First off, we had a team of teachers from some of the Primary Schools we are involved with here in the UK, fly out to Zambia to spend time in our partner schools in Ndola and Kitwe. They spent their time soaking up the Zambian culture, sharing educational ideas with the teachers there, teaching various lessons to the children in the schools, and strengthening links between the schools there and their own schools in the UK.
At the same time we had another team of dedicated Cranleigh students over at Kawama School in Kitwe. They were finishing off the classrooms that their fellow students had built over the summer holidays. They worked hard in the heat to paint the classrooms as well as run activities for the students at the school.
Well done Cranleigh!
Then, we had our BIG trip of the year when a team of us meet with every child and their parent/carer to see how they are doing. As well as asking the family questions about home life, health issues and how schools is going, we also take the children's height, weight and BMI to check they are growing well! There's also an up to date photo of each child taken too. With 900 children attending the 4 schools we partner with, it's a big job - but we got it done!
What's really special in all the trips is that even though there is a focus on getting our tasks done and achieving what needs to be completed within the short visit, we always make time to spend time with the children. And it's these moments that really impact the team...
We are so used to hearing about poverty and seeing it in the media that we almost become immune to it. But when we meet a child who is HIV+, or who is orphaned, or who is only getting to eat once a day, or who is living in one room with 6 other people; poverty gets a face and a name - it's no longer distant and impersonal but right there in front of you to touch and see, and more often than not it will change you...
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