The children had learnt how to create compost and brought from home bags full of decomposable materials. This showed me that the youth can put a lot of energy into any learning that makes sense to them. I wish the science teacher had conducted similar lessons while they were in school. Such lessons could have been originated from either English or Mathematics lessons. We continued our discussion about this subject of making compost as they went about their usual chores of watering the plants and removing weeds from their plots and cleaning the surrounding areas
Clearing the neighbouring areas to our garden
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Watering the plants
We also realised that our French beans had been attacked by some pests and a lesson on spraying and handling the knapsack sprayer was conducted-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprayer. This activity brought in some new experiences and you could see the eagerness to learn. All these experiences show us the many possible activities on a farm that we can participate in if employed or when we are employing others.
How to set up the backpack sprayer
Doing the job
At 11:30 a.m we visited the Gayaza High School computer laboratory a place the children love to be. Unfortunately the power was low and we could not use the computers. Our work for the day was to tell a story about 2013 stating your achievements, setbacks and laying your resolutions for 2014.We then quickly decided that we first of all work in groups and reorganize our stories then we record them on camera. Having someone else listen to your story means trusting them as a friend and since we have been together for three weeks now this was easy to overcome. Then came the camera shy faces and before we knew it all the 17 stories had been recorded.
Group work and filming at the far end
Fortunately the power situation improved and we went in full blast to work on typing the stories. This was my computer last time; that was not your place; teacher this one was not my neighbour; I cannot see my work were the phrases that greeted us as facilitators and in a short while we were all happy busy working. We worked up to 3: 00p.m and it was a tag of war getting the children out of this place to go for lunch. We had to use our charming ways including promising those who eat first to return for another session some day if we were to be successful in this and indeed we managed.
Typing our stories.
We remembered to supply some de-worming tablets since in this part of the world health issues like this are not anything to worry about. We talked at length why we must de-worm regularly and the cost for a single dose. At the end of our day we had happy faces ending 2013 and not minding about the setbacks but looking to the future with promising hearts. We enjoyed our lunch and wished each other a new year and set off for home to return on the 2nd January 2014.
De-worming
Enjoying our last meal in 2013 together with the children.God open doors for these youth.