Twenty-four Guides and leaders from Stone Outward Guides spent a fortnight in Kenya in October today to work on building a new school in a rural village called Kididima. They have raised an amazing £60,000 over the last 18 months to get the school built. Thanks to Stone Outward leader Laura Nuthall for this brilliant report and photographs. If you want to find out lots more, the Guides and leaders will be recounting their tales at an evening at the Christ Church community centre on Friday 7th December from 7pm
The international working project has been to build a new school where a smaller stick and mud one was being washed away. A water well, nine classrooms and an office/staffroom were built prior to the arrival of the team from funds being taken and numerous visits from project leaders Maureen Recine and Moira Cullen beforehand.
This meant the girls rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in straight away smoothing the walls and painting them white. A green very sticky gloss was painted around the base of the classrooms, and then each classroom was given individual decorations on the walls varying from a big red London bus and Big Ben, to Lions, Lizards, a variety of plants, and Noah’s Ark.
Several new wooden desks and smaller tables were built and notice boards placed on the walls, with a fully stocked shelving unit. The desks had named plaques placed on them from people who donated to the project. The team split into groups to take a class to teach songs, make crafts, and play with them. The water game and parachute were very popular. School uniform for several children and two football kits were kindly donated from Stone.
Alongside working on the school the young ladies were able to visit various groups of people and places. The local Guide and Scout groups helped with some of the gloss painting, and good friendships were formed, and a large camp fire was attended to meet more from the girl guiding movement. The group had enough time spare to enjoy a two day safari to see the wildlife of Tsavo.
The project will continue until the toilet block has been completed for the school.
The whole team of SMILE 3 had an amazing experience which they will always cherish. They have all learned more about themselves, and not to take the opportunities we have in life for granted.
If you would like to learn more about the project or are interested in helping in future projects as a guide or leader, please contact Maureen Recine at maureen.recine@btopenworld.com
A huge well done to the Stone Outward Guides and leaders. What an amazing thing to do! They have raised over £60,000 over the last 18 months to get the school built – everything from bag packing at local supermarkets to sponsored bike rides, treks and parachute jumps, barn dances and murder mystery nights! Just brilliant!
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