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After corresponding for many years, Australian sponsor Alice finally met Piraton in person … in Kenya.

I have been sponsoring 13 year-old Piraton in Kenya for the past five years through ChildFund Australia. Last year, my mum Sue and I decided to travel to Kenya so that we could meet Piraton in person.

My mum and I had an incredible six weeks in Africa but undoubtedly the most rewarding and overwhelming day was visiting Naningoi Girls School in Kenya. It was a long five and half hour drive to get there, sometimes on non-existent roads, but the reception we received made it all worthwhile. The people were so welcoming and genuinely excited to see us that it was very touching. Piraton’s father had walked for a few days just to come and meet up.

While at the school, older pupils performed for a traditional dance for us, and we presented Piraton and the school with some gifts – including the Australian childhood classic Possum Magic.

I hadn’t event been sure that they would know we were coming and that was the biggest, most ridiculous silly thought I’ve ever had! Their generosity, particularly given they have so little, was incredible. After lunch, we visited a nearby village where Piraton stays if she can’t get home during the holidays (because of floods). Again, the reception was overwhelming – dancing, presents and meals prepared for us.

During their visit, we were accompanied by ChildFund staff, who were able to update us on development initiatives in the areas of healthcare, education, food security, water and HIV/AIDS. The whole day was spectacular and we were so impressed by the integrity of ChildFund. We were also invited to visit the head office in Nairobi and that gave us a great insight into how things are run.

We had talked about a visit to Elizabeth in Zambia for a long time. Trinity College Colac has sponsored her for the past seven years, after the College’s student representative council elected to sponsor a child.

We arrived in Lusaka were impressed with the standard of the roads compared to Kenya and Tanzania. We were picked up at 9am the next morning by a driver and representative from ChildFund. We travelled to Elizabeth’s school, across dirt tracks with many pot holes, very outback but expected.

Here we were first met by the headmaster and introduced to the school accountant. They explained to us that the school was in excess of 650 students and the only was they could accommodate them was by having morning and afternoon classes. Elizabeth was in a class of about 55 students. The buildings are simple open rooms and windows without any adornment. Paper and pencil is the order of the day.

It was very emotional to see her. She was shy and a little overwhelmed as we had taken some school materials such as derwents, brushes, pencils paints paper, sweets and soccer and footballs. It was wonderful! Elizabeth sat with us and tried the materials which were for all the class. We discussed where Australia was and showed how to use all the materials. Then Jon went out with all the class and gave the students a crash lesson in Aussie rules. It was all great fun. We then left the school for the village which was about 2k from the school. She walks to school daily.

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