Thursday at Elyon High School & Heshima

Today we started by dropping most of the team at Elyon High School while a few of us went shopping for supplies to perform a surprise for the girls dormitory (up to 11 girls board in a dormitory about 100 metres from the school. With the shopping completed the girls on our team transformed the dormitory; replacing the mattresses, adding sheets pillows and blankets, bedside mats, stools, posters and painting, and a few personal items for each girl. We also supplied a large quantity of food staples (rice, ugali, etc). We purchased stationary and equipment that is so vital in running a school. While the girls on our team revamped the dorm, some of the guys on team just hung out with the students and a few of us demonstrated how to make a solar powered light using water, bleach and an empty soft drink bottle. We even installed 2 in the school library. We also presented some of the funds raised in Australia to allow the school to purchase much needed science equipment and chemicals. We'd love to have spent more time with them (as with everywhere we have been). On our way home we stopped at Heshima Cente for Disabled Children. (www.heshima.org) Heshima is swahili for dignity. Disabled children and often their mothers are shunned by their families and community. This centre is an oasis in this harsh environment for these special people. Although the children had already gone for the day by the time we arrived we were still given a guided tour by the director (Tracy). While the children receive the occupational therapy each day the mums are employed in a jewellery business that is used to raise funds to both pay the mums and support the work of the centre. Of course the had to visit the centre's jewellery shop - Digity Designs. Individuals purchased items and we also purchased a quantity to sell back in Australia for fund raising. For dinner we visited Carnivore Restaurant. (others will write about that)