Jambo!

Somehow, we have found ourselves the end of week four here at Bombolulu School!    

We have had a particularly full couple of weeks peppered with several public holidays, and sessions have been squeezed into the shorter weeks so that all staff and children could participate. Despite all the timetable rejigging, arriving at the school on a particularly wet and windy Wednesday morning, we were heartened by the sound of Grade 3 across the hall using songs to revise for a mid-term test. The emphasis of learning through song is wonderfully used by the teachers, and our damp spirits were immediately lifted!

The music room continues to be filled with music, now with increasing lead from the staff in running the sessions. Over the last two weeks, all staff members have confidently and creatively led groups with activities including songs from their own and the children’s communities in both Swahili and local languages. We have had two fruitful staff trainings which have involved reflecting on the concepts and application of therapeutic music making, workshopping activities and even creating new songs. We were very impressed when the headteacher came up with a call and response song on the spot to use in sessions – one that I am keen to use in my groups back at home (thanks Miriam!) 

The children have really thrown themselves into the music sessions both musically and artistically, and room is now bursting with the children’s drawings of the instruments. A particularly memorable lunchtime involved Katy expertly managing a team of children in sticking their colourful drawings all over the walls in the music room!  

We have loved getting involved with different aspects of the life of the school here, joining in with the children and staff playing skipping games, football and dancing at break times. I even attempted to stir the pot of Prisca’s ugali over the fire made to feed the hundred children and staff with the meter-long spoon. Safe to say I failed at this task, but she kindly assured me that not many succeed!

Over the last couple of weeks, we have even managed to successfully navigate the local minibuses ‘mtatus’ and felt very much like locals hopping on and off as the bus barely comes to a halt! On the weekends we have enjoyed exploring Mombasa Old Town, winding our way through the labyrinth of beautiful, narrow, limestone streets characterised by Swahili, Arabic and European architecture. We could have easily whiled away many more hours admiring the markets overflowing with spices, gorgeous patterned fabrics and clothes and ending up at the World Heritage site, Fort Jesus.

For the final two weeks, we are looking forward to supporting the staff in them leading their own music sessions. Katy and I would like to say a huge thank you to the staff for the incredibly warm welcome and for their continuing openness and enthusiasm towards jointly exploring and integrating this different way of thinking about music into their wonderful school.

Kwaheri kwa sasa,

Sarah and Katy