Tuesday 18th November

Koiva – Vandahun – Helabu

A day of contrast for the school links team in Sierra Leone. The first school that we visited, Koiva, was dilapidated to say the least! No toilet, a run-down 40 year old building, situated in the middle of nowhere. Cultural dances, a school successfully audited, a link strengthened and an address to the town chiefs later (with a Megaphone!) and we were on our way to Vanwahun. And oh the contrast between the two closely abiding schools is so severe. Benefiting from a government grant (a rare occurrence) the school has it all! Toilets, working water well, a brand new building and, even, the holy grail of educational necessities, a brand spanking new head teacher’s quarters on site. Koiva, by the way, hasn’t even got a well. Well, after a meal of rice and bush meat (who knows what! Probably eagle or something...) we were off to our final destination of Helabu. And then, the fire-works!
On arrival at Helabu, let’s just say we weren’t happy. We walked into the first classroom, to inspect the newly furnished roof (paid for by the enthusiastic link school!) and we what we found was astonishing. The classroom, populated by 20 odd children did indeed have an excellent new roof. However, the ceiling held up by rods of bamboo, was sagging heavily, and intently, over the children. Any moment, the whole structure could have collapsed, crushing the innocent children to death! And I’m NOT exaggerating. What proceeded after this was a heated, perhaps forceful conversation with the headmaster and town chiefs about the safety of their children. Parks rammed the message home with the headmaster, and I attempted to lecture the town chiefs about their responsibilities as parents in the community, and the possibility that we would remove their link if the situation wasn’t resolved. The ironies of the situation were laughable, the subject, however, was deadly serious. After the visit, we set off for home, drained by the experience and thoroughly in need of some rest.
Oh and some, pound wine. Very important that pound wine....