AYESHA’S AFRICAN ADVENTURE

Hautlieu teacher Ayesha Frederick gives her account of working in a Kenyan school as part of a unique volunteering opportunity.

(Words and pictures by Ayesha Frederick)

Ijoined Hautlieu as a Teacher of Geography and Film in September 2022. Before that, I had been Deputy Head Girl and a student here from 2011 to 2015. While finishing my A-levels, I was unaware that I would head down the route of teaching five years later; however, what I did know was that I would always aim for adventure and seek to help others.

When I was given the chance of a volunteering teaching partnership between the charity African Adventures and the University of Southampton, I knew I had to grasp the opportunity. With support from Hautlieu School and the Hautlieu Trust, I was able to go on the journey of a lifetime: spending two weeks teaching in, and exploring, Kenya.

I joined a group of trainee and recently qualified teachers, heading north-west of Nairobi to the city of Nakuru. Between us, we would be working at 3 different institutions in the city: Ungana Academy and The Walk Centre primary schools, as well as Mercy Njeri Secondary School – where I would be based with a small team of geographers and scientists. We learned about the curriculum, which is like our own, and the school structure, which is very different to our own. Students have ten 40-minute lessons a day, running from 8am to 4pm, with additional study time before and after school. Our lessons were taught in English, but the students were more than happy to try to teach us some Swahili in return. My favourite phrase became “sawa,” which means “okay,” but is often extended to “sawa sawa,” to mean “all okay” or “no worries”.

The students we worked with at Mercy Njeri were a joy to teach; they were willing to learn, even though our style of teaching was very new to them. They seemed overjoyed to spend time with us, which led to some very emotional “goodbyes” on our last day. I don’t think I have laughed so much in a week teaching as I did with these students – even when we were utterly trounced at volleyball by the student teams.

Being able to teach at Mercy Njeri has not only improved my confidence in my own skills as a teacher but has helped me to realise how much power education can have. Education is the key for these children, and it will help them to move beyond their circumstances. At Mercy Njeri school, The Walk Centre and Ungana Academy these children have support and an education that might otherwise have been unavailable to them. Without their schools and the support of African Adventures these children would not have the opportunity to have an education. Moreover, many of their families cannot afford clothes or food, which is also provided by these institutions.

After teaching at Mercy Njeri, we went to The Walk Centre for a day, spending time with the children there and taking the chance to meet some of their families. The children at The Walk Centre and Ungana Academy primary schools live in and around the slums and landfill sites of Nakuru. Here entire families fit into one room or live in tarpaulin houses on rubbish dump sites. Nevertheless, they welcomed us into their homes and communities and greeted us with smiles, love and warmth. We received this openness throughout our time in Kenya, and it helped to remind me that above all else, no matter what you have, life is nothing without kindness.

Our trip ended with a childhood dream come true: a trip to the Maasai Mara –the national game reserve. Finally able to test out my slightly rusty photography skills with a two-day safari, I was blown away by the utter beauty of the landscape and wildlife that Kenya has to offer. We also spent a morning with some of the Maasai people, who greeted us with song and dance, welcomed us into their homes, and showed us a snippet of their way of life.

The work that African Adventures does is incredibly inspiring and gives local children a chance to change their circumstances. We saw first-hand the amazing work that the charity does in Nakuru and beyond, and our group will be continuing its fundraising efforts now that we have returned. I hope to visit Kenya many more times, but I leave you here with my final lesson:

At The Walk Centre I had two young girls hold each of my hands and not let go. One girl didn’t even speak, she merely smiled and was just happy to hold my hand and give me a hug.

These children have next to nothing, and school and education is their safe haven. They simply relished the chance to be seen and to spend time with those of us who had travelled so far to meet them. This is the moment in my trip that will stay with me the longest and will be my constant reminder of the value of what we do as educators and learners, and how such small actions can make a world of difference. You can find out more about the work of The Africa Adventures foundation at: www.african-adventures.co.uk