Day 14 - All good things must come to an end eventually

Today was our last early start as we headed off for our final day at our projects.  Everyone was excited but hearts were heavy with the thought of farewells to come at the end of the day.

Jubilee Academy

As we arrived we were greeted by our usual song sang by the children and teachers. However this morning we all stepped off the bus wearing a selection of animal masks which certainly confused the children! Lara remarked 'blimey they've all gone quiet'.  We had planned to 'treat' the students to our own performance of ‘Reach for the Stars’ by S Club 7.  However, with few of us knowing the words it was a mixture of singing and humming but they seemed to enjoy it all the same!

The Jubilee team in their animal face masks

 

Courtesy of Mrs Hadley and Miss Sibley hunting out the bead shop in the rain storm the night previous, the real excitement was yet to come.  Having purchased several kilos of beads and fishing twine a military operation ensued which involved 3 classes totalling 105 students making an array of bracelets.  The real action was in the baby class where some students tried the beads for taste while the back row in their excitement fell off the bench dropping the beads everywhere.  Thankfully the Lutterworth College students were on hand to organise the youngsters so that every child had at least one bracelet including Charlene who slept with her head on the desk throughout the whole experience! 

Susan showing the children the new text books

Miss Sibley and Mr Hill kindly donated lots of text books in different levels for the different classes. We could tell from the noise coming from the classrooms that they certainly appreciated them.   It was heart warming to see the lessons taking place from the new books which they began using immediately and the excitement of the students for their new learning.

 

The children trying on the animal masks

We were all very excited when Susan told us that the children were going to perform some songs and dances for us as a farewell and thank you gesture to show their gratitude.  Little did we know we were about to experience an impressive African style parade.   The top class boys took to the stage first and sang us a thank you song and then the girls from middle and top class performed a dance for us. They appeared from a class dressed in matching African style skirts and were so proud to show off their songs and dance routine which had clearly been carefully choreographed by Susan.  We were then taken by surprise when Susan announced that we were all to be awarded with  certificates by the children as a way of saying thank you for our work.  There were already a few quivering bottom lips and as we were called out one by one the tears began to fall.  We left them with one last gift, a number of hand knitted teddies were given to those students involved in the parade.  It was a very touching and emotional end to an amazing experience.    

 

 The children entertaining us with their farewell dances and songs

The children receiving their teddies

Jubilee Academy with Lutterworth students volunteers

The hardest part without doubt was saying our good byes to the children.  We all remarked that we couldn't imagine not arriving the next day to our welcome song and seeing the children again.  After one final photo and goodbye we had to leave to return to pack.  Knowing that we have made such a difference to the school and the youngsters has made it a rewarding and unforgettable experience that we will never forget

Luchema Children’s Home

Our last day at Luchema children’s home, the last time we would see the friends that we had made at the projects. We had a slightly later start than previous days; getting onto the church bus with our much loved driver Julius, everyone in either a Luchema or an African adventure t-shirt. This was also our last chance to give gifts to the children and their families so we took all of the remaining donations to the project.

Sat with all of the donations for Luchema

On arriving at Luchema we took all of the donations into a small office, leaving them to be distributed later in the day. The day was organised so we could take control of what the children would do for the day, but in true Kenyan style this changed as during the early part of the day we all went into the classrooms to give one last lesson to the children at the project and thus rounding off our direct contribution to the children’s education.

 

 Pre-unit children having fun colouring

Jacki and Chloe making bracelets with the children

 

Some of the children proudly showing off the bracelets they made

After the usual break for Kenyan tea we took to organising our last day for the children. The classes were put together as pre-unit and class one took to colouring and making bracelets; class two and three played volleyball and class four and five were put against class six seven and eight in a quick game of rounder’s and then a football match. We had a donation of a complete Wolves junior football kit so the children were very excited to wear a football shirt, the only problem was they all wanted one irrespective of which team they were on.

 

The older children playing football in their new Wolves kit

The African sun shone down on us for our last activities with the children making then all the more enjoyable seeing the children’s faces full of happiness. This also made the job of finishing the fence a lot more enjoyable and we finally knocked in the last post securing the school compound.

The completed fence securing the Children's Home site

 

The children were having chapatti’s for lunch with beans as a farewell treat and thank -you from us and some of us spent time in the kitchen preparing the chapatti’s for over 100 children.  Needless to say this took some time and lunch was more than a little late.  It was worth it though as the children really enjoyed the treat.  This was followed by sweets and lollipops as a farewell gift from us.

 Emily, Charlotte and Chloe mixing chapatti dough

 

Alice rolling out chapattis ready for frying - only another 99 to go!

Going into the afternoon we were filled with the realisation we were leaving, so with our last afternoon we sat in the middle of the football field handing out our donations to the children. We did encounter some cheeky behaviour from some of them, though this is understandable when thinking about the position these children are in. We rushed to finish giving out donations with grey clouds rolling in overhead.

 Giving out donations - Oli trying on donated glasses (spot the Harry Potter look alike)

 

Giving each child an item of new clothing from our many donations

We promptly finished and were then treated to the classes performing a song, dance or poem for us. The odd water droplet was falling here and there, which quickly turned into a down poor putting a dampener on our send off. This made our goodbye’s a little more difficult as the rain filled air gave us limited time to embrace and talk to the friends we would leave behind. Tears fell as their were hugs and goodbyes before we had a quick dash to the bus to limit the extent of the drenching that we got and to get back to Kivu to pack for the journey home.

 Farewell celebrations - watching the children perform songs and poems for us (before the rain came)

 

The heavens opened and Luchema became a river so farewells took place in classrooms

On our return to Kivu it was a mad panic to throw things into suitcases before heading off to Nuru Palace Hotel for a farewell celebratory meal with our friends from African Adventures and the Project co-ordinators from both Luchema and Jubilee.  We were treated to some Kenyan singing from the Nicholas ensemble; who are leading music group in Kenya and had been on Kenyan National television earlier the same day.  Their voices were enchanting as we listened to harmonised versions of “Let it be” and “Swing low, sweet chariot”. 

 "Nicholas Harmonies" performing at our farewell meal

 

Receiving our thank you gift from Dan at African Adventures

 

After speeches and farewell hugs it was back to Kivu for our final night, not too late a night due to an early start for Nairobi to visit the Elephant and Giraffe sanctuaries.  There was time however for a little gathering and dancing in the bar before bed.

 

 

Doing the "Andy Murray" in the bar