Day 5 Friday December 2nd in Joska

We traveled by bus two hours out into the farming country to a boarding school for 6-7-8th graders. The students had left for their winter break, but some high school students were there having a camp. One unique thing about this school is that the kids live there and see their parents about 3 times a year for a month break.
The school has it's own farm, they grow many vegtables, and have chickens running loose around the school grounds, as well as two ponds where they raise fish. The food the school does not need for students is sold to others. I think this is a great idea.
The sleeping arrangements are interesting a 3-tiered bunk bed room that sleeps a total of 48 boys or girls (depending on which dorm it is)in one large room. No closets, just a small cubie about the size of 18x18inches for all their personal belongings. Do you think this would be a good way to get your education? What if your family had almost nothing to provide a good life for you, would this be a good solution for education?

Day 4 Spent in Pangani-Working with teachers today

Everyday we ride the bus for about 30 minutes to an hour to get to our school.  The traffic is crazy; cars, carts, bicycles, vans, buses all squeeze together to try to get  to where they are going.  There are no lanes.  Tonight it took us one and a half hours to get back to our motel because of an accident.  Pedestrians weave in and out of traffic across the streets.  I can hardly look out the windows, I'm afraid that we will hit someone.

This is class 5 red; 5th graders and their teacher.  They stay in the classroom the entire day. With the exception of a little time in physical education.  Notice the plates on the desk?  Yes, they eat lunch in their room also.  A 5 gallon plastic tub full of rice with some vegtables mixed in (cabbage and carrots) is their lunch everyday.  They have no eating utensils.  What this picture does not show you is the mold on the patched concrete walls, floor, and ceiling, and the spot on the floor where they burn coal to keep warm on cold days.
I spent the day in six classrooms and then spent the afternoon sharing ideas with their teachers.  The people are very caring and eager to share about their challenges and joys in life.