Monday 26th January 2009 - Today is a real reality check, we are leaving the Park to visit a disadvantaged school with Patience. Patience works for SANParks, her role means she spends a lot of time within the local communities, trying to build relationships, and arranging KIK - Kids in Kruger, this programme is designed to give underprivileged children the opportunity to visit Kruger.Travelling kilometre after kilometre on dirt road, we arrive at Mabunda Primary School in Phalaubeni village a little shaken, but not stirred. We are taken to the Headmasters office, (suddenly I feel like a naughty schoolgirl!) where we are introduced to some of the staff members, as we discuss the school and its needs, an air raid siren sounds, I restrain myself and the urge to hide under a desk, as the teachers seem unperturbed! All becomes clear - its break time!
We make our way outside, to see 100s of children lined up, all patiently awaiting their dinner. A huge dollop of mealie pap with veg is on the menu today, served from a little shack. The government provide this meal for the kids and for some of them, it is the only square meal they will receive that day.
One of the teachers interrupts his own lunch to speak to us, some of his words will stay with me and be in the forefront of my mind through my time here 'What you search for, help us' is what he said. I truly hope so.
After meal break Bring, the duty head, shows us around the classrooms, in each class we are greeted by between 40 to 60 smiling faces, with some sitting 3 to a desk. The walls are bare of the colourful hand drawn pictures found in any UK school, curtains have only been provided in those classrooms where the sun shines so brightly the children were unable to work. Needless to say the school is unfunded and desperate for many things including books, their library if you could call it that, contained a maximum of maybe 40 books. Also apparent was the lack of space, with two classrooms being unusable, the effects of lightning some 3 years ago, the school was still waiting for the government to assess the situation and provide the R5000 (a mere 360 pounds sterling) required to fix and refurbish both classrooms. Yet millions are being spent on FIFA 2010.
Generously the school provided us with some light refreshments, Coca Cola/Fanta and some Scottish shortbread, it was then time to bid them farewell.
I am currently raising funds for Mabunda Primary School - please see link - Donate to Mabunda School on this site or check out www.justgiving.com/tracybrookshaw all donations big and small will be much appreciated.
Making our way to Mopani, it is our dinnertime - true South African styley. Leaving our choice to the expert, we let Patience order! Our plate was piled high with Chakalaka, a very hot vegetable curry, pumpkin leaves and ground nuts in a paste consistency, mealie pap, a cross between rice and smash potato, and last but by no means least mopane worms (which look like huge caterpillars) in a tomato and onion sauce! One handedly we tuck in, firstly taking the mealie pap and rolling it into a ball and then creating a hole within the pap to scoop up the other delights. The term 'delights' you understand is used loosely. Taking the bull by the horns, I choose the biggest (what was I thinking) mopane worm, averting my eyes I pop it in my mouth. Its not unpleasant to taste, I think its more the idea of what's rolling around your mouth, you can feel the little legs on your tongue and it's seriously crunchy! I think one is enough! Kirsteen more sensibly choses a small worm and eats only half! Patience thinks the whole episode is hilarious and animatedly tells the locals of our first worm experience!!!!
Thankfully Sandra has had some forethought and put some apples and muffins in the van just in case we get peckish later!
Although we have been on the road for hours, our day is not yet finished and we head to the Masorini to explore the Iron Age site, which was inhabited by the BaPhalaborwa in 1800's. Our mission, should we chose to accept it, being to create some imaginative way to show and explain the exhibits! Kirsteen and I will be working on this together, via e-mail, when we arrive at our respective Parks.
Going Wild about a pod of Hippopotamus - ten of them in a lake.
Although we have been on the road for hours, our day is not yet finished and we head to the Masorini to explore the Iron Age site, which was inhabited by the BaPhalaborwa in 1800's. Our mission, should we chose to accept it, being to create some imaginative way to show and explain the exhibits! Kirsteen and I will be working on this together, via e-mail, when we arrive at our respective Parks.
Going Wild about a pod of Hippopotamus - ten of them in a lake.
