Construction at KEMPS

For more than two years, the boys at KEMPS have made do with very limited toilet facilities. Previously there were outdoor pit latrines on the hill near the boys' dormitory.  Several years ago they collapsed during a school holiday and have been unusable.  This is soon to change.

 Thanks to gifts from St. Luke's Lutheran Church and many other donors, the building of the boys' latrine has begun again.  The rubble was removed from the old pit, the foundations rebuilt, and a new building was constructed in a new design that promises to be much more stable.  Last week the roof was added, an important step during the rainy season of April and May.  We are waiting for doors and the finishing touches before the new latrines are ready for use.

The front of the latrines. 

The back of the latrines.

Looking up the hill at the new building.
 It will include eight toilets and 2 bathing rooms.

Insects Galore

Herbert, a Standard 5 pupil arrived at my door one afternoon and announced he had something to show me.  Poised to take his shoes off and enter my house so that I could see, I caught a glimpse of what he was holding in his hand - something that looked like an enormous cockroach.  Jumping up, I yelped "Don't bring that inside, I'll come out!".  He had found the enormous specimen on his observation site, and so we proceeded to examine it carefully together so that he could write his journal entry.  We noted its size, coloring, how the claws at the ends of the legs didn't always touch the ground, the way it moved its antennae and the sheer wings under the wing casings.  Then we put it on its back so we could look at the underside, and we witnessed an astonished feat.  The insect jerked its head back so that it hit the floor and with a loud popping noise it flipped itself right side up again. 

Sugar Cane

The 1st of May - May day, or Worker's Day - is a public holiday in Tanzania.  There are no classes, no teaching and lots of relaxing.  Students at KEMPS were particularly excited for this holiday because they received a special treat in the afternoon - sugar cane. While American kids get popsicles, Tanzanian kids go crazy for sugar cane.  They bang their sugar cane against a rock to split it into pieces, chewing the fibers until all the juice is released.  Then they spit the fibers out and gnaw on the next piece.  For 45 minutes the quad was full of the satisfying sound of banging, tearing and chewing sugar cane.  If you have no idea what sugar cane looks like, my pupils below are eager to show you.

Closer to the camera is always better...
I would back up, and they would step forward...