Page 9 - Herioter 2020

Pupils gain

life-changing

experience in

Mitero mission

Our trip to Kenya was one to remember.
We were fortunate enough to spend two
weeks on an extraordinary adventure- once we left the airport and journeyed children from Mitero. However, we left
filled trip with rewarding community work, out of Nairobi and into rural Kenya. To with a sense of hope that the children
thrilling safaris and adventure activities.
break up the journey we spent the first would benefit from our work.
For the last two years, George Heriot’s night at Savage Wilderness Camp. The At the weekend, we went on a safari at
has worked with Mitero Primary School next morning, we continued north to Ol Ol Pejeta Conservancy. We saw many
to improve the facilities and infrastructure Pejeta Conservancy. We stayed in a camp African animals, including elephants, lions,
in an attempt to better the school for on the boundary of the conservancy, rhinos and giraffes. We were informed
both the pupils and staff working there. meaning we were surrounded by wildlife, about the aims of the conservation work
To ensure the community work was elephants being just metres away. The which included protecting animals from
as beneficial as possible, we put in a camp was simple, but we quickly came extinction. One night we camped inside
big fundraising effort leading up to our to call it our home for that week. We the conservancy alongside the animals.
departure. Splitting into groups, we stayed in big tents which slept up to eight Other highlights from the trip were
organised bake sales, manned stalls at people and were provided with a range travelling to the Equator and visiting
the Christmas Fair and organised a ‘Soak of delicious meals. We spent our first full Tambuzi Flower Farm. On our last night
the Teachers’ breaktime event. We all day doing activities to settle us into the at the Ol Pejeta campsite, we told ghost
took part in the ‘Race to Kenya’ where we camp, including mountain biking, climbing, stories with our trip leader Joyce, sang
were sponsored to collectively tally up our archery and Kenyan bushcraft skills. songs and looked for shooting stars. We
mileage and as a group managed to ‘travel’ spent the last few days of our trip at
to Kenya. The combined effort from every The next day, we journeyed to Mitero Forest Camp where we had lots of fun
member of the group raised an incredible Primary for the first time. Despite being canyoning and rock climbing.
£10,659, which was directly invested into a simple school with limited facilities,
work in Kenya, especially Mitero Primary. the pupils and teachers exuded joy; the Our trip, as well as acting as a great
pupils welcomed us by singing songs and opportunity to improve our teamwork
Soon, the adventure began. The group – holding our hands. We began working skills, was also extremely enlightening.
42 pupils and six members of staff – flew on the school almost straight away. The contrast between our lives here in
from Edinburgh to Dubai and then Dubai Our aims were to plaster the floors and Edinburgh and the lives of Kenyan children
to Nairobi. The flights were long, so when walls of two classrooms, construct new was staggering, and we were all amazed
we arrived in Kenya’s capital we were all tables and desks for the younger years, by the happiness, community spirit and
very tired. However, this soon changed
paint the nursery and plant 100 trees. welcoming nature demonstrated by the
The manual labour was hard work, and Kenyans, despite their everyday struggles.
this was intensified by the hot, midday Our group leader, Joyce, was extremely
sun, however, we were all determined to honest about the extent of poverty in
complete the goals we had set out to do. Kenya and explained to us the importance
We worked for five days in the primary of being thankful for what we have.
school and managed to finish all our tasks She emphasised the impact our work
with the help of the Kenyan fundis. Whilst at Mitero Primary would have on the
at the school we also got the opportunity children and teachers, and also highlighted
to teach lessons, play games with the the importance of continuing to use our
children and learn Kenyan songs and privilege in a positive way. This inspiring
dances. On our last afternoon with the message made us reflect on our priorities
pupils we held a sports day competition, and demonstrated that we often take for
a football match and had an assembly in granted things that can go a long way in
which we sang Scottish songs, did ceilidh different circumstances. The Kenya trip is
dancing and got a chance to perform certainly an experience that will stay with
the Kenyan dances we had learnt. Saying us long after we leave Heriot’s.
goodbye was difficult as everyone had Tara Verden-Anderson, Katy Martin
formed strong connections with the and Rachel Fairley (S6)

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