The rounds of goodbyes are well and truly under way and involve much ‘visiting’, speech making and drinking of soda! I spent Sunday afternoon at the home of a teacher from school who has been a really good friend to me. Vincent is about the most committed and enthusiastic teacher I have ever worked with. He has a tremendous thirst for knowledge and is always coming up with new ways to enrich the curriculum for the kids. His two room home was nice but very simple- stand pipe in the yard for washing, non-flushing latrine, open air kitchen etc. The contrast to my lifestyle as a teacher in the UK was immense.
Then, yesterday we visited his mother’s village. As I’ve been based in town my exposure to village life has been limited. The village, Zuzu, has water pumped to it only twice a week and there is no electricity. ‘Mama Vincent’ lives in a small (crumbling) one room mud house. This year her maize crop failed and she greeted us and the bag of flour we brought her like the biggest blessing. Seeing the background Vincent has come from made his achievements even more impressive. He is the only one of his 7 siblings to have been to secondary school. As so often happens, the older ones clubbed together to pay his fees but barely made them and he had to rely on the kindness of teachers for basics such as soap... It is now up to him to support his family- sobering stuff.
The rounds of goodbyes are well and truly under way and involve much ‘visiting’, speech making and drinking of soda! I spent Sunday afternoon at the home of a teacher from school who has been a really good friend to me. Vincent is about the most committed and enthusiastic teacher I have ever worked with. He has a tremendous thirst for knowledge and is always coming up with new ways to enrich the curriculum for the kids. His two room home was nice but very simple- stand pipe in the yard for washing, non-flushing latrine, open air kitchen etc. The contrast to my lifestyle as a teacher in the UK was immense.
Then, yesterday we visited his mother’s village. As I’ve been based in town my exposure to village life has been limited. The village, Zuzu, has water pumped to it only twice a week and there is no electricity. ‘Mama Vincent’ lives in a small (crumbling) one room mud house. This year her maize crop failed and she greeted us and the bag of flour we brought her like the biggest blessing. Seeing the background Vincent has come from made his achievements even more impressive. He is the only one of his 7 siblings to have been to secondary school. As so often happens, the older ones clubbed together to pay his fees but barely made them and he had to rely on the kindness of teachers for basics such as soap... It is now up to him to support his family- sobering stuff. 
It is very humbling when you think about and realise the struggles other people have to contend with. P.S. You look very lovely in the photograph with Vincent’s Mum. Love & Hugs Dad
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