New College's Kenya Trip
Building classrooms, laying water pipes and installing kitchen stoves... not quite your typical end of term trip away in the sun!
A team of 18 New College Staff and Students joined up with Younite Outreach Project in Kenya for a two week trip to volunteer at two local schools, offering up their own time to better the lives of others.
The annual trip to Nakuru, now in its 6th year, saw our team of volunteers return to Silver Bells Children's Welfare and Melon Mission. Students delivered exercise books, planned & taught lessons, trained local staff in first aid and cooked meals for the pupils. In addition, the team also helped to improve the infrastructure of the two locations. They installed sanitation networks to supply the schools with clean water, renovated buildings, laid flooring and installed cooking equipment.
Carla Hitch, Pre-16 Coordinator and one of the staff on the trip, explained how a number of New College students took it upon themselves to sponsor the children they'd met during their trip: "Several students were so moved by the plight of these children in the slums of Nakuru that they rang home and agreed with their families to sponsor children. This is life changing for the Kenyan children as it provides support for their families, enables them to receive health care and provides the funds to progress to high school."
Prior to the trip Carla's department won 'Team of the Year' at the New College Staff Star Awards and was she was happy to put the prize money to good use: "I am happy to say that I too sponsored a child on behalf of our Pre-16 team - Fidelis is 14 year old and without this sponsorship would not be able to go to high school in September."
During the evenings the team were able to engage in local cultures and traditions, attending Swahili lessons and learning local songs. The occasional break in work allowed time for trips to Thompson Falls, the National Safari Park and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for orphaned Elephants.
Carla expressed how grateful the entire team were for the opportunity: "YOP work tremendously hard to ensure that all projects that contribute to the development of the two schools are sustainable. This was the 6th year of New College students working with both settings in Nakuru and the difference they have made is absolutely inspirational - both schools have grown in numbers, resources have been improved, teachers have gained qualifications, kitchens and classrooms built! Younite Outreach Project and New College are quite a team!"
