October visit to Sierra Leone
The visit was very successful. The group was so supportive of each other, we had some good laughs and well as some focused activities with schools. There was a mixture of older and younger, experienced travellers and new to Africa people. It was the perfect mix, and everyone listened patiently to my risk assessments every morning!
12 teachers, 4 HSLFL members and Yvonne Johnson travelled together. Our timetable included
- Joint training workshop
- Headteachers workshop
- Work in schools for teachers,
- Visits to schools by Isabel, Corinne and Jeitta
- Sanitation Meeting and visits to schools by Richard, Alex and Suffian
- Reflection meeting
- International Pupil Council meeting
- School Farms Exhibition
It also included
- A cooking lesson
- Visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Lots of eating out courtesy of Yvonne, Mimi, Francis and Abie, and the school teachers
- A visit to the beach
- A visit to Francis Mason’s new project
- A visit to Freetown, sight-seeing and shopping
- A meal out, treating our partners for all their hard work, support, friendship and care during our visit
Not bad for 8 days in between long travel days!
I would like to say a huge thank you to the following people without which this visit would not have been possible.
These include Yvonne Johnson and Yvette John from the London Association, Frances and Abie Mason, Jeitta, Suffian and Letitia, and 247 coaches for their reduced cost of UK transport.
What we achieved in our last visit in October 2023.
- Rebuilding of relationships for those of us having travelled before.
- An understanding of life and culture of Sierra Leone, which will be passed on to children, schools and the communities of Hastings UK.
- Relationships across the ocean that will continue to flourish through Whats App and further visits, which will strengthen all the communities understanding of Global Citizenship.
- A sharing of teaching and learning strategies which will benefit children and teachers in both countries.
- An appreciation of what we have in UK, and also what SL has that we lack.
- The start of our Joint Schools Project, ‘Protecting our Future’
- An update on the Sanitation Project
- Some first hand experience of the success of the School Farms Project including butterflies
- Information about the TTC to share
- An experience never to be forgotten, and relationships between the UK group that will continue to grow.
For the presentation on the October visit and on the Schools Farm Project, click on this link: AGM schools presentation 2023
