Maggots!

Friday 4th February

6 months today since I left UK!

Had a fab time with the kids on Tuesday – we took three standards to the beach, including standard 6. It was such fun to see them splashing around and enjoying the water. I took my underwater camera so managed to get some footage of kids swimming underwater but mainly just as we were playing in the water. My mission now is to find a way where we can teach these kids to swim…only 1 out of the 70 we took could swim!

Masterfully now created into a video, which still demonstrates that I am far too busy having fun than to worry about any camera shake!

https://picasaweb.google.com/103349555765727784741/Videos04?authkey=Gv1sRgCJSrpMGXx5vkgAE&feat=directlink

The trials and tribulations of communal living finally got the better of me, and I moved out Tuesday to stay at Cherry’s place. Things got progressively worse since last week, with absolutely no cleaning taking place whatsoever whilst we dutifully waited for the ‘new’ rota to be done. It’s fair to say everyone at the flat was very unhappy, lots of difficulties between all the volunteers and staff both at flat and house. And for me, the last straw was the flat in such a disgusting state, a new rota that was not better than the original one, and a bin that no-one would empty so it was completely stinking, and then full of maggots. So 5am Tuesday morning I empty the bin, scrub and de-maggot it, pack my bags and phone Cherry to come and rescue me!

Anyway, having safely installed myself at Cherry’s, and feeling slightly saner, was then asked to meet with the project lead and project manager that evening. A very frank evening was had, and a lot was said…the upshot is that a local woman will be employed from next week to clean toilets, bathrooms and kitchens daily – big breakthrough, and so, so needed! And new rotas installed, produced by project lead at moment which are far far better than previous.

So will probably move back in next week, but am enjoying a weekend away with friends down in Diani…yes doing a bit of diving (for a change!)..but Cherry has generously said I can stay at hers for as long as I wish. Mmmmm…. Own room, own toilet/shower, hot water, double bed, ceiling fan, enough space for all my belongings, swimming pool etc etc etc versus single bunk, 6 to a room, new people arriving and others going every 2 weeks, 6 to a toilet/shower, cold water, 2 fans trying to point at 3 sets of bunks, belongings still in bags… what will my decision be I wonder?!

Friday 11th February
Well, I did come back to the apartment – moved back in on Monday and have to say it is amazingly different, so much cleaner and much more manageable. We’re full to the brim again, and have another early bird who’s a bit of a ‘talker’ but she’s pleasant enough ….and anyway, I still get up the earliest so do manage a little time on my own.

The kids at both schools are in the middle of their first English tests as part of the grammar scheme. They are taking them very seriously, as are the volunteers. In fact, our daily de-brief meetings (mmm…not so brief) are now full of volunteers sharing good practice, talking about different concepts that we’re trying to get through to the kids…. In fact amazing and so, so different from last term when all we heard about were what went wrong in the day. So with the data we can not only highlight who our ‘flyers’ are but also the kids that are really struggling, plus I can use the data to compare progress between standards and also between the two schools.

I have had a few more kids ‘arrive’ into standard 6, which means we’re squeezed even more into our tiny room with kids that are growing up fast (age range between 11 and 14 I reckon, although as I’ve said before, most of them don’t actually know their age). A couple of them who’ve just started cannot read at all, which is pretty limiting for me (and them) as I don’t have a second volunteer working with me. I tried to get them moved down a standard so they can grasp some of the basics, but Madam Jane was adamant they should stay because of their age and social implications (both are quite developed). One boy who is an orphan and being cared for (not very well) by an uncle (and a wife who doesn’t want him and abuses and neglects him), and a girl who was about to put out to prostitution by her mother (drunk and drug addict [Mombasa has an enormous problem with class A drugs being sold very cheaply]). So, no argument on my part once I’d heard that but very difficult to cater for their needs in the classroom…. But I am trying!

Tap dancing is fantastic fun ….must find some room in my week to annoy my flat mates and do some practice. Each week I am able to do more steps without thinking about it too much, and we all have a funny feeling that our teacher is planning for us to be in one of her shows…ha, ha…. We’ve decided if that happens that people we know here might pay good money to come and see us, so will charge a premium over the normal ticket price and the extra money can then go to Precious…… definitely worth making a fool of yourself over!

Oh, and zumba…… oh my… what a brilliant workout and enormous fun. I spend my whole time whilst zumba-ing with a great big smile on my face dispersed with hoots of laughter. Always surprised I can actually move the next morning… but so far, so good.

The Precious facebook page has got loads of other bits on it now from the last few weeks so if you want to see even more about the school then make it a ‘friend’ and you’ll get the regular updates and also some great footage of the ‘old’ school so you can see just how much progress has and is being made out here.

Facebook: GVI Precious Vision Care Centre