5th February. This week I will be returning to Kenya after almost 3 years away.
The reason for my return? I am one of the teachers leading a group of students on a service trip to Nanuki, to Daraja Academy. Along with all the packing (deet, breakfast bars and suncream!), I have also been attempting to explore what my role will be for the 10 days we are there.
But first, I think I need to address an even broader question of what service means to me? Being part of the Global Concern for Daraja Academy for the past 6 months has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of working at UWCSEA East so far. On one side this may be because, each week I am able to explore, discuss and support an issue that I feel is so relevant and needs awareness in society. Yet also, I feel the GC group has been an opportunity for me to really connect with UWC students and become a part of the UWC movement. Each week, I look forward to working alongside our GC students, all of us creating opportunities not only with Daraja but with each other.
This year, Daraja GC has a total of 19 students, parents and teachers getting ready for the service trip! Since working with the Daraja GC, I am very proud to see what the students in the team have achieved so far. From Run for Rights where we were able to raise awareness surrounding women’s rights along with raise funds for Daraja Academy, to simply setting up our Daraja blog where we can showcase what we get up to during our GC meetings. It seems that in all this reflection, I am personally grateful for the experiences provided but I believe it is fair to say that service can often be a service for yourself as much as others. If more than one person can benefit from what we do within our global concerns community, then the aim of creating and making a difference is true. I look forward to adding some posts about what we get upto on the trip and finally meeting the Daraja girls!
For further information about Daraja Academy, see the following links:
https://www.daraja-academy.org/
https://www.daraja-academy.org/darajablog/
Read more about what our UWCSEA GC for Daraja Academy gets up to at http://portfolios.uwcsea.edu.sg/daraja_academy_hs/
#service #daraja #education
Thank you for sharing this with us, Sarah. I know for fact you will have an amazing time, and I can’t wait to read about your experience with the girls at Daraja Academy. Have a wonderful trip!
Dear Sarah,
First I would like to say, that you joining both Daraja and the Psych team has been fantastic.
You are a wonderful and easy person to work with. I am so very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you in my last year at UWCSEA. I want you to know that I have learnt so much from you.
Your willingness, commitment, patience and great ideas have been fundamental to the evolution of this GC. In a time of uncertainty and challenges, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to work with. Thanks
I am so glad you feel this way about the GC “Being part of the Global Concern for Daraja Academy for the past 6 months has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of working at UWCSEA East so far” because I have seen how you have put your heart and soul into this GC and is good to see that you are also getting something back from the work you had put on it.
I am also very happy to see you going to Daraja this year, knowing what I know now about you, I am certain you would be able to achieve so much there and also come back with projects and ideas on how to make them possible. The girls are very fortunate.
My advice:
Watch the sky full of stars every night for at least 5 minutes.
Take your time to breath the special air that exists in that school.
Listen carefully to the girls singing and dance with them whenever you can.
Walk the campus alone when possible and stop to talk to the people you encounter.
Ask lots of questions.
Observe the different rhythm that they have and let yourself flow with it.
And I guess that your role is to continue to be the supportive, caring and genuinely interested person you had been in all our meetings.
Have a great trip! We can’t wait to hear all the stories.