Sunday morning school assembly

Sunday, January 20, 2013 (Day 11)
Makeni

It is still dark when I get up. The air is wonderfully cool and fresh, and the roads are almost deserted aside from the odd lone okada rider, still beeping their horns regardless of the lack of human traffic on the streets. I am in the office for 7.15.

Bob meets me at Restless Development and walks me down to some out-buildings just outside the SLMB School where a dozen or so of the CBF boys are preparing a quick play and speech in front of school assembly. The morning light is particularly gorgeous today with sand sparkling like magic dust inside the beams of sunlight. The school head speaks about the importance of the kids practicing English, French and Arabic when they are outside of the school gates, and then introduces us to all of the kids.

The young CBF lads give a brilliant performance in front of hundreds of kids. They make the kids chuckle with their mock fight and individually give speeches about non-violence between schools that are well received. One boy with freckles puts in a particularly rousing performance. The link teacher tells me that he will ask him to join in the anti-violence community project radio discussion they have planned for next week. Back at the office I write everything up, sort out my paper work and upload all the photos I have thus far collected.