During half term students in 6.1 and 6.2 flew into Johannesburg, South Africa, from where we drove, via a rhino and ostrich populated petrol station, into Swaziland. If not shocked by the beautiful landscape, birds and purple jacaranda trees, the culture change was really, quite striking. From working in a wonderful but rather poor school to food shopping in a westernised, built up shopping centre. Then a traditional Swazi craft market and glass factory to driving through hillsides of impala and dilapidated houses. There was so much to see. In amongst teaching lessons and learning lessons in the primary school Mkhuzweni, we focused primarily on digging trenches and laying pipes for water from the top of the hill to the bottom, painting a classroom and meeting the community. The plan is to continue with the fundraising we started before we went and also raise awareness through Amnesty for a man unjustly imprisoned and look at the current human rights issues that Swaziland is facing as an absolute monarchy.
By Clare Denning, 6.1
