Feb 26th - March 5th - trip to Si-Kunda

Gloz and I returned early hours of Saturday 6th after a very enjoyable trip. We only managed a week this time, but still managed to achieve all we wanted to, so it meant early mornings and late evenings! first update below, with more to follow ...
Si-Kunda School has had a 'makeover' - The teachers have painted the entire school, including the kitchen and the surrounding school walls and gates; A wall has been built to define the school garden from the playground; The storeroom has been cleared; Furniture has been made for the two teachers offices; Metal shelving; The roof and ceiling have been repaired in one corner of the school; Seedling beds have been prepared in the garden; A new metal lid has been fitted to cover the well; Paths made in the school grounds; and generally all the school is looking very tidy, spic and span! We attended the school's first PTA meeting, with a lot of good suggestions being made and it was agreed which actions should be first priority. School attendance is rising, and school dinners are now being supplied Monday to Thursday, with Tombolu being the school cook, we joined in one lunchtime and the rice was extremely tasty. She cooks it with some peppers and onion, and when there are vegetables harvested in the school garden the produce supplements the rice. To add to the rice we provide, we have been allocated some ground in the rice fields, with the promise by the elders of the village that groundnuts will be grown for the school also. Any surplus will be sold to go towards the school fund. The schools needs new classroom blackboards, but apart from that it has quite a lot of supplies to keep it going at the moment. The childrens desks and benches soon need to be replaced, but we are hoping that these will be done soon by another organisation, so we will wait to see it this happens, if not, then we will have to try to do something about it. The school is progressing, the teachers and pupils seem happy, there are improvements still to be made but with hard work and determination this school will continue to improve.