Two village trips and a school visit

Today I actually went 'en mission' to Bapla Birifor and Navielgane to talk to the presidents of the village committees about what we are arranging and what we need them to do to help.  It involved the usual waiting, phone calls, and folks gathering slowly, because they are in the fields or on their bikes a minute away - that's 30 minutes to you and me.  Good to be out there doing at last!  I manage to chip in the odd sentence when the meeting is conducted in French - as usual, completely hopeless when it is conducted in Djoula.  The village presidents are great organisers in the main and carry the development work along by chivvying, encouraging and 'volunteering' their neighbours to get active. 

The first session was in an adult literacy centre - lucky Bapla Birifor! - and the second was outside the local school - more of that below.

We had to wait quite a long time at Navielgane, and so Bekoum, one of our team, had time to notice that the school kids were drifting off home at 11am, and he challenged them to explain.  The amazing thing to me was that they answered politely, explaining that there had been no teacher since 10am, and he immediately told them to get back into the classroom and study - and that is pretty much what they did.  I asked if it was because he is the children's rights worker for the area.  Apparently not - he is just an  adult and therefore to be obeyed.  Wow!  As we were still waiting, I went into the classroom, and the pupils were really pleased to have their picture taken, some of them holding up some work.

This is a primary school.  I took a shot outside as well, because the second group had not been inside and still wanted their photos taken.  You will see that some of them are well past primary age - but what with missing the growing season term entirely, they end up doing years over and over again - some are there until they are 13-14 if their parents can afford it.  And the lycee and college are a long way off....

I also noted that many of them had bits of old blackboard as slates;  paper is scarce.  And my last note - the metal chairs are HARD and uncomfortable - after two hours I had such a numb arse.  Not good preparation for a ride back on the moto behind Simon.