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Published: July 27th 2010
Computer Lab at Carrisbrooke School
A grade 7 learner works on a computer donated by the Issaquah School District. Great to see the computers being put to good use! Hi Folks, Here is the latest e-mail update from Jenna, and some more photos. The travel team is working very hard to get everything distributed before they leave at the end of the week. The photo of the child with the pencil around his neck that Jenna talks about on day 6 was already posted in the last entry... go back and take a look if you didn't see it! Thanks for your interest in the travels of Generation Joy! ~ Linda
"Hello! Sorry it's taken so long to get this update out to you all. I appreciate you following along and the notes you've been sending. Sorry I can't get back to everyone.
I wrote about the start of day 6 (that was Wednesday last week) in my last email. We finished unpacking the container quickly. As a group we went out to Goxhill to deliver the usual: school supplies, soft toys and soccer balls. The teachers had left for a workshop so most of the kids were gone. Nompis teaches grade 1 there, as well as continuing her work with Pierre & Jaci and Vukuzahke as a facilitator for Dancing Pencils and adult literacy...so we dropped everything
Carrisbrooke School
Inspirational message in the school yard. The site is where "Cry the Beloved Country" film was shot in 1950 starting Sidney Poitier. into her room to be passed out correctly at the school.
So much need in that area is not only educationally focused, but basic need focused. Felicity, Pierre's mom, does outreach there in the afternoons...bringing medical supplies and food to homes where the need is greatest. We ran into her on our way out and Carson, James & Barb went with her. Nick was sick, leaving only Pierre, Curtis, Ellen and I to travel together. We went to Camanga and Bhop Bhop with our items as they are also small, close schools.
Camanga produced one of the things I've wanted for so long - the opportunity to capture on film a child with a pencil wrapped around their neck on a string. I snapped a good photo with my phone to bring home the reality that is parallel to, yet so different from, our students' back home. School supplies are so necessary and important. But incredibly valuable and precious here. Imagine valuing pencils the same way we value our phones or other electronic items. To be honest, I feel like the kids here value them more than we value electronics sometimes. Relative costs, they're so amazing sometimes.
Carrisbrooke School
Rock at Carrisbrooke Primary School with the intro to Cry the Beloved Country painted on...a tribute to the US groups who have donated. Bhop Bhop is probably one of my favorite schools. It's very small, but a great school. There are only 12 learners there this year, but each and every one was present when we arrived that afternoon (not something that happens...ever, really). The children and teachers were delighted with the art & school supplies, as well as the soft toys...with so few kids we give them to all learners there. Which, of course, delights them but also makes the older kids laugh. The computer lab we left a few years ago is still being used - excellent news, as well.
Day 7: Thursday, July 22nd
We traveled out Ncwadi way today, still missing Beaker (Nick). He was still not feeling well and it's a long drive. The day went quickly with less student contact than normal, so new travelers still didn't get the full impact of what a day of delivering looks like. Apparently, there had been a death of one of the teachers in the area of illness (~99% of the time that means AIDS related). The principals and many teachers from the schools in the area were at the service, so the schooling of the children was
Carrisbrooke Primary student...what a cutie!
I believe these photos are from the new Carrisbrooke Primary School Jenna mentions in her e-mail. Exciting to discover good new schools that we can visit again next year! interrupted. We dropped at two of the four schools, the other two (schools with really strong, focused principals & staff) we did a partial distribution with partial drop. The schools with great admin allow for us to trust that the supplies will make it into the hands of the learners. The kids who were at school were certainly delighted. The looks of wonder, joy, excitement, and humor at the soft toys they receive is really lovely.
Day 8: Friday, July 23rd
Today was spent out at Ncwadi Ricmond way - out by where the little girl with the wheelchair goes to school. More beautiful countryside and lots of cute kids. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the girl's school - which has shown so much improvement the last few years - everyone was gone. It's Friday and we were there at the end of the school day. There is little to regulate when the kids are excused from school...except for the dedication, determination and drive of the principals & teachers.
Days 9-10: Saturday & Sunday, July 24th & 25th
The weekend...we didn't get bikes delivered, as hoped, to Dancing Pencils kids...we are going to do
Carrisbrooke kids...with their soft toys. :]
Look at how the children clutch their "new" soft toys to their chests... makes you eager to clean out those toy boxes and donate more next year! that either Tuesday or Wednesday to try to clear out more of the storage. I'm pretty psyched about it - I've never been here when bikes were distributed.
Otherwise it was mostly relaxation time. Saturday we went to Les and Heidi for dinner at their home on the river...it was beautiful! Sunday was going to be flights up in the Micro-Lite. I was all strapped in & ready to go when a plane made an emergency landing just off the end of the runway. James had just taken off, so he came back. Everyone was okay in the plane and they were able to tow it back up the grass runway without a trailer. All's well that ends well, I suppose.
Day 11: Monday, July 26th
Today was a shift from plans. We need to deliver items because we lost days due to the container being held up in customs....but the principal at Carrisbrooke Primary, Dan Shoba, wanted us to come out and see his school again.
In 2008 we delivered computers to them on a Saturday...their school brought to our attention by a gentleman who works in building technology and getting resources into under-funded, under-resources
The Gift
The Carrisbrooke kids made gifts for all of the travel team members: spoons and cups for the guys, spoons and headbands for the girls! schools in the Ixopo area, Julien. They brought us back last year, we saw the computer lab, were given a tour of the school, and were the guests at a festival.
This year, upon our arrival, we were shown around the school again - they are doing amazing things with their garden (it must be four times the size it was last year) and the computer lab was in use, complete with a teacher for working on typing and other computing skills! There was another presentation: a lovely fabric banner with all 211 students' handprints, gifts presented to the travel team members, a boys' dancing group (and subsequent dance with the male members of our travel team), a girl's dancing group (and subsequent dance with the female members of the travel team), and tea & cake with some of the staff. Carrisbrooke has been a small school that makes astounding changes each year.
Leaving there we met with Julien who had another school ready to be outfitted with computers. Ixopo Primary is a new school to us with a passionate, persistent principal who actually went through the school herself. The school is beautiful, having just been remodeled. The
A new banner of love from the Carrisbrooke kids.
The Carrisbrooke students made this banner to welcome the Gen Joy travel team and to say thank you. Just imagine being so appreciative for school supplies and stuffed animals! school has a beautiful computer lab (but no computers were provided) and a wonderful science lab (nicer than Curtis'), but no science equipment. We left 10 computers and some books for their library yesterday. We will definitely go back.
Our day finished off at Himeville low-cost for their adult literacy group. We brought clothes and shoes along with school supplies and soft toys for the 12 women. So amazing, the example they are setting for their kids and community....some are employed, some are not, but all are trying to better their situations through education.
Day 12: Tuesday, July 27th
Today started off with sad news...Barb and Ellen rushed home for a family emergency. Our travel team numbers have decreased and our thoughts go out to them as they make their way back to the US.
We made our way up into the hills toward Kwamvibela Secondary School. We also visited 3 primary schools and a crèche where our presence caused a chorus of toddler cries - if you didn't know, we're rather a scary bunch...we look just like those people who come and give them shots. 😞
It's dusty today. The roads have inches of
At the Creche
Solemn little ones receive soft toys from the "scary" travel team! For many of them, this is the first stuffed animal they have ever had. lose soft dirt on top that puffs up into the air making breathing, and driving, difficult. But it is incredibly beautiful...and the people walking along the road seem unphased by the dust thrown up by the wheels...they wave and go on about their work.
This afternoon we will send items to Lynton and Bhop Bhop adult literacy groups while Pierre and I stay to sort and label clothing, shoes and bikes for Dancing Pencils tomorrow. There is a lot of work to be done...the storage area looks barely touched and we have two days of delivery left. After we clear out some shoes and clothes tonight and tomorrow it will look much more manageable.
Missing you all...I hope this finds everyone well.
JOY!
Jenna
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Nancy Francis
non-member comment
Betzler's travel team, Thanks for keeping us updated in this blog, I kinda feel like I'm there and love the photos! You guys are the best! Stay well! NF