Eight S6 students and three members of staff from Drummond CHS will visit their partner schools in Muthambi, Kenya, in June. They have been raising funds and collecting resources for the last two years [Issue 155+], but from 22 June–1 July all the hard work and planning will finally become reality. Sixth-former Jemma Craig explains.
We will be travelling from Nairobi to Muthambi in the space of four hours, and visiting villages, towns and markets on our journey. We will not be visiting conventional ‘tourist’ sites, and will stay in the Transit Lodge in Muthambi. We will deliver presentations to the students about life in Scotland – they have requested topics such as Fairtrade, politics, home economics, relationships and health.
During our stay we will be taking part in social activities with the students and the local community: visits to the local church, to villages and community projects and businesses. We will also be participating in various music, drama and sport workshops.
We will visit a Fairtrade tea plantation and processing factory where we will learn about tea from leaf to pot, and meet with workers.
One of the highlights will be a trip to a wildlife conservation park with students from the Wildlife Rangers. This organisation is similar to the Guides or Scouts, and helps young people get involved in conservation and educational work on the importance of Africa’s wildlife.
During the visit we will be initiating and setting up projects for next year, and organising the return visit by Kenyan students to Edinburgh in 2011.
A daily blog by the Drummond group during their time away is planned.
Photos courtesy of Annie Scanlon.