Nach vielen Arbeitsstunden konnten wir Mitte des Jahres endlich unsere neue Website in Betrieb nehmen. Das war uns sehr wichtig, um unser Projekt gut präsentieren zu können. An dieser Stelle möchte ich mich ganz herzlich bei meinem Freund Weslley und seinem Team bedanken, die die Website für uns erstellt haben. Im Zuge dessen haben wir auch unser Layout in den sozialen Medien überarbeitet. Die Informationen sollen immer einheitlich und verständlich vermittelt werden. Wir waren zweimal in Kenia und haben die alten Projekte überprüft und neue geplant. Ganz wichtig war der Kauf von neuem Land. Da wir langfristig mehr Platz brauchen, um mehr Schüler unterzubringen und auch Lehrwerkstätten zu eröffnen, mussten wir mehr Land kaufen. Da die Preise ständig steigen, war es wichtig, frühzeitig zu investieren. Das Grundstück liegt etwa 100 Meter von der Schule entfernt und hat eine Grösse von 624 m2. Es wird aber noch eine Weile dauern, bis wir dort bauen können. Bis dahin nutzen wir die Fläche für den Anbau von Mais und Tomaten. So können wir die Kosten für das Essen reduzieren und den Kindern auch Kenntnisse im Bereich der Landwirtschaft vermitteln.

Nähtelier

Im letzten Jahresbericht haben wir über die Schwierigkeiten der Frauen in der kenianischen Gesellschaft und über unser Nähatelier für Frauen berichtet. Im Januar haben wir die ersten Schülerinnen aufgenommen und mittlerweile kommen täglich zehn Frauen zu Jackline in den Unterricht. Sie werden zuerst an manuellen und dann an elektronischen Maschinen ausgebildet. Die elektronischen Maschinen sind neue, hochmoderne B05 Academy von Bernina. Sie wurden uns von Bernina gespendet. Herzlichen Dank! Sie haben auch einen interessanten Bericht darüber veröffentlicht, den ihr here. lesen könnt. Der Unterricht ist aufgeteilt in eine Vormittags- und eine Nachmittagsgruppe. Die Frauen sind sehr motiviert und freuen sich über diese Möglichkeit. In diesem Jahr haben sie schon grosse Fortschritte gemacht und alle haben die Zwischenprüfung bestanden. Die Ausbildung dauert insgesamt zwei Jahre und endet mit einer staatlichen Abschlussprüfung.

Um das Nähatelier zu finanzieren, haben wir beschlossen, dass unsere Näherinnen während ihrer Ausbildung Taschen und Kleider herstellen, die wir dann in der Schweiz verkaufen. Im letzten Jahr haben wir eine erste Serie von Stofftaschen mit verschiedenen Mustern und einzelne Kleidungsstücke herstellen lassen. Diese haben bereits grossen Anklang gefunden. Für den Vertrieb der Kleidungsstücke haben wir einen Online-Shop eröffnet. Dort sind alle Produkte erhältlich. Ziel ist es, dass sich die Nähwerkstatt selbst tragen kann. Lokale Aufträge für Schuluniformen für unsere Kinder und natürlich auch für andere Schulen sollen dabei helfen.

Sozialarbeitern

Sozialarbeiter:innen sind in einer Schule sehr wichtig. Sie lösen Konflikte zwischen Lehrer:innen, Schüler:innen und Eltern. Schon lange hatten wir die Idee einer Sozialarbeiterin. Jemand, der sich um die Schwierigkeiten der Schüler:innen, die Zusammenarbeit mit den Eltern, familiäre Schwierigkeiten und Schüler ohne gute elterliche Betreuung kümmert. Bis vor einem Jahr war das die Aufgabe von Grace. Neben der Schulleitung und all den anderen organisatorischen Aufgaben war dies eine zeitliche Herausforderung. Deshalb suchten wir eine Sozialarbeiterin, die diese und andere Aufgaben übernehmen konnte. Aufgrund der Thematik der Aufklärung und auch der Einführung von weiblichen Hygieneartikeln suchten wir eine Frau.

Im April lernten wir Eleanor Atieno bei einem Vorstellungsgespräch kennen. Schon beim ersten Gespräch überzeugte sie uns durch ihre Menschlichkeit, ihre Erfahrung und ihr Wissen über die Probleme in den Schulen und der kenianischen Gesellschaft. Wir mussten nicht lange überlegen, bis wir wussten, dass sie genau die Person war, die wir suchten. Sie war das fehlende Puzzlestück in der Betreuung der Kinder und Familien sowie in der Interaktion zwischen den Lehrer:innen und den Familien. Ihre Aufgabe ist es, Ansprechperson für alle Schüler:innen bei Schwierigkeiten zu sein, die Patenkinder an den weiterführenden Schulen zu besuchen und zu unterstützen sowie ein Bindeglied zwischen den Eltern und der Schule zu sein. Da sie auch lange als Krankenschwester im Krankenhaus gearbeitet hat und somit Erfahrung in Erster Hilfe hat, ist sie bei uns für die Erstversorgung von Wunden und anderen Verletzungen zuständig. Wir sind sehr froh, sie an unserer Schule zu haben. Seit sie hier ist, hat sie schon viel bewirkt und die Kinder lieben sie.

Jubiläumsfest

Vor zehn Jahren bauten Grace und Harrison zwei kleine Blechgebäude und unterrichteten darin fünf Kinder. Die Anfänge der Harrison’s Primary School waren nicht einfach. Doch mit viel Herzblut und Engagement haben die beiden etwas Wunderbares für die Kinder der Region aufgebaut. Seit 2017 arbeiten wir gemeinsam an diesem Projekt. Heute steht an diesem Ort ein kleines Bildungszentrum mit zwei festen Schulgebäuden, einer neuen Küche, einer nachhaltigen Toilettenanlage, einer Solaranlage und einer eigenen Trinkwasserversorgung für 170 Kinder. Zehn Jahre haben unglaublich viel verändert und bewirkt.

Dieses Jubiläum musste gebührend gefeiert werden. Für den grossen Tag wurden mehrere Festzelte aufgebaut und viele Stühle aufgestellt, denn alle Familien und Nachbarn waren eingeladen. Für das leibliche Wohl sorgten unsere Köchinnen, die bereits in den frühen Morgenstunden mit der Zubereitung eines köstlichen Pilaus begannen. Gegen Mittag waren alle Gäste eingetroffen und das Fest konnte beginnen. Eleanor moderierte das ganze Fest. Alle Klassen, die Näherinnen und sogar ehemalige Schüler:innen haben eine Tanzaufführung vorbereitet. Es gab sogar eine Modenschau unserer Kindergartenkinder. Die Unterhaltung war nicht zu übertreffen. Nach den sensationellen Darbietungen kam der etwas ruhigere Teil mit verschiedenen Reden von wichtigen Wegbegleitern der letzten zehn Jahre. Grace erzählte, wie sie sich mit der Eröffnung der Schule ihren grössten Wunsch erfüllen konnte und wie das Projekt 2017 mit uns entstanden ist. Schliesslich hatten auch wir die Ehre, uns vorzustellen. Das Fest endete mit einem gemeinsamen Essen. Es war ein voller Erfolg und die Menschen waren sehr glücklich.

Construction work

Unser zweites Gebäude hat leider Risse bekommen. Der Grund dafür sind zu dünne Armierungseisen in den Wänden. Als das Gebäude gebaut wurde, haben die Bauarbeiter nicht daran gedacht, dass darauf ein schweres Dach mit einer Solaranlage kommt. Leider hatten wir damals keinen Ingenieur, der das alles geplant und berechnet hätte. So haben sich mit der Zeit Risse in den Wänden gebildet, die nun repariert werden mussten. Die Firma Ketusha Contractors, welche nun auch für die Planung des neuen Kindergartens verantwortlich ist, hat sich des Problems angenommen und uns mit ihrem Ingenieur eine professionelle Lösung präsentiert. Wir mussten die Aussenwand mit zusätzlichen Stützen versehen, um die Stabilität des Gebäudes und damit die Sicherheit der Kinder langfristig zu gewährleisten. Im April begannen schliesslich die Bauarbeiten, die innerhalb eines Monats erfolgreich abgeschlossen werden konnten. Leider müssen wir jetzt noch den Innenanstrich erneuern. Der Unterricht kann aber problemlos und sicher stattfinden.

Ausserdem haben wir den Schulhof neu gestaltet. Zusammen mit Grace und Harrison waren wir in mehreren Baumschulen und haben verschiedene Bäume gekauft. Darunter Mangobäume und Kokospalmen, die uns in Zukunft mit leckeren Früchten und frischer Kokosmilch versorgen sollen. Ausserdem haben wir schnell wachsende Bäume als Schattenspender gepflanzt. Für die Schülerinnen und Schüler haben wir den Spielplatz um eine zweite Schaukel erweitert, da der Andrang in den Pausen immer sehr gross ist. Zum Schutz der Schule ist das gesamte Gelände eingezäunt. Das ist in Kenia üblich. So soll verhindert werden, dass ungebetene Gäste den Schulhof betreten. Für das neue Gelände mussten wir diesen Zaun nun erweitern. Zum Abschluss des Jahres haben wir endlich die Schulgebäude gestrichen. Die ganze Schule erstrahlt nun in einem schönen cremefarbenen Ton mit blauen Fenster- und Türrahmen.

Transport

Ein guter Freund von uns arbeitet bei Meyer&Burger und hat mit seinen Vorgesetzten beschlossen, uns Material zu spenden. Im Lager haben sie viel unbenutztes Büromaterial, das sie nicht mehr gebrauchen können. Sie verpackten es auf zwei Paletten und schickten es per Frachtschiff nach Mombasa. Nach einigen komplizierten Tagen beim Zoll konnte Harrison das Paket endlich in Empfang nehmen. Die Sachen sind für uns sehr wertvoll und können in der Schule super eingesetzt werden. An dieser Stelle möchte ich mich ganz herzlich bei Sandro Mensah und dem gesamten Team von Meyer&Burger für die grosszügige Spende und die investierte Zeit bedanken!

Unser Besuch

Im September reisten wir mit unseren Familien, Freunden und unserem neuen Familienmitglied Jaivyn nach Kenia. Für viele war es der erste Besuch an der Harrison’s Primary School und in Kenia. Veras Eltern Karin und Valentin sind beide Lehrer. Während unseres Aufenthaltes haben sie den Lehrer:innen in kurzen und intensiven Weiterbildungen viel Input für die Unterrichtsgestaltung und Wissensvermittlung gegeben. Der Austausch wurde von beiden Seiten sehr geschätzt und soll in Zukunft sicher noch ausgebaut werden. Daraus ist nun auch eine Brieffreundschaft zwischen der Primarschule Frutigen und uns entstanden. Vera, Alena und Niluh waren fleissig im Nähatelier und legten auch selbst Hand an. Dort wurde vor allem an der ersten Kleiderkollektion und den Tragetaschen gearbeitet. Katharina machte eine Inventur in der Küche. Neben der Arbeit gab es natürlich auch viel Zeit zum Spielen mit den Kindern. Es war ein wirklich schönes Zusammenkommen und der Beginn vieler neuer und wertvoller Projekte.

FINANCES

Auch dieses Jahr wurden wir wieder von zahlreichen Menschen und Stiftungen unterstützt. Dafür möchten wir uns herzlich bedanken. Wir haben insgesamt CHF 74’584 an Spenden erhalten. Dies ist ein leichter Rückgang im Vergleich zum Vorjahr. Die Ausgaben in Kenia waren ebenfalls etwas rückläufig. Insgesamt beliefen sie sich auf CHF 46’149. Die grössten Posten waren die Ausgaben für das Patenschaftsprogramm und für das neue Land. In der untenstehenden Tabelle könnt ihr die genauen Ausgaben sehen.

Ausblick 2025

Für das nächste Jahr haben wir uns schon viel vorgenommen. Im letzten Jahr konnten wir den geplanten Neubau aus finanziellen Gründen noch nicht realisieren, deshalb haben wir ihn für dieses Jahr eingeplant. Wir haben auch die Planung und die Nutzung des Gebäudes angepasst. Wir wollen einen neuen Kindergarten für unsere Kleinsten bauen. Dort soll alles auf Spiel und Spass ausgerichtet sein. Zusammen mit einer Baufirma haben wir einen Plan für das neue Gebäude erstellt. Es wird zwei grosse Räume für den Kindergarten geben, einen Keller und ein Büro. Im Keller werden wir Material lagern und den Computerunterricht mit den Laptops durchführen. So kann der Platz optimal genutzt werden. Das Büro wird den Materialraum ersetzen, der bisher als Schulleiterbüro diente. Dort können dann auch Elterngespräche und andere Besprechungen stattfinden.

Das Projekt ist für uns sehr wichtig, da wir für die Kleinsten optimale Bedingungen und Platz schaffen wollen. Im Moment müssen sich die Spielgruppe und der Kindergarten 1 noch einen Raum teilen, was nicht optimal ist. Ausserdem wollen wir die Räume speziell für die Kindergartenkinder einrichten und ihnen viele Spiel- und Lernstationen bieten. Die Gesamtkosten für den Neubau belaufen sich auf ca. CHF 50’000, vom Fundament über die Elektrik bis zum Schlussanstrich. Bis heute konnten wir den Betrag noch nicht vollständig aufbringen, weshalb wir mit dem Spatenstich noch warten mussten.

In diesem Schuljahr konnten wir auch den ersten Schritt zur Eröffnung einer Junior Secondary School für die 7. und 8. Klasse machen. Dank einer Sonderbewilligung des Bildungsministeriums können wir ab dem Schuljahr 2025 die 7. Klasse wieder bei uns unterrichten und die Schüler:innen müssen nicht in eine andere Schule wechseln. Wir werden in diesem Jahr versuchen, alle Anforderungen des Ministeriums für die durchgehende Genehmigung einer Junior Secondary School zu erfüllen. Einen grossen Teil können wir mit dem neuen Gebäude schon abdecken. Vor allem haben wir jetzt genügend Klassenräume. Es bleibt also spannend.

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Solar system

In 2021, we installed the solar system and for the first time had electricity in our school. Unfortunately, the solar system broke down this year. The inverter burned out due to constant overload. After several discussions with Swiss specialists, we realized that the system was not installed as it should have been, and therefore it was not adequately protected. Since we rely on electricity for our systems to function, we needed a new system. Together with the help of Roger Imboden (engineer), we reviewed several offers from larger companies for a new and stronger system. This time, we wanted a system that meets the highest standards and is comparable to solar systems in Switzerland. The products should also be ones that are used in Europe. We had several providers to choose from, who presented their projects at our school. After an intensive planning period, we decided on the offer from Chloride Exide. In October, the system was installed over the course of a week. We now have a 10 kVa inverter from Victron with two MPPT charge controllers and three 4.45 kVa lithium batteries. Additionally, we added ten new panels, secured them with a new mounting system, and optimized the orientation to north/south (the optimal position at the equator).

We installed an internet router so that we can monitor the system online at any time. This gives us an overview of electricity production and consumption. The internet connection is significantly better than before, and the signal strength is sufficient for all classrooms, which is essential for integrating it into the lessons. If the solar power is ever insufficient, we have connected the regular power line to the school. This serves as a backup in case of emergencies and can be activated via a switch. The great thing about this is that the surrounding houses now also have the option to draw electricity from this line to their homes. In the event of a complete blackout, we purchased a gas stove for cooking in the kitchen. Now we have a stable and secure electricity situation, ensuring that kitchen operations can be maintained at all times. For the maintenance of the solar system, we have signed a service contract with Chloride Exide. The annual inspections are intended to detect any potential problems early and prevent us from facing another malfunctioning system.

Sanitary facilities

Our largest project to date has been the toilet facilities. In last year's report, we discussed the construction and the system. We invested a lot of time and a significant budget into the entire planning and construction process. This year, it finally happened, and we were able to put the new facility into operation. It is a quantum leap! From the unhygienic pit latrines to a state-of-the-art, innovative toilet facility. After the completion of the construction work, we were, of course, nervous about whether our new system would work right away. It is a worm filtration system with water recycling. The entire facility operates as a large cycle. The waste is flushed into tanks, where red worms convert it into fertilizer. This fertilizer can be removed after about a year and used for the garden. The wastewater is pressed through a filter made of sand, stones, and cloths in these tanks and flows into the large wetland. There, it is filtered again for several days through a sand and stone filter. After this process, the water is cleaned to the extent that it can be safely reused for flushing. We are very proud of this project and the positive impact it has on hygiene and the environment!
The facility consists of two blocks, one for girls and one for boys. In the girls' block, there are six stalls with two seated toilets and three squat toilets for the youngest children, two showers, a teacher's toilet, and a disabled-access toilet. In the boys' block, there are six urinals, three stalls with one seated and two squat toilets, two showers, and a disabled-access toilet. The seated toilets were donated to us by the company Laufen (a big thank you at this point!) and were shipped to Mombasa. Clearing the toilets through customs was not a straightforward or inexpensive endeavor, but fortunately, it worked out. These are Laufen save! toilets, which separate urine from the other wastewater. This is very important in our system, as urine contains salt and is not optimal for the worms. Instead, the urine flows into a trench surrounded by banana trees. The plants can extract nutrients from the urine and thus survive without external water supply. In front of the toilets, we installed a handwashing station. To ensure that the children know how to wash their hands properly, an artist painted instructions with observing eyes on the walls.
The entire facility needs to be cleaned regularly. For this purpose, we have created a checklist and hired a cleaning staff. Maintenance is very important, as the system will not function optimally otherwise. Additionally, we have secured the toilets with metal doors, as there have been instances of unmonitored use during free time, leaving the toilets in a dirty condition.

CLASSROOMS

This year, we were finally able to complete the classrooms. We painted the walls, installed notice boards, and laid PVC flooring. The children can now attend classes in a well-equipped classroom. The PVC flooring is perfect for school use due to its resistance to water and dirt. The students had to wait a long time for this. However, before we could install it, the subfloor in the first building had to be replaced first. The reason for this was the lack of reinforcement bars, which caused cracks in the floor. The installation of the PVC flooring itself was also delayed. This was due to both funding issues and faulty installation. What was planned to take 5 days ended up taking several weeks. The flooring was incorrectly glued, resulting in bubbles. After several repair sessions and thorough supervision on our part, the flooring was finally installed correctly, and we were able to move back into the rooms. With the installation of the flooring, dust development has also been reduced, making the lessons significantly more pleasant.

Sewing studio and girl power

Women in Kenyan society face significant challenges. Their opportunities for education and success are very limited. They are often occupied with household chores and family care, which forces them to forgo education. Teenage pregnancies in Kenya are extremely high. Many girls become pregnant during high school and then drop out. We also have some girls who have discontinued their education due to having babies and are now at home taking care of the family without any qualifications. If they are lucky, their husbands are employed and support the family. Otherwise, it becomes very difficult. We wanted to address this issue and establish a project specifically for these girls and women. The idea was to provide women with job and training opportunities so they can learn a trade and earn some money. This aims to give women a perspective in life and enable a better future. We created a project plan for a sewing workshop. There, we want to train girls and women to become seamstresses and enable them to generate an income for their families. The program will be available for mothers, sisters, and former students. Additionally, the women will have the opportunity to interact with each other in the sewing workshop. It is intended to become a meeting place for women, where they can find a safe space for exchange, advice, and support. To facilitate this, we will host tea evenings several times a month, inviting all women and girls from the region. We are still looking for a social worker to oversee these evenings. Our goal is to improve the overall situation of women in Kenya.

Period cups

Female hygiene products are hard to access in Kenya. Many women and girls cannot afford them due to poverty. This leads to them being unable to attend school or work during their periods. Consequently, this results in educational gaps, lower income, and thus fewer opportunities for a better life. Women and girls are sometimes exploited by men to obtain these products. It is a shocking scenario that we can hardly imagine here in Switzerland. Due to this issue, we reflected on the situation and engaged with the topic. Because even in our school, there is a need for female hygiene products. However, simply buying tons of pads and tampons seemed unsustainable and difficult to implement. We then came up with the idea of using sustainable menstrual cups and washable pads. We launched the "Menstrual Cups for Women and Girls in Kenya" project and raised funds to bring cups and pads to Kenya. The reactions to the project were fantastic! With the donations, we were able to purchase a total of 60 menstrual cups and 50 washable pads. We took these with us to Kenya in September and handed them over to the school. Grace took on the educational work and distribution of the hygiene products. For the girls and women, it was their first contact with these products, and many questions were asked. Here, we also noticed that the level of education and the handling of female hygiene products is not comparable to ours. However, the products were received very well and with great curiosity. Next, we want to introduce the products to the mothers and thus bring them into the community. Furthermore, our goal is to produce the washable pads in the sewing workshop ourselves and then sell them.

Further buildings in 2023

We were able to carry out several small but important construction works. We finally installed a fence for protection around the school. This way, we can prevent strangers from entering the school and provide our students with a certain level of security. In Kenya, this is part of the standard equipment for every school
The old toilets were demolished, and the area was converted into a vegetable garden. We are now growing our own vegetables there, and the children are being taught about farming.

Sponsorships and Charline

The sponsorship program is very important for the children and the school. It currently includes 53 children, among them 6 who are already attending secondary school. The goal of the program is to accompany and support the students until the end of their education. If we only supported them during their school years, they would have no chance of completing their education, as their parents would not be able to afford further education.
What has particularly touched us this year is the story of Charline. She suddenly started appearing regularly at our school, playing on the playground and observing the lessons. However, she never spoke. We contacted her mother to understand Charline's story. She told us that Charline is deaf and does not attend school. Her husband has passed away, and she does not have the financial means to provide Charline with the necessary support she needs. Additionally, she has another daughter who is in a public school and also requires school fees. Deeply moved by the family's situation, we sought a solution. Together with her mother, we found a suitable school for Charline. We enrolled her in our sponsorship program, enabling her to attend the “Pwani School for Mentally Challenged” in Mombasa. We also included her sister in the program and transferred her to our school, where she will be in the 4th grade. We are very happy to be able to support her and her family in this way.

Volunteers

This year, we had a visit from Gianni and Jos. Both provided us with incredible support and experienced a lot during their time at the school. Gianni was with us for three months and taught as a trained teacher. During this time, he lived with Grace and Harrison, becoming a family member of the Nyundos. In his report, he shares what he experienced and what life in Kenya feels like.
Here you can read his experience report.

Jos visited us for a month and did a lot of manual work during that time. He built 15 desks for the school all by himself using a hammer and saw. He also made a swing, a seesaw, and a ping pong table for the children, which are always crowded during breaks. After his stay, he was able to spend another month with the Kenya Wildlife Service in Tsavo National Park. It was also an unforgettable experience for him.

Voluntäre sind bei uns immer willkommen. Falls ihr Interesse habt, könnt ihr euch hier melden: Volunteering

FINANCES

This year, we were once again able to count on numerous donors and supporters. Without you, the entire project would not be possible. We received donations totaling CHF 79,988.13. This is a slight increase compared to the previous year. The expenses this year were somewhat lower compared to last year. The following table lists all the expenses from last year.

Outlook 2024

Next year, we have various investments planned. A major repair of the second building is upcoming, as there are some cracks forming in the walls. The quote is ready, and only a few minor details are missing before we can start the work. We still have a temporary metal building, and the goal is to replace it with a permanent structure. As the number of students in the younger grades continues to rise and more students would like to join our school, we need more space. Therefore, we plan to construct a new, larger two-story building. This will include new classrooms, an auditorium, a staff room, and a space for the sewing workshop. In the long term, the idea is to open a Junior Secondary so that students can stay with us until the 8th grade. We are currently working on the building plan. Overall, the entire building will cost approximately CHF 50,000.

For the financing of our upcoming projects, we rely on your support. With a donation, you help us achieve our plans for the year 2024 and the following years. Thank you very much for your support!

The post Jahresbericht 2023 appeared first on Harrisons Primary School.

During my time at the school, I lived with Harrison and Grace. It was less than a 20-minute walk or five minutes by motorbike from the school. I was welcomed as a new member of the family right from the start and this only increased over the course of my time. Today, when I tell my friends and relatives about my time in Kenya, I always talk proudly about my Kenyan family. The way in which all the family members took me in (at the best of times there were eleven of us living under one roof) really touched me and I was very impressed by how they coped with life. For the first time, I really realised what a luxury water is and what it means to have no running water. The water is painstakingly carried into the house canister by canister. I got a backache just watching, whereas other women in the village seemed to have no problem balancing 20 litres of water on their heads. With this in mind, it is understandable that the water has to be handled with care. Not a drop is wasted: Water used for washing hands is collected directly in a bucket and reused later to flush the toilet. I tried the same thing with my hand shower from the bucket. The kitchen cannot be compared either, especially its equipment: while we are used to having at least a four-ring hob including an oven, my Kenyan family only had a single gas cylinder fire (if the gas ran out, there was still the option of switching to charcoal). Right up until the last day, I was always impressed by what ended up on the table despite the circumstances and I never ate badly, quite the opposite. To summarise briefly: I lived a very simple life, but I never lacked for anything.

Let's get back to school. After surviving the weekend, including countless battles with the prevailing heat, I was allowed to familiarise myself with the school on Monday. I was accompanied by Harrison himself. He drove me to the school, showed me all the rooms and introduced me to the teachers and all the pupils. I then discussed the timetable and the next steps with the headteacher Silas so that I could start my first lessons straight away on Tuesday. On Monday itself, I was primarily present as a visitor. I observed various lessons from the other teachers, got a first impression of the project and curiously observed the interested looks of the children on the school grounds. In general, I was expected to do very little in the first few days. Every time I made the slightest movement, I was immediately offered a break on the grounds that I was tired. I almost had to push myself to be able to offer my help. Fortunately, this soon subsided and after a short time I was an integral part of the team and therefore part of the HPS. As a teacher, I then took over all the maths lessons in Year 8 (last school year at the HPS) from the very beginning. Over time, the maths lessons in Year 6 and Italian lessons in Years 5 and 6 were added. And occasionally I also led individual sports lessons, which meant running after a ball in the blazing sun without a trace of shade (for the children, unlike me, absolutely no problem). I was also always sitting in on my fellow teachers and giving them feedback. When I wasn't teaching myself, I assisted our cook Elina in the kitchen and in the afternoons I often played and danced with the younger classes, which was always a great pleasure for me. I still love to think of the children's shining eyes today.

I really enjoyed teaching and working with my students. It took a while for us to get used to each other, but afterwards I would say it was a very fruitful collaboration. Particularly at the beginning, my pupils found it difficult to openly admit when they had not yet covered or understood something. As a maths teacher, you always encounter the same problems with pupils, both in my work in Switzerland and at the HPS. And yet I have to admit that I had to deal with a few more challenges there. As a teacher in Basel, you are used to every classroom being equipped with a projector and a blackboard, there are plenty of sets of teaching materials and now most pupils are also present with their own laptops/tablets. There is talk of so-called BYOD classes (BringYourOwnDevice) - simply unimaginable in Kenya (or at least at the HPS). I was already happy when all pupils were able to provide writing materials. A textbook was provided for me as a teacher, the pupils copied everything down and got their documents that way. In year 6, I had access to four copies of the book, which meant that small group work was also possible in some cases. The structure of a lesson therefore required a different approach to what I was used to in Switzerland. Although the students themselves did not have their own devices, the HPS was provided with a few laptops including school software by the Labdoo organisation. I also tried to incorporate these into the lessons and thus familiarise the pupils with the use of computers. I also looked at subject-specific learning programmes with the maths teachers and taught them a little so that they could continue to use them after I left. Overall, I certainly noticed a poorer understanding and less intuition in dealing with the computer than would have been the case in Switzerland in the same age group, but the enjoyment and interest in it is at least as great. Fortunately, language was not an obstacle. After all, English is Kenya's second official language and the children come into contact with it from kindergarten onwards. From primary school onwards, lessons are mainly taught in English. As a result, the pupils, especially in the higher grades, are very well versed and fluent in English - in some cases perhaps even more so than me. The only thing that was challenging - or rather took some getting used to - was the Kenyan pronunciation of English and, conversely, my Swiss pronunciation. However, you soon get used to it, but it could also lead to funny misunderstandings at the beginning. On my first day in Kenya, for example, I was given the nickname ‘Safari’ (Swahili for journey) at short notice, as the Italian pronunciation of ‘Gianni’ corresponds to their English pronunciation of ‘Journey’ - still incomprehensible to me today, but quite amusing. As my Swahili wasn't, or isn't, too noteworthy, it took over a week to resolve this misunderstanding. During this short time, however, I wore this sonorous name with pride and then told my friends and relatives in Switzerland with amusement.

As already mentioned, I also taught a little Italian. This came about because Kenyan schools are required to teach another foreign language in addition to English and Swahili in the future - at least that's how it was explained to me. In fact, the timetable (which is not drawn up by the school itself) also included corresponding lessons. The school management originally wanted me to teach German or French. However, as my time at the school was limited and there was no continuation of foreign language lessons in sight, I insisted on letting the pupils choose which language they wanted to learn. It was also important to me that these lessons should be more fun than learning pressure. Firstly, the learning success of a new language in six weeks is manageable and secondly, the timetables already demanded a lot from the children. Not everyone necessarily saw it that way, but in the end we went through with the Italian lessons and it was a great success. We laughed a lot together and the children greeted me in the schoolyard with ‘Buongiorno Gianni’ and a big grin on their faces.

One of the big highlights for me was certainly the farewell and all the emotions I was given. As a teacher, you're used to students not always seeing all the effort that goes into preparing lessons etc. and taking many things for granted. They often only realise this later, but you are still pleased when this is noticed. A teacher can draw a lot of energy for further tasks from these small appreciations. And it's not much different as a teacher in Kenya. I always had a very good and trusting relationship with my pupils at the HPS and also felt that the joy of working together was mutual. However, the emotions I saw and received at my farewell party were beyond imagination. It is difficult to even begin to put it into words, but these emotions and the gratitude I received repaid my efforts many times over. This moment alone confirmed to me that my decision to go to the HPS was absolutely right and also showed me that the work I had done was worth much more than I would ever have given myself credit for.

I wish the HPS all the best for the future and sincerely hope to be able to visit my Kenyan family and all my students again soon. Asante sana - Mwalimu Safari Gianni!

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Construction work

This year there were many construction sites with us. In addition to the large projects, such as the kitchen and the new toilets, smaller works were also carried out.
In the entrance area we thought of something special and created the Hands of Hope. For a long time Harrison and I studied how we could design the entrance area of the school. We decided to do a school art project that would include all the students. We had the entrance wall paved and a painter decorated it with our logo as well as our contact information. In the middle, we left a gray space where we would place our handprints. We gathered all the children in front of the wall and started to make handprints on the gray area with oil paint. This way everyone could immortalize themselves on the wall. It was a huge party and the children didn’t want to leave the school. They would have loved to spend the whole night making prints on the wall. Despite 200 hands, the wall is not yet full and is waiting for more prints from our visitors and new students. The Hands of Hope stand for the hope we want to give to the children. Hope for a better life.

Further, we made the schoolyard more student-friendly. We connected the classrooms with a corridor and cemented the schoolyard. This is because we want the entire school area to be wheelchair accessible so that we can provide access to our school for physically challenged students. Cementing the schoolyard helps us minimize dust and dirt on the grounds and in the classrooms. This will allow us to significantly improve the learning environment. With the corridor, we will also create more weather-protected space. Unfortunately, our cypress tree had to give way for the redesign. However, we replaced it with a mango tree, which will provide shade and fruit in the future. Finally, the second school building has also received doors and windows.

For the teachers we had desks with a carcass made by a carpenter. Until now, they always had to do all their work on a chair. With the new desks, their everyday life should become much more comfortable. For Harrison’s office, in addition to a desk, we had the carpenter make a large cabinet where all documents, materials and laptops can be stored safely. This cabinet also contains our new printer, which Natanel and Anna-Barbara transported to Kenya for us. The printer is very important for the school because we need a lot of documents, forms, assignment sheets and also copies for the operation. If we can’t print it ourselves, we have to commission it for a lot of money.

Kitchen

With the construction of a new kitchen, we were able to achieve a great goal. In November, the time had come and we officially put the kitchen into operation. We organized a big spaghetti dinner for all students and teachers. For many it was the first time they ate spaghetti. It was a day full of joy and fun. The beginning was a bit rocky, however, as we were denied sunshine in the morning, the battery was dead and so we had no electricity. We had to switch to the old fireplace for the inauguration so that we could prepare the food. So when the new kitchen was opened, the food was still prepared in the old one.

With the commissioning of the kitchen, we thus realized that the energy of our solar panels with the battery is not sufficient. However, it was strange that we had a relatively high power consumption at night and it happened each time that the battery was empty in the morning. This led to the fact that we had several times no electricity, because in addition the sun was missing. So we had no water supply and could not cook food. When technology goes out, tried and true methods like fire and water cranking have to help out. It then became apparent that the security lights were consuming more power at night than first thought. Therefore, we had to remove some. All in all, however, it was clear that the supply would not be sufficient for kitchen operations. So we contacted our solar company Greenlog again. A few days later, four 550W panels were already delivered to us from Nairobi, which were successfully installed the following day. From this point on, cooking was no longer a problem. As of now, our panels bring more power than our inverter can transmit. As the power demand will increase with the size of the school in the next years, we will need an additional inverter and battery next. For now, however, we are well positioned and produce enough electricity for the entire school!

You can find the detailed report about the kitchen here. here..

Sanitary facilities

Our school urgently needed new toilets. The old ones were falling apart and the hygiene standards could no longer be met. So we decided to build a new toilet facility. This project is the biggest and most complex in the history of our school. But before we could start the construction, there was a long planning phase. We had to evaluate what possible toilet systems were available, which ones would suit us and whether the implementation was possible with our know-how. We then decided on a worm filter (Vermifilter) with a Wetland. The reasons were the possibility to reuse the drain water, not to pollute the environment with waste and the creation of fertilizer. So we will have worms that will process the feces and toilet paper. In Switzerland, such worm filters are known mainly for compost processing. It is a new type of system which is not known in Kenya. Normally a hole is dug where the feces flow in until it is full. After that it is either emptied or closed. But for us this was not an option, because the environment and especially the school environment are polluted and the water cannot be reused. The worms will be in so-called IBC tanks, where the fecal matter goes in. Now the worms process the feces and toilet paper into compost that can be reused without hesitation after about a year. The wastewater then continues to flow through a layer of sand, cloth and stones, where initial purification takes place. From the IBC tanks, it then enters our wetland. This consists of sand and gravel and is planted with reeds. The water collects there and is cleaned by the sand and gravel layers and the reeds. It is then pumped by a pump into an overhead tank, where it is ready again for the next flushing cycle. The excess water can be used to water trees. The on-site project manager is Bonniface Mwadime, an engineer specializing in sanitation. He graduated last year and decided to take over our project. We are also supported by Chris Canaday, a biologist from Bolivia, who knows a lot about sustainable toilet systems in regions with limited supply. So we have a team of specialists who take care of this new kind of system. Since this type of toilet is new in Kenya and we do not have much experience, we still expect some challenges that we have to overcome. If everything will work properly, we will have a super sustainable toilet system with water recycling.

We have planned two blocks, one for the girls and one for the boys. On the plan, which was drawn by our architect Lukas, you can see the exact layout. In each block there will be two showers and one barrier-free toilet. For the girls there will be five cabins with two normal sitting toilets and three squat toilets. For the boys, there will be four urinals and three cabins with two squat toilets and one sit-down toilet. We need the squat toilets for our youngest members. The blocks are divided so that the students have their own entrance and the teachers have another. In front of the toilets will be the hand washing facility. It consists of three half tanks each with a drain. The water flows through a tube over all the tanks and the children can press water nipples to trigger the water jet. There everyone should be able to wash their hands with soap. With this system we can keep water consumption to a minimum. The sitting toilets were donated to us by the Laufen company. We have received top modern Laufen save! toilets. These separate the urine so we can use it directly as fertilizer for banana plants. The toilets are currently on their way to Kenya by ship. We would like to thank Laufen for the great donation!

For the construction of the building we bought a brick making machine. With it, we were able to produce the bricks ourselves and thus significantly reduce the cost of construction. We mix the components together and in the machine the mixture is then pressed into bricks. The brick making machine will be of great use to us for further constructions in the future.

Additional underground water tank and drinkingwater

As our school continues to grow and we thus also have more students, the demand for water naturally increases. During the year, we have noticed that our water tank is no longer sufficient. We have equipped all our roofs with rain gutters, but since the tank is too small, a lot of water from it gets lost again. In addition, a full tank will not carry us very far if it does not rain for a long time. So it happened that we had to buy fresh water frequently and this put a strain on our budget. We therefore decided to build another underground water tank. This time, however, it was to be much larger, with a capacity of about 90,000 liters. Unlike the first tank, we used an excavator to dig the hole. This brought us several advantages: We were able to save costs and the dimensions of the tank were much more accurate. Unfortunately, it also had a small disadvantage. Due to the tight space conditions, our large tree in the middle of the area had to give way. However, we will replace it with equal value. The whole construction took about three weeks.

One difficulty after completion was the connection of the two tanks. Since they were not the same depth and the first still had a sloping bottom, the connection was not so easy. In addition, it also had to withstand large pressures. But together with our plumber we were able to find a suitable solution and install it. All the rainwater now flows into the large new tank and from there into the small one. If the small one is full, we can close the inflow with a sluice and there is no danger of overpressure and thus destruction of the tank. For the connection we had to use high quality and stable materials, which was also reflected in the price (about CHF 1000). However, with these two tanks we can now supply ourselves with water for an entire year without any problems. Another step towards the desired self-sufficiency.

So we were now able to store enough water, but rainwater, as we know, is not drinking water. We absolutely need drinking water to supply the school and we want to get away from processing it using chlorine. Together with Davis&Shirtliff we looked for a suitable possibility and decided on a UV filter system. This kills all bacteria, parasites and viruses and the water can be drunk without any problems. The water flows from the rain tank via pressure tank through five different filters (2x sand, carbon and 2x sediment filters) and then through the UV filter. So we have managed to produce drinking water from rainwater. An enormously important step for the health of the children!

FINANCES

Compared to last year, we were fortunately able to increase the donation income even a little more. In total, we received a donation sum of CHF 73’660.89! This is an amount we had not expected. Where there is a lot of income, there is also a lot of expenditure. Thanks to you we were able to invest a lot this year and to push the renewal of the infrastructure. The total expenses in 2022 amount to CHF 70’178.12. In the table below you can see the individual items.

New school system

A few years ago, Kenya decided to introduce a new education system. This stipulated that elementary school would only go up to grade 6, followed by junior secondary. At the moment we are in the conversion phase. For us, this means that in the future we will no longer have a 7th and 8th grade. The government has set certain requirements for the operation of a junior secondary school, which we are not able to meet at the moment (like most elementary school in Kenya). At the moment it is not clear where the new 7th and 8th graders will go to school. However, we are doing everything we can to meet the government’s requirements and to be recognized as a Junior Secondary School soon.

Sponsorships

The sponsorships are a very important part of our school. Last year we were able to increase the number to 32. This makes us extremely happy. Since we have had this support for our neediest children and families, many things have changed for them. The children now have two solid meals a day, something their parents could not provide for them before. They have also received school uniforms, shoes and the necessary school materials. The changes are also reflected in their ability to learn. Two of our sponsored children have completed 8th grade and are now moving on to secondary school. Thanks to our program, we can finance this education for them as well and continue to guarantee the chance of a good education. This makes us extremely happy. At this point we would like to thank all the sponsors. Without you this would not be possible. The children and families would also be happy about more sponsors! Here you can sign up for a sponsorship and make a better life for the children possible: Become a sponsor..

Volunteers/Besucher

Anna-Barbara and Natanael visited our school in July. They assisted our cooks with meal preparation, supervised the playgroups, and even conducted individual lessons themselves. The children had a great time, and we are very grateful for their visit. Here you can read the experience report!

Volunteers are always welcome. If you're interested, you can get in touch here: Volunteering

With great joy, board member Matthias and his family visited the school for the first time in April. With their luggage full of games for the children, they embarked on their first adventure in Kenya. Upon arriving at the school, they were warmly welcomed with dance and singing performances from each class. This was followed by an introduction round and a tour of the school grounds. After the presentations, the various games were introduced. Most of the games were unfamiliar to the children and needed to be explained first. For this, they had prepared special instructional videos on the laptops. Speedstacks, Connect Four, Nine Men's Morris, a slackline, juggling balls, and much more were hidden in the gifts from Matthias and his family. The children were thrilled! That day, they were so engrossed in playing that they completely forgot about their lessons.

Outlook 2023

The most important goal this year is the completion of the sanitation facility. As soon as we can put it into operation, we will work on the next projects. Next on the agenda is the planning and construction of new classrooms, a staff room and a multi-function room (library, auditorium). Our goal is to have a maximum of 25 students per class and a single classroom for each. Since some classes are already larger, they have to be divided during the year. In this way we can ensure the quality of teaching and the care of individual students. Furthermore, we want to invest in a kitchen garden, redesign the schoolyard, lay an improved floor in the existing classrooms and put shutters on the windows. So we are not running out of projects and ideas. But in order to realize all of them, we depend on your financial support. Help us with a donation to get closer to our goals and to change the lives of the children!

The post Jahresbericht 2022 appeared first on Harrisons Primary School.

When we landed in Mombasa, the nervousness started again. The printer had to go through a second security check, which meant that the customs officers could have seen the printer and demanded a lot of tax for it. In this situation, however, we knew that Lennox (our guide) would be waiting somewhere in the reception hall to come to our aid. This eased our nerves a little. When we arrived at the security checkpoint, Natanael had the brilliant idea of not putting the printer through the X-ray scanner and simply walking through next to it. (You have to imagine the security checkpoint there as a large hall without barriers with a conveyor belt in the centre). As there were only two people checking, but several dozen passengers there, we were able to disappear into the crowd and ‘smuggle’ the printer through without anyone noticing it. Now we had made it all the way! We met Lennox and Harrison in the airport car park. We could hardly believe that we had made it despite a few obstacles and that we were finally there. The journey to the hotel was very impressive. Everything was so different and foreign to us - a culture shock par excellence. We were surprised by the joie de vivre and the warmth that prevails there. This touched us deeply. However, our plans were somewhat disrupted by the delay of the last flight, so we only had time to buy some groceries and then it was off to the flat hotel. After the long journey, we were glad to get some sleep. We spent the first day (Monday) in Kenya at the hotel to get a good night's sleep and settle in.

FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

On Tuesday we went to school for the first time. We were greeted with a big hello from Lennox and the taxi driver Thomas. The journey from the hotel to the school took about 40 minutes. It was very interesting to explore the area like this. The school is surrounded by the sea on one side and the road is therefore only passable at low tide. As it is still the rainy season in July, the ground was very muddy, which is why we were picked up by the school's teachers with wellies. We were delighted and overwhelmed. When we arrived at the school, we were greeted like never before in our lives. With traditional songs and dances, joyful hellos, cheers and lots of beaming and excited children's faces. Now we were shown the whole school and what had been built recently. Just wow! And then the welcome party continued with a singing performance by all the classes. We were and still are impressed by the talents of these children. This was followed by a time of arriving, getting to know each other and socialising. In addition to the printer, we also brought exercise books, writing materials, craft materials and a first-aid kit among many other things. We had the privilege of thoroughly explaining and showing them the contents of the first aid kit. It was soon lunchtime and we were served ‘viazi’, pieces of potato deep-fried in batter. These became our absolute favourite food alongside chapati. We realised that this was just the starter. The main course was rice with potatoes and tomato and onion salad, followed by fresh watermelon, oranges, avocados, bananas and mangoes for dessert. What a feast! We then went back a little earlier so that we could buy some food (as we were cooking ourselves) and a SIM card. We quickly made friends with Thomas, our driver, and we had exciting and funny conversations during the journey. As well as being our taxi driver, he also became a bit of a friend and dad.

THE FIRST WEEK

On the second day, we brought the printer with us and helped with the installation. The joy was huge, because the pre-primary students' graduation ceremony was also coming up and they needed diplomas for this. Instead of having them designed and printed externally, they could now do this themselves. This saved a lot of money. We also came into more and more contact with the teachers and students. At the beginning, Harrison and Lennox were always there to look after us and explain everything to us (including their culture). We always felt safe and protected. We also quickly realised that you can't help but take these people into your heart.

Unfortunately, the weather was not so good. It rained almost every day. This made the paths and the ground muddy, but the teachers brought us wellies every day when they came to pick us up so that we could walk to school more easily. We slowly settled in and got to know the teachers and pupils. Natanael was mainly present in lessons, watching, helping out and swapping ideas with the teachers. As a trainee teacher myself, this was a very exciting and informative exchange. In general, we were impressed by the way the lessons were organised. Especially the point that the teachers encourage the students and the students encourage each other again and again and ‘celebrate’ each other by clapping or singing when someone gives a correct answer. We saw how much this boosts the students' self-confidence and gives them more motivation to learn. Meanwhile, Anna-Barbara helped out wherever she was needed. She was particularly fascinated by the kitchen or the cooking area, as we Europeans would rather call it. She was also there when the food was served and helped to wash the dishes. It was unusual to cook over the fire and wash over 200 plates by hand, but the conversations we were able to have during this time were very valuable and enriching.  

GRADUATION CEREMONY

Friday was a big day for the school. The students of the Pre-Primary and Lower-Primary classes had their graduation ceremony, as they had passed the school year. Preparations started early in the morning. Everything was tidied, cleaned, wiped and polished. Even our shoes were cleaned. The school was decorated and the children were getting more and more excited with anticipation. Finally the time had come. The parents arrived and the big performance began. The pupils sang and danced in class. After a few hours, the big moment finally arrived: the diploma ceremony. The graduates were called out one by one to collect their diplomas and take photos. Traditionally, they received a few sweets from their parents. At the end of the day there was dancing and celebrating. It was a party!

In the evening, we took the chug over the bumpy roads to Harrison's house for the first time, where we were invited to eat chapati and chatted until late in the evening. We felt very comfortable and in good hands.

WEEKEND

At the weekend, we decided to go on a little snorkelling tour, which took place right in front of our hotel. Lennox organised everything and we were able to go with Furaha, Joshua's father. So we were in good hands. We saw fish that we normally only see at the zoo.
In the evening we had to try the Swiss restaurant recommended to us and it was really good! We were dropped off and picked up by Thomas, who also looked after us very well.
On Sunday, we were invited to the church in Harrison and were even allowed to give a short sermon. The church is actually very different from the one in Switzerland. The loudspeakers were turned up to the maximum so that you could hear it for hundreds of metres outside the church. The duration of the service was also unusual for us. It lasted a whole four hours. Afterwards, however, we were allowed to try the traditional Kenyan meal Ugali for the first time.
On Sunday evening, we had planned to go to Thomas' hair salon, which he runs alongside his taxi company, to get our hair cut. This was funny because the hairdresser had never cut European hair before and we became a sensation in the village. But he did it very well.

SECOND WEEK AT SCHOOL

On Monday we went back to school. Unfortunately, Harrison had to tell us there that he might not be back at school until Friday, as their land at home was being measured and he would then receive an important document for it. (Until then, it was not clear in this district where the boundary of each house's land ended and where it began). But that wasn't a problem because the teachers looked after us well and we already felt at home. But there was something very special planned for Monday: Five trees were to be planted. One for Anna-Barbara, one for Natanael and one each for Sabine, Tina and Martina. Three German women who have been there since the school was built and have supported Harrison time and time again. We feel very honoured and touched that there is now a tree planted for us at Harrison Primary School.

On Tuesday, we took a day off from school and went on a dolphin tour with Lennox. It was a long journey: over three hours by car and then another hour or so by boat to the marine park, where we also went snorkelling. When we travelled back by boat, we even saw a few more dolphins. Unfortunately a bit far away. The trip was very touristy, which we weren't used to.

Wednesday was the first day that it didn't rain and was reasonably dry. So we were able to play football on the pitch. No sooner said than done. The children were delighted. The last few days before departure consisted of finalising the last few things. For example, looking at the toys and checking whether everything was still intact or whether they needed anything else and also a second lesson from Natanael for the teachers, which they wanted, where he could teach them new ways of teaching. He was also able to conduct some lessons in the classes, which was an instructive experience for him. Friday was the big farewell. Harrison organised a special dinner for us with all the teachers. We cooked rösti for them on the induction hob and they cooked ugali for everyone. So we had a big European and African dinner and yes, they really liked the rösti. It was especially funny when they tried to pronounce the word ‘Rösti’. Unfortunately, Harrison and Grace couldn't be there as their country still hadn't been measured, but they visited us at the hotel to say goodbye. It wasn't easy to say goodbye, but it was clear to us that this wouldn't be the last visit and this gave us hope again.
The last few days before their departure were spent doing the final things. For example, looking at the toys and checking whether everything was still intact or whether they needed anything else and also a second lesson from Natanael for the teachers, which they wanted, where he could teach them new ways of teaching. He was also able to conduct some lessons in the classes, which was an instructive experience for him.
Friday was the big farewell. Harrison organised a special dinner for us with all the teachers. We cooked rösti for them on the induction hob and they cooked ugali for everyone. So we had a big European and African dinner and yes, they really liked the rösti. It was especially funny when they tried to pronounce the word ‘Rösti’. Unfortunately Harrison and Grace couldn't be there as their country still hasn't been measured, but they visited us at the hotel to see us off.
It was not easy to say goodbye, but it was clear to us that this would not be the last visit and this gave us hope again.

SAFARI TOUR

On Sunday, we travelled towards Amboseli National Park. After about eight hours by car, we arrived at Sentrim Lodge. That same evening we went on our first tour of the park and we were overwhelmed! The park was teeming with zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, elephants, hippos, antelopes, hyenas and wombats. We were even lucky enough to see a lion from a distance and a desert fox ran in front of the car. Unfortunately, Kilimanjaro was hidden behind the clouds during the two days and we never got to see it. But the buffet of food at the lodge was all the more delicious. After two days, we moved on to Lion Hill Lodge in Tsavo National Park. The view from our room was breathtaking. The view stretched across the entire steppe and we could even see the elephants in the park from the balcony. In contrast to Amboseli National Park, the sand in Tsavo is red and it feels like you are gliding along the roads in a car. The car journey was more pleasant than in Amboseli, but apart from a cheetah nearby, a pride of lions from a distance and a few elephants, dik-diks and water buffalo here and there, we didn't get to see much. But the lodge was all the nicer. We were almost the only guests and were therefore able to enjoy the facilities and the pool all to ourselves. After two days at Lion Hill Lodge, we returned to Mombasa Airport on 4 July. From there we flew back and arrived home on 5 July, tired but happy. It took us a while to get used to our new surroundings and we often miss Africa. But we definitely won't have been there for the last time, that's for sure!

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The realization from Katharina's perspective:

When I first visited our school project in Kenya in October 2021, I truly realized how much we had achieved over the past two years, particularly what my son Joshua had accomplished and built. During my initial tour, I was quite taken aback when I saw a small metal shed at the edge of the property. I was curious and wanted to take a closer look. What could be inside this tiny structure? Perhaps a chicken coop? No, inside, a woman was preparing food for the school children on a fire pit. I was very surprised and thought that something needed to change. I decided to start my own project and plan a new school kitchen. I had many ideas swirling in my head about how to design it. I quickly realized that it wasn’t as simple as I initially thought. Ideas must first be turned into realistic plans before they can be implemented. I considered how best to present and, most importantly, fund the project. I came up with the idea of creating a calendar featuring the school. I decorated it with pictures of the children and included 12 African recipes in the large A3 calendar to tie it to the kitchen theme. The proceeds from the calendar sales were intended to fund the new kitchen. My goal was to raise CHF 5,000 in donations by the end of January 2022. Thanks to the calendar campaign, we managed to raise CHF 5,000 within a month and a half. However, the total cost was around CHF 13,000, so we needed additional donations to complete the entire project.

The second step was to design the building for the school kitchen. However, drawing has never been my strong suit. Using an online house planning software, I was able to design the building. The kitchen was to be 3.5 x 7 meters in size and include three windows and a food serving area. In February, we were able to begin construction. The workers excavated the ground with shovels. It was impressive to see such labor being done by hand in that heat. Brick by brick, the walls were built, and within three weeks, the entire structure was up. Next, we proceeded with the construction of the roof and the installation of the water and electrical connections.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone for the tremendous support. Thanks to you, our cook can now prepare meals for the children under healthy conditions.

Pamoja ni nguvu – together we are strong!

FINANCES

In the following table, you can see the expenses for the kitchen. Not all costs are listed yet, as some items are still pending. Overall, the total cost will amount to approximately CHF 13,000.

Before – After

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NEW BUILDING

In December 2020, we started with the foundation of the second building. We decided to make the classrooms larger so that we could safely meet the governments specifications. We have two rooms with 7.6m x 5.8m and two with 6.7m x 5.8m. So it should have enough space for all students and thus build a good learning environment. Especially the stability was important for us. We wanted to make significant progress compared to the first building. This was mainly related to the correct cement-water mixture and a clean floor structure. In the first building, some cracks appeared in the walls, which we then had to repair at additional cost. Since the floor in the first building was really not satisfying, we planned a clean layer composition with a metal mesh foundation there. The result is really convincing but was quiet expensive. However, we rather invest a larger amount in the construction than to carry repairs all the time. The floor has now only to be finished with stone tiles.

The biggest challenge on the entire building was the roof. It took three months from planning to completion. But I’m proud to say that we now have a Swiss roof. Without this stable construction we would have not been able to install the solar system, otherwise there would have been a danger of collapse. A big thank you to our architect Lukas and our master carpenter Walther!

When we had finished the floor and the roof, it was time for the interior work. All the walls had to be nicely plastered and then painted with white lime primer. Because we were a bit pressed for time due to the solar system and the house installation, 40 men worked on the rooms in one day. As we didn’t have electricity yet, several mobile phone lights had to illuminate the wall for painting in the end. Of course, we must not forget the energetic support of our two master plasterers Sascha and Sebastian. So Swiss plastering technique met Kenyan plastering technique and it worked perfectly! Just in time for the house installation, the walls were finished and our electrician Ken was able to pull all the cables and place the sockets and light switches.

Watertank

Running water is essential for a school service. Therefore we were looking for a practical solution for our school. We decided to build an underground water tank to collect rainwater. If the rain is not enough, we can also order a truck to fill the tank. In a second phase we installed an automatic pump and a pressure tank. This will distribute the water over the whole site and supply the future sanitary facilities and the kitchen with water.

FAMILY PROJECT MATHYS/HÜRZELER

The first volunteers at our school! The whole project started in Switzerland with an appeal for donations in the surrounding area, developed into a toy flea market in Kestenholz, spread throughout Switzerland with three TV reports on Tele M1 and finally ended with the assignment at our school and the installation of the solar system. So it was like a little fairy tale. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Pascale, Sascha, Vivienne and Sebastian, you have grown close to our hearts and have given us so much!

In her very personal blog, Pascale tells you how she and her family experienced the whole trip.
Here you can find the field report (english)

SOLAR SYSTEM, WIRING, LIGHT

Electricity in our school for the first time! Unimaginable for all of us a year ago and now a fact. The feeling, when we gathered in a classroom together with all the students and I was allowed to flip the light switch, was pure goosebumps. I have rarely experienced such a moment of happiness. The planning of the solar system was not that easy. Matthias did all the planning work. He compiled a data sheet with the required output of the system and looked for several suppliers in Kenya. I then took care of contacting and negotiating prices together with Lennox, as well as the delivery and support of the company on site. After reviewing the various quotes, we decided to work with Greenlog ltd. They offered us exactly the components we wanted and which are also used in Switzerland. At the moment we have six 445W monocrystalline solar panels, a 5 kVa hybrid inverter and a 4.95 kWh lithium battery. The good thing about the system is that we can expand it at any time.

SCHOOL FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL VISITS

A big party in January and an even bigger one in October. We really had every reason to celebrate this year! In January we were able to open the first new building and simply enjoy the moment while eating and dancing together. In October we went one step further and invited many guests of honour to the big school party. We had the pleasure of welcoming our good friends from the Matterhorn Children’s Centre Beatrice and Andreas, Pascale and her family, Mama Milly with friends and tour guide Nele. In addition, there were also important members of the community and local politicians present. Our students welcomed our guests with traditional dances and requested them to dance along. Together we all swayed our hips and enjoyed the moment. After all the guests were introduced, we came to the highlights of the celebration: the food, which was sponsored by Pascale and her family and of course the donations of the goods brought from Switzerland. On this day we mainly gave presents to the parents and siblings. Our students were then allowed to look forward to the coming Monday, where they could pick out their gifts at their leisure. Everyone was really grateful and very happy about the successful celebration. It was exciting to see that almost only mothers had come. Only a few fathers showed up, which also showed who mostly takes care of the children.

When the donation handover was in full swing, we were suddenly surprised by the guys from Greenlog. Actually, we only expected a short visit from the boss for the exact planning of the solar system. But to our delight, they immediately brought all the material with them. From then on, we knew that the solar system project would definitely work out.

Besides our school festival, we had the pleasure of welcoming dear guests to our school on a normal school day. At the hotel we met Claudia, Regina, Sylvia and Frank. People with an incredibly big heart. They also wanted to get a picture of our school and we organised a trip together at short notice. On the way they bought school supplies and sweets for the children. The purchase was a great experience for us as well as for the shop assistants, who had to count out 150 pencils, erasers and sharpeners by hand and enter them into the cash register. At the school we were warmly welcomed and the children were very happy about our visit. First of all we had a little tour, then there were demonstrations by the pupils, we continued with the distribution of gifts and finally we had a traditional Kenyan meal. Thank you very much for your wonderful visit and for your support!

DONATION TRANSPORT

We decided to organise another donation transport to Kenya this year. But this will be the last one for the time being. Together with Pascale and her family we collected clothes, shoes, toys and school materials for half a year. Then the most time-consuming part followed: we had to sort and pack all the clothes and toys. Many things we could not use because of their bad condition. Several people helped us with the packing. In total we sent 594 kg to Kenya. Once again we could count on a great cooperation with Swisscargo. Many thanks at this point. As we had already gained experience with a cargo company at the airport in Nairobi last year, we felt much better prepared. However, we were to be proved wrong. Harrison and I flew to Nairobi to unload the goods together. This was the first flight in his life! A lorry took the overland route and was then to transfer the goods to Mshomoroni. At the beginning everything went well, we got five of the six customs stamps we needed without having to dig deep into our pockets. The last stamp was denied us until the end. The young woman with the stamp thought that it was not allowed to import used socks and underwear in Kenya and that her fellow Kenyans did not need this. After some discussion and asking her how the poor people of her country could afford new underwear and socks, she angrily packed up her stamp and disappeared home. No stamp = no goods, it’s as simple as that. Completely shocked we stood in front of the warehouse with perplexed faces and looked at our unobtainable packages. Since Harrison and I had already booked the return flight, we had to make the return journey willy-nilly without any freight and travel to Nairobi again the following week. But just before we left, the bosses were able to negotiate a deal among themselves and we actually really received the goods. Of course, this deal was not free, but we were able to transport the donations safely to Mshomoroni.

Donation handover

Of course, all the presents still had to be distributed. As we already knew from January, this always takes a lot of time. So we planned a whole day to give the presents to the children. The first thing we did was to lay out all the shoes in the classroom. There were over 200! Then each class was allowed to come by and each child was allowed to choose a matching pair of shoes. Then we switched to the clothes. The children diligently tried on everything and were delighted with their new T-shirts, jumpers, trousers, skirts, bags and hats! Seeing the children’s beaming eyes is always a real highlight. We can do so much with so little. A big thank you to all those who donated clothes and goods and to all those who made the transport possible with a financial donation.

CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE

During the Christmas season, we again had a Christmas campaign. For every donation of CHF 25 or more, one received a bar of the finest chocolate from either Honduras, Madagascar or Ecuador. Matthias is a passionate chocolatier. He made each bar of chocolate himself by hand and then sent it to our donors. We hope you enjoyed it!

FINANCES

Of course, an annual report should also include the finances. After collecting CHF 2,500 in donations in the first year and CHF 8,800 in the second, we were happy to receive an incredible CHF 60’922.53.- this year! Thank you very much for your amazing support! With great income comes great expense. In the table below you can see the total expenses for 2021.

Next projects

When a year ends, a new one begins. This year we have a lot of plans again and are in the planning phase of the next projects. We desperately need new sanitary facilities so that we also have good hygiene standards. Here too, we are focusing on sustainability. We will build a biodigester tank, where the excrements will naturally decompose into water. Furthermore, we want to replace the last two temporary classrooms made of metal sheets with stone buildings. Then we also want to build a new kitchen so that the cook no longer has to cook on the floor with fire and in unhealthy conditions. Katharina is responsible for the kitchen and she has created a yearly calendar with recipes of Kenyan specialities for the funding and offered it as a Christmas present. As you can see, there is still a lot to do. Of course, we depend on financial help to realise our projects. We are happy about every donation! Thank you for accompanying us on this journey!
As you can see, there is still a lot to do. Of course, we depend on financial help to realise our projects. We are happy about every donation! Thank you for accompanying us on this journey!

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At the airport in Mombasa, we looked out for someone to pick us up - and found a whole reception committee. Even Harrison, the headmaster, had come especially to greet us. We were moved to tears by all the warmth and joy that flowed towards us.

As the school still had a week's holiday, we first went on safari as a family: the 5 days in Amboseli Park and Tsavo East were like a dream! Being able to experience nature and animals up close was an unrivalled experience.

At the beginning of our second week, we drove to Mshomoroni for the first time, a very poor area about 45 minutes by car from our hotel. The journey was always quite adventurous, as there are no tarmac roads away from the town and we were really shaken up in the car. When it rained, it wasn't even possible to drive to school, so we had to take a long diversions, park the car and walk the last few hundred metres. This resulted in very muddy feet, for which everyone at the school apologised to us (‘Sorry for the rain!’). At the school, we met the headmaster Harrison, his wife Grace and the teaching staff, and we were shown round the various old and new school buildings. There were no children yet because the government had spontaneously decided to make up for the Sunday holiday on Monday. We visited the entire area and in particular the newest building, on which an extra stable roof was built. The plan was to install the solar system, for which we had been collecting donations for months, on this roof while we were there. However, it was already clear that we could not start the next day because the solar panels had not been delivered at the agreed time. At some point we had to go to the toilet and we took a look at the tin hut toilets. Behind the door we found a hole on the floor and water to pour in next to it. It certainly took some getting used to, but our children accepted this situation in an exemplary manner. Late in the afternoon - after many long meetings - we were invited to Harrison's home. We felt very honored and were able to enjoy a traditional African meal on his “terrace” (preparations for an addition to the house for a guest room). We were very touched by the hospitality and warmth of the whole family.

A few days later, we were introduced to each class. The children welcomed us with singing and clapping. We distributed a box of colored pencils and a piece of the Swiss chocolate we brought to all 190 students. They examined it with wide eyes until we informed them that this treat was meant to be eaten."
"To keep ourselves useful until the delivery of the solar panels, we decided to plaster the walls of the newly built classrooms. Sascha and Sebastian assisted the workers. Vivienne and I went from class to class and peeked into the lessons. However, we could never stay too long because the children were very distracted by us. During the breaks, the first interactions among the children took place, and many wanted to touch the white skin of Sebastian and Vivienne or feel their hair. When we took photos, there was always a big scramble because everyone wanted to pose next to our children."

Of course, we also had gifts with us. Once during the break, we unpacked a rope that we had brought along, which was immediately used for jumping rope. Everyone was really excited about it – even some teachers joined in. We taught Harrison and one class how to play Kubb right in the classroom. And the Froebel tower created great concentration, amazement, and cheers under the tree in the shade. The younger ones tried their hand at memory games and stacking figures, all things they had never seen before.
The impressions of that week were so overwhelming that we had to take a rest day for the children (and for us) on the Friday of the first school week. However, we also spent a lot of time on our "free" days distributing clothes to the beach vendors and hotel staff. This always caused a lot of excitement, as some feared they wouldn't get anything. But we were always able to reassure and comfort them by telling them that we would still be there for the rest of the month and had plenty more to distribute.

For Saturday, we had planned a celebration: all the school children and their parents were invited. However, there were hardly any men to be seen. In Kenya, the women predominantly take on the responsibility for the children. We were assigned seats at the front. Each class prepared a presentation: the children sang, danced, or recited poems. We guests were also repeatedly invited to dance along. It was a great pleasure for us. The subsequent speeches from the official guests lasted a long time, and we became quite hungry. Fortunately, cooking was already in full swing in the background. Because it was important to us that everyone had a meal that day, we arranged for the purchase of two goats as well as rice, vegetables, fruits, and water.
And then came the day everyone at the school had been looking forward to: We laid out the donated shoes—there were about 230 pairs—on the floor, and one class at a time was brought in to us. We tried on shoes for each individual child, and we managed to find a suitable pair for almost all of them. In the afternoon, we repeated the same process with the clothes: we dressed each child in 2 to 3 pieces of clothing in the right size. The beaming faces of the children when they received, for example, a used T-shirt were our reward for all the work of collecting and sorting beforehand.

A week late, the solar system was delivered. The new roof had been specially built to Swiss standards to withstand the additional weight. First, a basic structure was created, which was then welded onto the roof. After that, all six solar panels were installed, with Sascha actively helping out. The next day, everything was electrically connected, and all the teachers, school children, and we gathered in a classroom. LED lights were installed on the ceiling, and we watched eagerly. The moment the light switch was pressed and the school had light for the first time was unique and gave everyone goosebumps.
The electricity now also makes it possible to operate a water pump, so water no longer has to be drawn from the tank by hand. Additionally, the donated laptops can be charged. In each class, I introduced a few age-appropriate learning programs. The curiosity was very high. Now, the teachers are called upon to make use of this new opportunity for teaching.
Another project is the renovation of the kitchen. At the moment, cooking is still done over a fire on the ground. The hygienic conditions are quite poor, which is why we actually didn't want to eat at the school. However, when full plates were brought to us, we tried it out of courtesy, and because it was so delicious, we mostly ended up having lunch at the school.

Finally, we couldn't visit the school for a whole week because Sebastian was feeling quite unwell with a bit of fever and a cough. We all tried to recover a bit from the abundance of events. And suddenly (almost too quickly), the day of farewell arrived. We distributed the last of the gifts we had brought along. For example, the girls were all allowed to take a Polaroid photo with Vivienne and keep it as a memento. This surprise was a great success, and the joy was immense!

After many hugs and emotional moments, we left the school. We take away an incredible amount from this time. The people we got to know during our project have all grown dear to us. In Mshomoroni, we no longer see just "the project," but we think of all these lovely people who made our stay special and unique. From their side, they all pray that God will arrange for us to return next year... On our side, we say THANK YOU for the treasure of experience and the warmth we get to take home.

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After the construction workers had understand our plan, however, another problem showed up: According to the site manager the walls were not strong enough for that roof construction and we would have to install some wall reinforcements. We followed the advice and had two cement pillars built, which would then carry the additional load of the roof. One cement pillar we had already built, because it was needed in the corner room to hold the ridge. For the pillars we had to interrupt the construction works for two days.

All in all the builders needed fourteen days to finish the roof. You can follow the construction step by step in the gallery. Of course, the costs of such an elaborate construction is adding up. In the table below I have listed the total cost of the roof. We decided to invest so much money so that the stability of the roof with the solar system and so the security of the children is guaranteed at all times and that it will also last for several decades! For the builders it was a completely new construction and after finishing they found that they now want to build all roofs like this in future. They were as impressed with the final result as we were.

We also have decided to use a different coverage than for the first roof. The Covermaxx sheets are made of an aluminium-zinc mixture, which keeps them rust-free. We increased the thickness to 28G so that we are also well prepared for rougher weather. The improved material was of course reflected in the price, as you can see in the table.

The final result of the roof has really made us happy! All the effort was absolutely worth it. We now have a roof made in Switzerland at our school! As next step the solar system will be installed. We will keep you updated on that!

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In a few weeks, we will be on a plane to Mombasa, Kenya. It's hard to believe how quickly we were able to set up our own project! The realization of a dream...

"We" are my husband Sascha, myself, Pascale, and our two children, Sebastian (11) and Vivienne (10). So far, no one in our family has had contact with Africa except for me. In 2008, I undertook a four-week journey from Victoria Falls to Cape Town, traveling with a group of mixed people in a MAN truck. We camped at beautiful locations, and I took away many valuable experiences. However, what I almost completely missed was contact with the locals. Only once did I have the opportunity to visit a slum and talk to some residents and children. That day deeply moved me and left a lasting impression. Since then, I have carried the desire within me to travel to Africa again someday, preferably as part of a social project, to dedicate myself to the land and its people, along with the joys and challenges that come with it.

When we learned shortly after Christmas 2020 that our annual family donation could not go to the usual project because it had already been completed, I heard for the first time about Harrison’s Primary School in Mshomoroni, which a certain Joshua Schmidli from Bern was supporting. A short video in which he and the school principal, Harrison, thanked us on-site for our donation touched me so deeply that I wanted to get in touch with Joshua immediately. A quick email turned into a phone call, and it became clear that we wanted to engage in the construction or renovation of this school from metal shacks to brick classrooms. So we started collecting donations, clothes, and shoes, with the clear goal of flying to Mombasa in October to see the school in person and help with the construction.

The response to our call for clothes, shoes, school supplies, and toys was great from the very beginning, and over the weeks, we also collected a significant amount of donations. Since we only had limited capacity for transporting goods, but heard from many families who wanted to donate toys, we came up with the idea of organizing a toy flea market in our village of Kestenholz to benefit Harrison’s Primary School from the proceeds. Preparing for this event took some time, but it also touched us deeply! So many familiar and unfamiliar people (!) brought me wonderful toys (sometimes entire truckloads!) to support our project. My practice and Sascha's racing bike showroom temporarily became a storage space where we could keep everything dry and protected.

Through a previous collaboration at another local station, I was even able to enlist the lovely Renate from TeleM1 for our project. She spontaneously took a day to film and interview us among all our boxes and toys. With her unique style, she created a wonderful experience for us and produced a fantastic contribution.--- If you need anything else, just let me know!

At the end of June 2021, the flea market took place, which became a topic of conversation throughout Kestenholz and in some neighboring villages. The rush, especially in the first two hours, was overwhelming, and countless toys found their way to new little and big owners. The donated coffee and the many lovingly baked and donated desserts were equally popular. Everyone was very generous, and by the end of the day, we were exhausted but proud to look at a full cash register.
A personal highlight for me was and still is that Joshua, along with his mother, unexpectedly showed up at the flea market – and he is always there to support us with advice and assistance. We feel very supported by him. Currently, he is helping us with the detailed organization of our trip. Knowing that he wants to help us have an unforgettable stay is incredibly valuable to us.--- If you have any more requests or need further assistance, just let me know!

In mid-September, we want to focus on the huge mountain of clothes and shoes to sort them and prepare them for air transport. The goal is for the goods to arrive in Mshomoroni during the 3-4 weeks we will be on-site, so that we can distribute them to the students, their families, and other people in need.

This transport of goods will incur additional costs. The previous donations will be fully used as promised for the (re)construction of the school. If anyone would like to specifically contribute to the transport costs, we would be very grateful. Such donations should be marked "Transport" and sent to the existing donation account.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and can hardly wait to board the plane and start our family trip. What a privilege it is for us as a family to embark on such a unique adventure… THANK YOU to everyone who supports us in any way, you are amazing!"

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