Click here for live updates from the October 2015 visit to Tanzania
Friday
This morning we arrived at school for 7.40am so that we could see the children in assembly. We wore our new Tanzanian outfits and David also has a matching shirt. They sang their school song to us and then David talked to them about the link with Great Malvern and told them it was our last day.
Miss Henderson spoke to them in English and David translated. She explained that Great Malvern staff and children have been following everything that has been going on this week. She thanked them for letting us take photographs and videos to show you and mentioned how impressed we all are by their singing, gymnastics and dancing performances.
Mr Medcalf and Mrs Abba completed the Africa map, it looks amazing! Mr Mzimbo is particularly impressed with it.
100 new Uji cups for all the orphans have arrived today. The children washed them and then their Uji was served in them at tea time.
We planted green pepper and egg plant seeds in the garden today. Mrs Thomson got stuck in!
Staff organised a Tanzanian cooking class for us today so we could learn how to prepare traditional food. We cooked tembele, mchi cha, banana stew and peas. We enjoyed eating with the staff and then we sadly said our goodbyes.
We have to say though that our favourite part of the day was Skyping you in assembly. We will remember the children's faces here forever!! They beamed with delight when they heard you singing especially when you sang the songs they knew. We miss you all very much!
Can't wait to see you all ! Have a great half term everyone. See you next week.
Friday
Thursday
Today was busy as usual. The cheapest way to travel is by Dala Dala, which is like a bus with about 15 seats. We counted 29 adults and 2 babies on the one we used. It was very hot and sweaty!
We were tipped out of the Dala Dala in a rush. We headed to a garden centre, which was more like a shop which sold seeds. The seeds are sold in tins! We used the money Gardening Club donated to buy spinach, tomatoes, radishes, green peppers, egg plant (aubergine) and cucumber. David was very excited about buying these seeds for his garden. £20 goes a long way in Tanzania!
Mr Medcalf and Mrs Abba continued to work on painting the map of Africa. It is starting to take shape now, and all of the children's teachers have been out to look at it.
Have you seen the photos of plastic tubs attached to some wood? This is for children to wash their hands after they have been to the toilet. Two of the bottles (with red tops) are full of soap (green) and the other two water. The water warms in the sun and the children put their foot on the wooded plank and it tips the water so they can wash their hands. This clever contraption is at a local school and David is keen to have them at Martinshamba. Did you see the bags hanging from the trees? These are dustbins to encourage children to put rubbish in the bin and not on the floor. This is a problem in Tanzania so there is a lot of rubbish on the streets.
David taught a numeracy lesson where the children were being taught to draw pie charts. First they needed to draw a circle. At Martinshamba they used bottle tops and cups to draw the circles in their exercise books. We were shocked when David asked the class (100 children) to hold up protractors. Can you guess how many they had?
We asked the football teams to try on the donated kit, which was organised by Mrs Smout. they were beaming as they put them on and they were trying to hide their excitement as we took their photographs.
It is our last day in school tomorrow, so we are all feeling very sad as it has been such a special trip to all of us. Look out for photographs of the finished Africa map tomorrow.
Kwaheri
Thursday
Wednesday
Today we arrived at school for 7.30am to see a whole school assembly. On our arrival we were met by children looking after the school grounds. They used thin twigs to pick up leaves. Can you find this photo? Some of the children were cutting the grass with a huge cutlass while others swept the classrooms and walk ways.
In the assembly they sang the Tanzanian National Anthem which blew us away. We joined in as we knew some of the words. We were then amazed when they started to sing 'Big Red Combine Harvester.'
Mr Mzimbo was over the moon when we gave him the sports bag. He left us smiling ear to ear! He was particularly excited by the rugby ball.
We visited the classrooms today and used the story sacks created by Mrs Brimmell and Mrs Cunningham. They were fascinated by the props and loved wearing the bear ears when we told the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. We taught them the song 'Thank you for our world' and they are now practising in classes, both the words and the signs!
Mr Medcalf started painting a map of Africa for teachers to use with the children. The children are all watching him intrigued...
Tuesday
Today has been the best day by far! Firstly, we planted trees in the school grounds. Then we spent time in the classrooms with the children singing songs and reading your letters. They have all replied to you and drawn lovely pictures for you to see. They also shared some of their impressive artwork with us. A boy called Sam in Standard 5 surprised us all when he recognised a photograph in one of the letters of Sam in Year 3.
We marked the beginning of the Uji Project today with an uji celebration. All 700 children were given a cup of uji as part of a whole school celebration. David organised for the Uji to be served at tea time ( break time) ) and today they used milk instead of water to make it sweeter and creamier. We enjoyed seeing their faces as they were told that today it was free for everyone. The children sat under the trees drinking it, just like we eat our sandwiches outside in the summer. We all tried some too and it tasted like sweet rice pudding. Please thank any of you parents who have bought uji vouchers.
After that we had lunch with the teachers - some boiled potatoes, yams, beans and peas, chapati and bread. We were offered Fanta, water and hot milk to drink. Before the meal we washed our hands in warm water poured from a flask into a bowl. We then sat outside under the shade of a tree as the staff room got very warm.
This afternoon was wonderful bringing Great Malvern to Tanzania by Skype. Years 2, 3 and 6H were able to ask some brilliant questions about our visit and we then took the iPad into a classroom in Martinshamba school. Both the children in Martinshamba school and those in Great Malvern were pleased to see each other.
Our journey ... We arrived in Tanzania yesterday and stayed at the financial capital Dar Es Salam. We have now found out that the capital city of Tanzania is actually Doha. They call Dar Es Salam their financial capital, due to the amount of trade that happens there. We stayed in a hostel called Kurisini for the night, then we left at 8am to make our way to Tanga City . We were told it would take 6 hours but it actually took 7 and a half (Tanga time). Tomorrow we are going to visit the education office to be welcomed by the Education Officer.
