Parties at Bana ba Metsi

It is almost two months now I have been at Bana ba Metsi and within this time we have had two parties at the school, both of which have been a lot of fun.

About a month ago now the standard 7 boys, who had been at Bana ba Metsi for 3 years, left the school after finishing their exams, with many of them hopefully going onto secondary education. The day before they left we had a prize giving ceremony where certain boys were given prizes for achievements in certain academic subjects, sports or skills from manual work. Then it was time for lunch which turned out to be a big and great surprise for me. There was a buffet of so much delicious food. We had a huge plate full of beef, fried chicken, rice, potato salad, pasta, butternut squash, beetroot, cabbage and so on. We even got peaches and custard as a dessert which just really did put the cherry on the cake. It was the first big treat we have had when it comes to food and we made the most of what was on offer.

The standard 7 leavers just before we headed off in the cabstar

The main activity of the day was an evening swim, with music being played on the side which was so much fun with the boys. After a chat around the pool, with the staff giving their advice and best wishes to the standard 7’s the director of the school, Peter Dow in a very nonchalant manner, slipped off his shoes and proceeded to do a front flip into the pool fully clothed. This naturally set the wheels in motion for everyone to get in the pool, which soon turned into a big wrestling match. It was so much fun and with the music and people out and dancing, everyone had a good time.

Thanks to 2 returned volunteers from 2012-13, Sam and Ben (who were visiting the school to see off the standard 7 boys who they had welcomed to the school when they came as standard 5’s) we also got kilos of popcorn poolside, which was eaten a lot faster than it took to make. It was a great send off to the boys leaving who we had gotten to know with our month with them.

Sam and Ben with some of the boys they taught when they first came to Bana ba Metsi

The second party was only yesterday. It was an orphans party for orphans from the villages on one side of the school, on our side of the river. We had to plan activities to keep anywhere up to 100 children entertained for a few hours in between their arrival and lunch, which we had been looking forward to since the previous gorge a month earlier. With TV watching and face painting being taken care of by Mr Sono and Mr Dow, the volunteers took 4 other stations. Nick and Tilmann (the 2 German volunteers) took swimming and races respectively, while Archie manned a whole in the net football shoot out game and I played knock the tins over, for a sweet and musical chairs. I was thankful to have boys helping to translate (although I'm sure I looked funny running around a circle of chairs explaining when to sit and when not to) and re stack cans and with the only potential downside being we are currently in a 40⁰C+ heat wave it was great fun. I found the girls to have a lot more success at winning sweets by knocking all the tins down, much to the disappointment of some boys. 

Androclas, Moagi and Thabiso - some of my helpers for the morning 

 Then after some marimba and chatting, Santa Clause made a special visit from “far north where it is -20⁰C so now it is too hot.. Eish” to give the children a present each. They undoubtedly loved this and soon there were barbies and cars being ripped out of plastic everywhere. We even got some snacks from Santa to keep us going until lunch.

Spot the odd one out?

Father Christmas in a less cold setting than usual but still with his presents

We volunteers had been almost dreaming about the lunch as we were told it was even better than the one at the prize giving ceremony and it didn’t disappoint! We played our hands in the preparation by buying a goat with Magwe (a builder at the school) which we then were able to help slaughter (sorry to those of you who aren’t keen on these things). Magwe as well as preparing the goat prepared 30kg of pork which he cooked for so long it turns into pulled pork and my gosh was it delicious. Along with these there was also lots of the same food as there was at the party a month previous. Again it was such a treat to have such great food and I had even learnt my lesson, eating just enough to be very full but not feel like I would explode.

Warning: any vegetarians or those who are squeamish you may want to avoid the next two pictures...

Bana ba Metsi sure does know how to throw a good party (and get to my heart through my stomach)!

A day at Bana ba Metsi

Hello everyone!

Having been at Bana ba Metsi now for almost 3 weeks I thought I would give anyone interested, a little run down of my daily activities. First off, the schedule here is ordered around a number of bells being rung at different times, the first of which being at 6am to wake the boys (and us) up. The second is to signal the serving of breakfast which is either tasty homemade bread (sometimes with a very sweet coffee) or soft porridge, which I haven’t yet tried with the optional mayonnaise addition the boys love. Next up is registration before the boys do a quick prayer, have a sing and are told something in Setswana before running off to head to class while the teachers have a quick chat to see what the agenda of the day entails.

With one teacher away on maternity leave, recently the volunteers have been covering the standard 5 class, who are the newest students in the school, just coming up to finishing their third term. This can be a challenge but with Archie and I taking them for 4 periods (1 period is 35 minutes long) after breakfast and the German volunteers, Nick and Tilmann, taking them for the 4 after our tea break, or vice versa, it gives everyone enough time to plan and catch their breath. Between the lessons there is a break where we get whichever food I mentioned above, that we didn’t get for breakfast that day.

The 4 Bana ba Metsi volunteers - Me, Tilmann, Nick and Archie 

Lunch is then at 1pm which can be anything from rice, pap, beef, soup/gravy, cabbage in various forms and once a week an orange, not all at once of course. The boys already know me as both tall man and for (apparently) always being hungry, with food piled on my plate by some boys when they serve, and comments about the fullness of my stomach being a hot topic to some. Then on a Tuesday and Thursday at 2-2:30pm is swimming, which is always such great fun and a brilliant way to cool off from the hot weather! There is then a school meeting at 3pm where we understand very little of what is said with everything being in Setswana, apart from the bits from Mr Harpt and Mr Dow. The meeting is then followed directly by manual work where we either help a group or are assigned our own group of boys to do different jobs. So far I have painted the old kitchen and the boy’s toilet block, collected firewood, built a makeshift path from a tap to the pool, collected litter and other various things. I am glad we do manual in the afternoon, so we aren’t in the midday sun too much, and it can end anywhere from 4:30-5:30. Then again on Tuesdays and Thursdays is sports with the boys and apart from that the evening is generally our own. With our dinner of bread at 6:30pm and the ability to watch TV (what the boys are watching), go to the gym, play cards or read etc. we then usually hit the hay early, usually before the boys, for our busy day ahead. 

Our first ever lunch - rice, soup, cabbage and occasionally an orange (my favourite) 

I really am loving it here and there is so much more to share so watch out for more blogs. I hope everyone reading this is getting on well, especially all my friends just starting university, have an amazing time!

Nick, Khosi and Lebole

[Although all blog posts, in my opinion, benefit from pictures the internet at the school isn’t quite fast enough yet, so I will add them to my posts when I am next in Maun.]

This is it!

I can't quite believe that tomorrow I truly start my adventure in Botswana. Flying to Qatar, then to Johannesburg and then onto Maun (finishing off with the 7 hour drive I'm sure I'll get used to). With a good nights sleep being fully in order, as packing last minute isn't the best idea, as well as a busy few days ahead and 30 minutes of free Travelodge wifi quickly counting down this will be a short blog post.

I wanted to say one big thanks to everyone who has helped me make this opportunity a reality and I will try my up most to do the best I can at my project. I am hugely excited for the adventures and challenges that lie ahead, as well as a few nerves and the knowledge I will miss my family and friends (as well as the sea) which all meant I have had the best summer before I leave. As Project Trust say a busy volunteer is a happy volunteer and I don't plan on slacking off at all, so smiles all round.

With slight uncertainty over the internet at my project and the desire to go 'old school' I would love to send and receive letters from anyone who wants to know how I am getting on or would like to tell me news about their year. So please send me any news and/or pictures to this address as not only will they be a great treat while working but also a great momento from my year:

Jamie Henderson

Bana ba Metsi School 

c/o Peter Dow 

Private Bag 006 

Shakawe 

Botswana

I will keep this updated with my adventures and I hope to receive letters from you too.

Until the next one,
Ke tla go bôna kgantele (see you later).

Fresh off the plane in Botswana

Hello (Dumela)

Many of you reading this will already know this but for those that may not, here goes. On the 10th September I will be leaving to spend a year in Botswana as a volunteer with Project Trust at the Bana Ba Metsi school in the North West of the country. This school has 55 boys and young men between the ages of 11-20 and my role, along with my partner Archie, will be to teach basic numeracy and literacy, organising activities and sports clubs as well as doing anything around the school we can help with. I am incredibly EXCITED for the year that lies ahead and although I am almost certain it will be an incredibly challenging year, I'm sure it will also come with huge rewards. I hope to use this blog to update my family, friends and donors, who helped with my fundraising, on how my year in Botswana is going, bringing anyone who is interested along for the adventure (however I can't promise how regular updates will be).

It did not seem like almost a year ago that I was on the Isle of Coll for selection but being back there for training was another brilliant experience. I got to meet for the first time my partner Archie, who I will live and work with for the year, along with the other awesome volunteers going to South Africa, Swaziland and Hong Kong and my desk officer Laura, who hopefully will be out to visit us to see how we are getting on.

Me, Laura and Archie - the Botswana team!

My excitement for going to Botswana grew while I was training. Although we are told of everything that could go wrong (to be able to avoid them happening - don't worry mum), I also met a few people who have been to Bana Ba Metsi and the way their eyes lit up when talking to me just showed to me what a special place and project it is. It made me feel even more thankful to have this chance to go there myself and try and make a positive difference, however small.

The beautiful Isle of Coll
(taken by Archie)

I just want to end my first post here with a huge thank you to everyone that helped me make this amazing opportunity a reality! It is in no way cliche to say I couldn't of done it without a lot of you. All this blog writing business is new to me, so I'm not promising story gold each time, but just to let people know what this year will bring.

Until the next one,
Ke tla go bôna kgantele (see you later).