Blog for 13th Feb.



The meal and visit last night was wonderful … the man to escort me was a friend of Pauls, Chris, whom I have met before. His son Nicodemus was driving. But when we got to Paul's, along the Nairobi road and then off on a VERY rough and dusty track, the two 'escorts' quickly left so I wasn't able to thank them.


It was good to see Lucy again; she is very bubbley and obviously the vocal one in the marriage. Four of the children were there, and liked their introduction to Quality Street (semi melted !) chocolates.



We talked about family matters, about their concerns for their eldest daughter who is awaiting school results and may be going on to college … or not. We ate rice and beans and ugali and beef stew, with mangoes to follow, and ginger tea. Yummy !



At about 8 there were great crashes outside, and lightning … followed by a real downpour. It was the first rain for months … they say I had brought it with me. Then of course a power cut …. good job I had my wind up torch. Paul phoned Nicodemus as he thought I ought to come back to Mill Hill House before the road was impassable, so a mad dash out to the car, and Nico drove very carefully back in the dark … I have no idea how he could see where the holes and bumps were in the road, but he did. He's 20, and just started a business management course at university. Maybe he could help Paul …



I love the smell of wet African soil after the first rains of the season. I just can't think of a way to put the smell into words … the red earth smells something of chocolate … no; maybe the smell of certain types of sawn wood ? Its the smell of the dust merging with the earth beneath ...



This morning I returned with Morris in his tuk-tuk to the workshop, where I met Evans who is Pauls (at the moment) only student. Another boy has asked to go home to dig his shamba before the rains …

I took a lot of photos and questioned Paul about how he is going to attract more students. He has seen the local sub-chief, and in turn he will talk to parents or guardians of orphaned boys, who have little prospects of any employment.


Paul has a contract to make 50 (or it might be 80) school desks; he has a couple of men helping that he will pay; he will take a small amount too, and the profit will go into the Paluoc funds. This seems to me a good way for Paul to raise money for the project, and for himself as a 'wage' for the training he is doing. I sat at one side and observed him at work with Evans; he is a natural teacher, and with infinite patience. He also says he may make coffins ! A man who looks to me as though he has had polio came mid-morning to help with the sanding and varnishing. He arrived in a pedal driven wheel-chair. I suddenly thought, why not try to get some disabled children/orphans to train ? HATW policy is to work for 'vulnerable children' and a disability makes a child vulnerable.

I'm feeling much more confident after two visits to the workshop; I think my slight misgivings were all due to this being Africa; things aren't done our way here !



To be continued …. perhaps later …

School desks being made ... they will go elsewhere for metal legs to be fitted.

Evans learning the use of the square

 

This little minx lives next to the site !