African mission

VIOLENCE and political turmoil in Kenya has forced governors of the Abdul Rahman Kanoo International School (ARKIS) in Salmabad to abandon plans to take a party of students to the troubled African nation and make a detour to Tanzania, writes SHILPA CHANDRAN.

The school was set to take 25 children and five staff members to the Kihimbu-ini Primary School in Kenya as part of its community services initiative.

Hamza Noel Mahoney, dean of students, said: "We were unsure of the situation in Kenya and after the winter break I checked with embassies and officials. They warned me it was very unsafe to continue to the same destination."

The charitable and educational trip will now aim to assist the Oldonyo Apuk Primary School in Arusha, northern Tanzania, with rebuilding the dilapidated premises.

Mr Hamza said: "We had checked with an organisation in Hong Kong who had been on a similar trip to Tanzania with 75 people. The response from them convinced us that this was a wise decision."

The students will help renovate the classrooms, make desks and develop a sports field for the school which has 700 pupils.

They will also socialise with the children by reading to the class, sing with them, help redecorate the netball, basketball and football courts and play games. Mr Hamza added: "Some of these students walk to school every day with no proper footwear and then have to sit on the floor because the furniture is broken.

"We believe our students will be able to see how fortunate they are and feel blessed.

"They will be able to witness first hand the rough living conditions that children in other countries go through."

Noora Bassem, 15, from Isa Town, said: "When we first meet up we are going to ask them how we can help them."

Hassan Ali, 15, a student of class 10 from Riffa, said: "My grandfather has travelled to Kenya and I was looking forward to seeing it for myself, although I am sure Tanzania will be fun too. It will be nice to go and help people and change something for the better."

Mohammed Abdul Latif, 15, from Muharraq, said: "It's a charitable trip and I would like to see how others in the world live."

The pioneering ARKIS is one of the first schools in the kingdom to take part in such a venture and hopes to take another party of students on a trip to India or South Africa along with a science trip to Turkey.

Mr Hamza said: "These trips offer the students a chance to learn to be independent and more organised.

"In Bahrain many children normally rely on their maids to do all their work for them but on such trips, it is each one to his or her own.

"The trip is going to be very emotional. It is not going to just be some video footage on YouTube - it is the actual thing - being there and witnessing life from a personal perspective."

Prior to the trip, each student will begin a journal which starts by describing their life here on the island. Throughout the trip, the students will fill their journal with their new experiences, lessons and observations.

Mr Hamza said: "Once they return, we are planning to make a book with all 25 entries - a record of the trip."