Day 3 & 4: Greetings from Bumala!

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Hello! Well I have returned from Bumala and I leave for Canada tonight. I did not have internet access while in Bumala - yet so much has happened! I may have to write the updates in installments. (Thanks in advance for indulging me… 😉

Feb 17, Tuesday
We decided to see what the road trip would be between Nairobi and Bumala, rather than flying. We had a 7:30am departure on Feb 17 with Charles and Pius in a 7-seat mini-van. So lots of room for the extra luggage we had, i.e., children’s clothing, school supplies, books, computer gear, etc. from generous donors. Eager to make headway to see the children and teachers again, we got immediately halted in bumper to bumper Nairobi traffic - the driver even gave up and shut off his engine once we were no longer advancing our usual inch per minute (no exaggeration). The good news is that the traffic is mostly due to badly needed road construction.

Unfortunately, we made it to Kisumu after 3pm when all banks are closed - so I couldn’t exchange any traveller’s cheques. No worries, I figured I could come back the next day and pick up some supplies to boot… We managed a quick stop at the Nakumatt, which sells pretty much everything. I purchased 48 scribblers/exercise books for the school as well as some large cardboard sheets on which they often write things like basic math, the alphabet, etc. (I must say their artistic skills are admirable and I’ve seen the teachers turn a cardboard sheet into a professional looking poster with their graphics).

We made it to the hotel in Bumala by 6pm. So the journey was about 10 hours total driving time. The roads were half good and half not so good. So next visit, we are told they will be completely renovated. Charles made an extra trip to the school and back to the hotel to retrieve one of the laptops that was donated last year. This was so that I could try and recharge the extra battery packs that I had brought. Since the school does not have electricity, the only way the laptops can work is if the batteries are recharged elsewhere than the school. So now we have 6 or 7 batteries for the two computers. Our hope however is to give the school access to electricity in the next year.

Feb 18, Wednesday
Well, I couldn’t recharge the computer batteries because I didn’t have the correct adapter! No worries, I can fix this when I see Charles.

Charles and Pius picked us up at the hotel nice and early. We drove to the school with the van to carry all the extra luggage. We were a corner’s turn away from the school when I realized I had forgotten my video camera!!! (Must be the cold medication I am on…😊 So we went back to fetch the video camera - Charles insisted!

Once we made it back to the school, we could hear the children chanting “Well-come! Welllllllcome!” over and over. It was priceless to see the children again with their big smiles and the familiar “Allo owe ar yoo?” Then my mother would say “Mazouri sana” (I am fine), and this would make the children laugh something aweful!

I ditched the van - bags, video camera, and all - to say hello to the teachers and the matron. I think the matron was especially happy to see me. Waiting with her arms wide open and her toothless grin, she yanked me into a prolonged hug. She doesn’t speak English but she was trying to tell me something. I suspect it had something to do with the new kitchen that was built (funded by the Grant MacEwan Global Education Fund). Although the kitchen construction had been complete for well over a week or two, they had not used it yet. They waited for my arrival so we could do a ribbon cutting. I was very touched by this (but also playfully scolded Charles for making the matron wait like that!)

I met two new teachers, Agnes and Kathy, who seem very sweet and devoted to the children. It was great to see Veronica, Benta, and of course Josephine, the head teacher who takes care of the school during Charles’ absence. I would learn later that Victoria is now in teachers college. This was made possible by “bonus funds” we had provided to the teachers shortly after our visit two years ago. The good news is she will return to teach at Mercy Centre after she graduates. It’s nice to see that Charles can keep quality teachers at the school, though they are still vastly undersalaried.

Gosh, I could go on with many details of the day… Charles gave us a tour of the new school which I had yet to see. Then we visited the new school addition which converts into a town hall. The three classrooms are nicely divided with wooden doors from ceiling to floor and steel latches. Charles has plans for some income generation when the classrooms are not used, as there may be large groups who wish to book the hall for special events. The children performed poems and songs for us, all of which I have video-taped and hope to show you soon. Then I distributed some new uniforms to the children. Though I must say that the remaining half of the children could stand to have a new uniform as well…but I guess the holes in their shirts were slightly smaller.

We then advanced to the new kitchen for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. I have to say that that is the first one I have ever ever attended! Very classy  I took many photos of the kitchen. It looks very well constructed with ventilation near the fire pit which actually has a chimney over it to redirect the smoke. Hopefully everyone’s lungs will last a little longer this way! There is a nice storage room and a small sitting area where teachers have their lunch. There is even the pull-down service window that we had suggested to Charles so the food could be served from the inside to the children lined up outside. I will post some pictures once I return to Canada.

So this covers about half of the day’s events! But I need to take a break from writing for now. I will try to pick up at the airport in London tomorrow morning.

Thank you for your audience. It’s nice to be able to share.

Take care, Cristelle

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