today was one that we had been looking forward to, even though it meant long boring work. we were spending a day with Softpower, a group using tourists labour to help set up schools & upkeep exisiting ones.
our morning started with a visit to the local preschool for orhpans. they were just adorable , all wanting cuddles, or to play & be spun around. we were treated to a couple of songs, we returned the favour by singing 'heads, shoulders, knees & toes' and then it was time to say goodbye.
we wandered down to another centre whree they are teaching the teenagers how to do art & pottery to make a living. and a drama class which they are using to get across the message of hiv/aids, malaria, first aid & safe sex.
but it was enough play for us - it was time for us to get down & do some hard work. we were all shippped off to a local primary school, all handed big buckets of paint & brushes & rollers. the whole school had to be undercoated. in a few hours with about 25-30 people working we didnt do too badly at all. our hard work was kindly rewarded with a lunch of some sort of meat stew (its best not to look too hard into it), cabbage & rice - all eaten with fingers.
