Come an' look at yer soffits luv.....

Climbing up the ladder to climb down the ladder into the water tank.

I went  to visit a UNICEF Child Friendly School – there are very few of these in the country and none in my district so I went with a colleague from a neighbouring district. The school was reached by climbing  an extremely steep hill , along a rutted packed-dry path. But if you could get there the school was then wheelchair friendly. There were some exciting innovations  ranging from simply lowering the blackboards so that children and wheelchair users could write on the boards to a ‘Special needs Room’ for children who needed to rest during the day. It had two beds and fresh drinking water.  

Whilst we were there we were invited to look in the water tank which was being repaired by a guy from ‘Engineers Without Borders’ It was reminiscent of being a headteacher and being told  by one of the building Inspectors to  ‘Come and look at yer soffits, luv’  (I dutifully went and looked) 

The Foreman inside the water tank

 I’ve had more interesting trips this week – but this time travelling on buses. The express bus services in Rwanda are extremely good and efficient, the main roads are tarmac and in good condition. But there is another form of bus travel  which, across Africa, is called ‘Matatus’. These amazing vehicles get crammed with people, livestock, grain,  plastic jerry cans, bowls, buckets, charcoal – you name it the matatus can carry it! They are often battered, dented  and rusty, but they transport vast numbers of people to the remotest places. There is a snag! The driver does not leave until the bus is full and sometimes you can sit on the bus for a very long time before it takes off. On Thursday I sat and waited  for one and a half hours along with three local ladies and some dried fish!! Eventually a guy got on and after sitting for a while said he was going to get the express bus did I want to join him – this was great news because I didn't know there was an express bus to my planned destination. As it was , I was correct,  it was a matatu masquerading as an express bus! I simply sat on a different bus until the driver decided it was time to go.

Visual aids made with bottle tops

Just a very quick story about a moto ride. My policy when riding on a ‘ihene’ or little goat bike is the same as when riding on a bus in Manchester  - ‘Please do not distract the driver’  But last night on the way home my moto driver was so keen to practice his English that he spent most of the journey with only one hand on the handlebars and facing backwards to talk to me! I did arrive home  safely however!

I hear that Spring has sprung in UK and that there has been lots of sunshine, people have been out gardening and new life has begun. Hooray!!!! Lots of love to everyone, enjoy the fresh air. T xxxxx