Hope the generator holds out...

Am typing with fingers crossed (figuratively speaking) as there's been a powercut and the generator has just been cranked up, drowning out the sound of the crickets and the frogs. The powercut may have something to do with the epic tropical thunderstorm which woke me at 5.30 this morning.

Today the Caroline, the programme manager of our partner oganisation, Hodi, and Kasamba, Hodi's logistician and I visited two schools where we were priveleged to sit in on their peer health education sessions. Leon and Rita ran a lively session on substance abuse which the grade 8 pupils illustrated with a spirited drama involving a pious widow driven to drugs - supplied by two villainous but hilarious rastafarian drug dealers - after the death of her husband. Afterwards I talked to some of the young people who took part in the session and was really impressed by their grasp of the issues concerned. They seemed determined to resist any peer pressure they may come under to take drugs and if someone offered them drugs in school they would report them and would even go further and offer them advice to improve their errant ways...

At another school Miriam and Hendrix led a more serious session about sexual offences, bringing home the importance of telling someone if you are being abused or exploited. Sadly this is not uncommon in a society where orphaned young girls are often forced to rely on older men, like their uncles, for school fees and food. Another very good reason to provide vulnerable children with school fees. They illustrated the way that HIV can spread by getting children to pass a hairband from one to the other on pens held in their mouths. Peer health educators are nothing if not creative!

We also met Katy, who features on our website (Our children's stories). She is at a new school and is retaking her grade 9 exams. Her grandfather, sadly, passed away so her grandmother now has sole responsibility for finding food for the family. They share a small farm with an uncle 15 km away and get some maize and groundnuts from that, and Katy takes part in the schools agricutlrure and nutrition programme. They grow maize and other vegetables and feed the younger orphans and vulnerable children who have no-one to support them. There are more and more such children as school after school told us that Cecily's Fund is now the only organisation supporting children in the area - others have pulled out due to the economic situation. They are immensely thankful that our supporters have made it possible to continue our support.

Tomorrow we are meeting some of our trainee teachers and some who have graduated from college and are working.

Phew! The generator did hold out!