Newsletter from Upendo Junior School, Kenya - December 09
Dear Friends,
I hope you are all keeping well despite the cold weather. It is a bit hot, windy and with clear skies here in Kenya at the moment-signs that Christmas is now not so far away. How days run! We officially closed school on 26 November 2009. However, whereas the teachers have taken a deserved rest, the children continue to come into the school every day to play games, sing and tell one another stories. They all seem very pleased that they can do this without worrying about assignments and having to be in school before 7a.m. daily.
Electricity connection
This is on course. I wish to confirm that we received the total of £506.24 as deposited in my Natwest Account in time for me to beat the 1st December deadline that I had earlier negotiated with the Kenya Power & Lighting Company Ltd. I would like to report that I have already made a deposit of KSh.60,000/= and been assured of having power connection by January 2010 once we clear with them the outstanding balance of KSh.30,000 meant for survey work, power poles and labour.
May I take this opportunity to sincerely thank the ILT teams (pupils and staff) at Wadsworth, the staff and pupils and everyone else whose contribution has made it possible for us to be assured of light in the school come January when teaching resumes. This will make a tremendous difference for the pupils and teachers alike. But most importantly, we will be able to give teachers hands on training on how to use computers for teaching purposes from the comfort of our school. We hope to connect to the internet too as soon as we can so that we can embed curriculum exchange into our partnership.
Christmas Disco at Wadsworth Fields Primary School
Ms. Lynn Corner and Mrs Jane Sheppard have very kindly informed us that plans are on for the Christmas Disco on Wednesday, 9th December in the Main School. I am sure all members of your school community are looking forward to this and will fully enjoy themselves in spite of the tight schedules at this time of the year. UJS is grateful to the ILT team and Friends of Wadsworth who have very thoughtfully said that all profits raised will go towards our electricity project here. Our deepest appreciation go to Glenn Charles, a parent in the school, for volunteering to DJ for the night at no cost and to every child who has taken time to practice his or her part for next week’s performances. Heko na Mungu awabakriki.
Nottingham University’s School of English Support
During my visit with my wife to the University of Nottingham to receive the Alumni Laureate Award in September this year, Ms Mari Hughes promised that the School of English would try and raise funds to support one teacher’s salary at Upendo Junior School. In keeping to this promise, the School of English and the English Society at the University organized a charity book sale from 24 November to 27 November 2009 to raise funds to pay the cost of a teacher’s salary (£40 per month) in our School effective January 2010. The teacher who will benefit from this support has already been identified. She is computer literate and will hopefully train other teachers on basic computer skills once they are installed. The School of English Office is also currently running a cake sale until Friday 11 December 2009 towards the same course. The cakes on sale have been generously donated by members of the School. A mention of this support appears on the School’s new homepage under “Fund Raising for Kenya Junior School.”
In addition, Ms Hughes has submitted an application to the University to get funds to support a trip to Upendo Junior School of two students and one member of staff next year. Mr. Terry Maxwell and Mrs. Sheppard gave Mari useful information to go into the bid earlier in October. The deadline for applications was 1 December 2009. It is our hope and earnest prayer that this application will be successful. I am sure that both Jane and Terry will be able to provide valuable debriefing about Kenya when the right time comes.
Curriculum Exchange
The teachers here would like to know what themes their counterparts at Wadsworth will be focusing on next term so that they can try and introduce a similar approach here. They further asked me to forward to you the following write-up of the views of children on sources and uses of water here in Kiminini. Thought this might interest your children.
It is our hope too that if the next joint bid for funding to DFiD succeeds, we shall try to set up a miniature weather station where children can record weather conditions on daily basis and exchange this with pupils at Wadsworth. I recall that earlier, Jane and I had agreed on determining the amount of sunshine received in the two schools using a sunshine recorder. The proposed weather station is in line with this view.
Christmas for Upendo Children
It is now a matter of three weeks and we shall all be celebrating Christmas. My wife and I are preparing to host all the Upendo children at our new house on Christmas Day. This will give the children a chance to also celebrate and to share in the joy of the born Christ – a sure symbol of love, true light and peace for the world.
I take this earliest opportunity to wish everyone at Wadsworth Fields Primary School, Upendo Junior School and our friends at the University of Nottingham a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Krismasi njema na Mwaka Mpya wenye furaha and fanaka tele.
Ahsante sana. Thank you.
With lots of love,
Dr. Masibo Lumala
Director, Upendo Junior School, Kenya
Back to top