for the first time last Monday evening to discuss the objectives and the commitment required; the meeting was chaired by the 2 girls who asked me if we could form the group. We have already found a dance troop from Nairobi who are willing to come up and work with the kids!

6) Jane Wanjoki’s House

As I am sure you recall, Jane’s house is practically falling down. As soon as the masons have finished with the boys dorm construction (estimated 2-3 weeks), they should switch their attention to building her a new home.

7) School Trips

I would love to organise some school trips for class 8 (the senior class) or the top performing students in each class. I have yet to work out the modalities of it, as we are constrained by our capacity to transport many at one time, but I feel it would be a great motivator to plan some visits to places such as the the Kimbura Dam & Kiru Tea factory (any excuse to visit it again).

8) School Houses

Finally, and this one is close to my heart from my own childhood. There is currently no organization in place transcending the school. So what I am thinking is that I will float the following: Students will be subdivided into “houses”. This will allow them to better interact across age groups and provide opportunity for games & competition.

Students will all be assigned to a house. I came up with these great names the other night: Gryffindor, Huffelpuf, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, but apparently they have already been used before?! So I thought the houses could be named after something more Kenyan … the big 5 wild animals for example:
i. Lion (red)
ii. Leopard (yellow)
iii. Rhino (white)
iv. Buffalo (green)
v. Elephant (blue)

(Is 5 too many for 240 students?)

The School Executive Committee would of course be free to decide on other house names should they so wish e.g. famous Kenyans or other.

Each house will elect a house “captain”. Each house will be associated with a colour. The colour will be worn during competitions. Each year newly arriving students will be sorted and added to a “house”. Once a year an inter-house sports day will be held and houses will compete for a trophy.

This concept should be gradually extended to other activities (school quiz contest etc…)

And there you are. If we can do half or more of these plus the website, I’d say we’ve done alright.

Happy Easter everyone
x

End of term reflections

Tuesday was the end of term for the pupils here at St. Anna. For the past week they have been taking exams, and yesterday was the culmination of that work. Parents, guardians, brothers, sisters came to listen to the results being announced, see prizes being presented, give the children a jolly good round of applause and at the end of the ceremony take their children home.

My understanding is that on the whole the performance was good. I will update you with the relative performance compared to other schools in the zone as soon as the analysis has been performed.

At about 14h00, an eerie silence descended upon the school as the children drifted home for the Easter holidays. Although it is conducive to work and writing, the place it is not the same without the children and I will miss them very much during the holidays. But many did promise to come back on one day or another to see me and take me to their homes. Let’s hope so.

As we have arrived at end of term, it would seem timely to put some of my observations and conclusions down on paper. I’d like to share them with you now. Having been here for over 2 months, I feel I have a good view now of what works and what doesn’t (plus who!). The school is characterised by:
1. (For the most part) Dedicated teachers truly committed to the interest of the pupils
2. Strong support network of friends and sponsors
3. Position of strength in the community

However, St. Anna also displays:
1. Obsolete governance and blurred reporting lines (unclear roles & responsibilities)
2. Lack of empowerment of the teachers
3. Little structured communication: internally & externally
4. Practically zero use of technology across the curriculum
5. “Fire fighting”: Little advanced planning or prioritization – Issues are treated as & when they arise
6. Numerous missed or unseized opportunities and synergies for development

I’d like to dwell on the first ones at this time.

On the whole, the school’s teachers are a dedicated group of people with real initiative and a will to see the children progress and achieve. Indeed, one teacher told me the other night that his primary desire is to see these children go on and become great people & future leaders of Kenya. But, for all the committed, hard-working, selfless members of staff, there is conversely a handful whom I consider lazy and uncooperative. They see the centre as a means for serving their own ends; they have lost sight completely (if they ever had it) of the raison d’être of the centre i.e. to serve the children and orphans. If this were my company, they would be out on their ear in a heartbeat.

But greater is the need for structural/organisational change. The governance of the school, which no doubt served them well in the recent past when it was smaller day care centre, is no longer commensurate with that of an ambitious primary school. All power and decision making today resides in the hands of the patrons and an obscure board of governors, several of whom seem to have little justifiable claim to their position apart from accident of postcode; they just happen to live nearby.

The constitution of the school does not legislate for, nor does the structure of the school delegate any operational responsibility to the head teacher or departmental heads. The constitution stipulates that, and I quote: “the board shall deal with all matters pertaining to the day to day running of the centre”. How can the day to day decisions be conferred to a body that meets on average every 3 months?!

Although there are no guarantees, there are several things a school or business can do to strive for survival. One of the keys for such survival is the organizational structure of the organisation. Though this varies from school to school, or business to business, in general an organizational structure needs to be flexible, focused, and streamlined. We are none of these things.

Indeed, it is my view that the structure of the school, which was borne out of the church, is now the root cause of many of the issues and challenges we are facing. Shackled by the prevailing hegemony and their inability to dictate the direction of the school, several teachers (the younger more ambitions teachers certainly) are becoming disillusioned. We are simply not designed today to permit, let alone assist the teachers in realising their ideas and potential (the same is true at the student level where there is no forum for the children to escalate issues that are affecting them or to propose ideas such as clubs they wish to form).

This disillusionment has surfaced in recent weeks with certain teachers talking informally of their frustration at their lack of empowerment. This is a real threat to us as private school as our salaries and benefits are already less attractive than those of the public government run schools, for example we have no pension scheme and we do not provide a travel allowance to and from school. Most teachers do not hide their ambition to work in a government school; we should not give them additional cause to pursue this path.

It was against this backdrop that a clear the air meeting was called last week to provide a chance for all teachers to share their feelings and opinions to the patrons. As is often the case when the time comes to put up or shut up, most chose the latter. But a significant minority did voice their sentiment of being ignored and kept in the dark. The mere matter of holding the meeting appeared to be enough to appease some of the teaching faculty, however for many the feeling persists. I do not wish to dramatise the situation, but I feel a struggle for the future control of the school may be beginning in earnest. The sleeping serpent that has lain coiled under the table in all our discussions (covert & overt) is now more than half awake. Change is on all our minds if not yet on our tongues! (Ok so I stole that one from John J. Chapman).

I am fortunate in my position as a volunteer to be unaffected directly by the status quo. I am also fortunate to be financially independent. This ensures that I rarely seek or ask for the permission to do many of the things I am undertaking. Better to shoot now and ask questions later. More often than not once the initiative is up and running the value is recognised and the project embraced, but to get to that point is in my view unnecessarily complicated.

But change must come or the school will suffer the consequences. There is nothing unique about the situation at St. Anna; on the contrary it is common in most organisations that have reached a certain age and size. We are facing a classic case of a parent’s reluctance to let go of the baby … but let go if they must or strangle it they surely will. If and how we act will dictate whether we slide down the back of the decline curve or whether we are able to propel the school to the next level.

This is the challenge for term 2. Are we ready to face it?