Expedition Africa

Sunday School Visit

Rob Howard / 05.05.2013

Sunday morning it was time for a community project, a visit to a local school to meet the children and plant trees around playground area with them.

After a cold night (there was a bit of snow on some of the higher areas of the course yesterday afternoon) it was a clear, frosty morning as teams gathered to find a lift to the Kwa Miya primary school which was just a short ride away.  The children had turned out on a Sunday morning to give an overwhelming welcome, waving flags and singing and dancing as the racers walked into the school compound.

Once everyone was together the headmaster spoke about the school and its importance to the community, and to the children, many of them orphans due to AIDS. Then came some singing from the choir (and dancing, you can’t have one without the other here), including songs about their own struggles and the South African National Anthem. 

After a group photo it was time to gather with the children to plant the trees, two teams per tree, as there 15 spaced around the playground. It was just a matter of unpacking the trees and planting them into the already dug holes and they will hopefully grow to provide some shade and colour for the children in the years ahead.

It was an enjoyable morning for all, an ideal way to meet with some of the local community, and the school will have a lasting memory of the visit of Expedition Africa as all the racers put their names and hand prints on a special race mural to mark the occasion.

Now teams are back at the hotel, with more time to pack ahead of handing in their kit boxes this afternoon, after which they will watch a Google maps route flyover and receive their stage one map.  After any final questions tonight it will be early to bed (hopefully to sleep and not toss and turn too much), ahead of the race start at 06.30 tomorrow morning.