My Kenya trip 2023

 This is my first visit back to Kenya since 2018. I am leading our school trip with nearly 40 students and 9 staff to the Trans Nzoia county around Kitale. The purpose of our trip is to support education in Kenya by building solid, safe, and sustainable buildings that will allow the community an education for years to come.

I have been 3 times before so I feel fairly prepared but each time I have been it has been a completely different experience. This one already feels different despite me having nearly 4 weeks to go. I have an amazing group of adults going with me. I usually get to pick my team for trips, well at least have some input as to who I go with. I haven't this time and you never quite know what to expect. Our team-building weekend was a massive eye-opener in such a good way. My team are amazing and they all are really good and allowing me to delegate and then not worry about the things getting done. Everyone has their strengths and I have paired the team so that I know they will deliver a truly amazing experience for our students that are going.

Now the students have not stopped impressing me this year too. We have a mixture of year 12s and 13s going and some of the older ones will legally already be adults! I am not concerned about any of this as they are all really great 'kids'. 

This year will potentially be the last Kenya trip for some time as I am changing schools and I will need to see if and how this amazing experience will fit in, in some other way. However, this isn't the end of my involvement with the charity. I have offered to stay and help, both with the future trip leaders and also with the charity in whatever capacity I can. Kenya and this experience has a real special place in my heart that I am not yet prepared to let go of.

This blog will be my personal reflections on the trip. I hope to write most mornings whilst I am away, sitting on the veranda of the Karibuni lodge enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the morning.

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Day 7 - Tuesday

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