#4

Day 8 (2nd week & 1st April) After a lousy night’s sleep I didn’t feel completely raring to go on my visit to two different schools not too far from each other about an hour away from here. But Patrick, our lovely driver, was ready so I bade farewell to the others and off we went. I had a wonderful time! Patrick took a very scenic route through villages and gave me lots of local information. As ever there were numerous enchanting looking children waving and calling out as we passed. The first school I visited was a primary school built entirely by the generous donation of one family from a school in Richmond (Surrey), linked to Rwanda Aid. It was delightful, well run and had a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. The children were all outside digging and planting after just having finished exams. They were so polite and interested and, of course, followed me round as I went on a tour of the school. Eventually the whole school was assembled on the football pitch to sing and dance for me. It was brilliant! I steeled myself to address them all and we had quite a laugh with our lack of mutual language. It is frightening however, that the government has decreed that all lessons are now to be taught in English. Most of the teachers speak only a little English and very few overall have enough to teach in it. It’s a major challenge – and problem – for the country but they are making strides to begin to solve it. I’m jolly sure I couldn’t learn a language in a few months, even if my job did depend on it.

The second school I visited was a secondary school with 99% of the students being genocide orphans. A pretty sobering thought. Another well run school with a fantastic head, a pastor called Obadias. His English was the best yet and his sense of humour even better.

Martyn spent two hours this morning thrashing out the finer points of the building programme for the disabled village with the Big Chief Builder. Fortunately by the end of it he was very happy with the outcome – and they are still friends. He also spent a few hours compiling the report of the survey of the earthquake damaged house – and has produced a most professional – and David reckons very convincing – document of some length, with loads of impressive looking letters after his name!

Real, honest to goodness chips tonight, courtesy of David the expert chip-maker. Wow they tasted good! Henry had pushed the boat out and bought some Heinz tomato ketchup he’d spotted in town, With some tasty stew cooked by Francoise and an assortment of veg. it was a feast indeed.

Day 9 So what are the down sides of life here in Rwanda? Well, I really hate teethbrushing without the use of a tap! It’s not that we haven’t got running water – albeit intermittently – but it is definitely not recommended for consumption in any form, so we stand hopelessly with our water bottles and trickle dribbles to little effect over froth loaded toothbrushes. Then of course there are the nightly wrestles with the mosquito nets which appear to cave in on us and tickle. Life is really hard as you can imagine… Heck! we even have to make our own bed (although the laundry and cooking are done for us) which is completely beyond the pail. So, as you may have gathered, it’s not too tough a life here in spite of the very wary reaction we had to the country almost across the board before we left – especially from ourselves. The atmosphere here is very relaxed and laid back: time doesn’t really matter. I think that’s the African way. One of the pastors here tells us ‘The British have watches, the Rwandans have time’!

So, this morning began with finally pinning David down, amid his manic schedule, to think about lesson planning for tomorrow when we are off to help the teachers of a local secondary school in their quest to improve their English. Since the government has decreed that all lessons be taught in English from next year – after many years of teaching in French – but without making any adequate provision for supporting the teachers (many, many of whom cannot speak English or have very little), a major problem has ensued. Many schools, like this one we are helping, are using some of their holidays for extra practice. Not having taught adults before, and knowing my general fear of speaking in public – and indeed of teaching generally! – it was a big relief to have help with the planning. It’s just dealing with the feeling of total inadequacy that gets me down… That, and the knowledge that, just because it’s planned doesn’t mean it’s delivered yet! However, we had a lot of laughs rehearsing role- plays (another of my big fortes!) and finished with a lot of material prepared.
Martyn’s been completing his survey of the earthquake damaged house and cracking on (no pun intended!) with his overview of the disabled village building. I have to confess he’s been doing such a good job. Everything seems to be moving forward swimmingly.

My afternoon continued with interviewing the heads of two secondary schools with regard to their size, structure, facilities and most of all, needs, to see where the help is most required from Rwanda Aid. The problem is that every school has major shortfalls: one yesterday had only six toilets between over 700 pupils and no handwashing facilities at all.
All schools lack books and resources of any kind desperately, but an enormous problem has also been caused by the government plan – albeit an excellent concept – to increase the length of schooling for all children, from six to nine years – but without providing the necessary extra buildings, or certainly not in time, where they actually have begun building. Sometimes the enormity of the problems is overwhelming.

By way of relaxation, Martyn and I went into town to have a wander. Not so relaxing, mind you, being the spectacle of the season. We walked further to the most spectacular views overlooking the lake and felt revived enough to tackle the steep dirt road home.

Day 10 Not the best sleep ever with the prospect of teaching looming. (Hard to believe I ever did do teaching for a living…) but went off with David to our doom at 8 o’clock. The teachers we were helping were delightful and very receptive and interested. Also very good sports as we gave them some role play to do which would have absolutely appalled me in their position. But time ran out before I’d had to do my ‘bit’. Great in one way, but all still looms ahead. It’s no longer quite as daunting though.

Martyn took a walk along the road he’s thrashed out the repairs for and was relieved to find that they have begun well and continue apace.

It’s raining again. I’m almost beginning to think I’m back in England – although I believe it’s been lovely there – as it’s been grey and wet for days. The only difference is that usually, once it has had a good blast of torrential downpour, it’s over for a while and the sun dries everything pretty quickly. I can’t imagine how some of the locals manage however, as the state of the majority of housing does not appear to be well equipped to deal with drizzle, let alone heavy rain.

Martyn went up to Ntendezi with David and a Kenyan lady who had experience of running a home for handicapped children in Kenya. They found her input really interesting and useful and have hopefully managed to avoid certain pitfalls and teething problems by speaking to her.

There were also a few assorted evangelical Canadians who had gone along with them for interest’s sake. Somewhat intense and earnestly good, but here in Rwanda on a laudable mission as they were attending a conference to help the counselling of Genocide victims here.

I spent the afternoon writing up interview notes in order to produce a report on the schools I have visited, and hopefully make some possible recommendations on where help is most needed. Quite a tough call though, as help is vital absolutely everywhere. Sometimes it’s difficult not to sink into hopelessness, and I have to remind myself that, in the immortal words of Mr. Tesco, ‘every little helps’.