On Friday, I finally got to travel outside Maseru, which was great to go out and explore more of Lesotho. Starting Monday, we will be training new Kick4Life coaches from both Maseru and Leribe, so Hasmin (the other intern) and a staff member Spu went to talk to the new coaches to prep them on this week. Leribe was about 2-hour drive and the landscape consisted of tabletop mountains, patches of trees, and a sprinkling of villages—it was beautiful.
We briefly met with the coaches to prep them on the basic essentials to bring to Maseru, and what to expect during their training. After the meeting, we went to a secondary school (high school) because there was a miscommunication with someone who was doing interventions without Kick4Life’s awareness. School was just getting out as we all pulled up. I got out to take some pictures, and once the kids saw me they completely surrounded me taking out their phones to take pictures of me. They were asking me my name, where I come from, and why I was there. When I answered there was laughter in the back of the crowd. Were they laughing at me? Well I asked, and a girl said they were laughing at the way I talked. Sweet. I guess I talk in a high-pitched voice, which is true haha. They loved me taking pictures of them, and the girls next to me kept touching my hair and calling it soft because they had never seen blonde hair before.
When I asked the kids whether they liked school or not, they answered that they loved it. Keep in mind that unlike the United States, secondary school is not paid for by the government, so many families are unable to pay for secondary education. They were yelling out their favorite subjects: English, accounting, history; man, I didn’t love school as much as these kids did. Just another thing we take advantage of in the States. These are kids that Kick4Life and Grassroot Soccer target because they are ones who are taking their future into their own hands, and their education will help stop the tragedies, like the spread of HIV, that Africa faces. They are an inspiration.
TTFN:
Peace, Love, and Education is Power
You made me smile ... I don't love school as much as them either! lol a good reminder of how blessed we are here. I am loving your blog Meg thanks for keeping us updated, I know this experience is going to be incredible and you're going to touch these kids' lives!
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