My Trip to Africa: April 2011

It was a great success- we had a fantastic turnout and was a lovely day.

We arrived early to set up the food and chairs and organized the new classroom. The kids all arrived bright and early and were dressed up very smartly!

Business man Petro!

Once all the parents, children, volunteer coordinators, volunteers, ‘Arusha times’ Magazine and Arusha radio press, directors and the village elder / chief counsel leader arrived, we could get going.

We started with a prayer and then Sam, our director, gave a speech about Cheka. Myself, Arika and Amy were thanked and we also gave a speech (with the help from a Swahili translator!) to recognize all the help from our friends and mainly, Jeff and Debbie- who built the classroom (raising money before in England) and taught. They have been absolutely amazing and it is really sad to see them go- we all teared up!. They have worked tirelessly these past 2 months and have been the ones to facilitate the move from chicken coop to classroom!

The village counsel gave a thank you speech too and spoke to us, the volunteers separately, It was really touching- he thanked us fro our work and for coming from another country to help in Tanzania. He said ‘I can only speak a little today because if I say more I fear the tears will come’. He personally thanked us all which was great.

Sam mid speech (with translator) and village leader (in red)

He officially opened the classroom and we got a few pictures- for the press! Hello celebrities!

The kids then sang a few songs: in Swahili, English and French to the adults which went down really well, and then…it was food time! Debbie put on a fabulous spread and it was finished in a flash! The children loved it so much- we did make the mistake however of buying lollies with whistles on the stick- the noise was slightly unbearable!

Arika, Amy, myself, Debbie, Jeff, village counsellors, Sam and some children in the new classroom!

The food!

The children and all their food!

Sam ended the day by saying that school was going to start not accepting late children and the gate will be locked at 8.10 am!! I’m afraid we will be the ones locked out and have to conduct classes on the road! I think the press got to Sam’s head…he loves being so official!

All in all it was such a wonderful day- really nice to see how appreciated we all are and how thankful everyone is! I was truly touched. I am so lucky to have arrived at such a great time at Cheka- to see the completion of the new classroom and to have facilitated it- I’m just really proud of us!