It’s almost impossible to write about a trip like Namibia. It’s such a profound and life changing experience, that it’s difficult to convey the impact it had on me and the ACS students that formed the 2006 group.

Each one of us that went, felt pride, frustration, hope, despair, jubilation and desperation during the month. We achieved a huge amount in the time we had and travelled enormous distances in our trusty overland truck with our fantastic driver, Mandla. We saw desert elephants and Victoria Falls, we hiked the Waterberg Plateau and explored the markets of Swakopmund. We learnt how to cook outdoors and put up tents in the dark. We gazed up at a sky so full with stars that it didn’t look real and we climbed together up a sand dune at 4.30am to watch the sunrise.

However, it was the project work that defined this trip for all of us. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated money and items for the container. We also appreciate your support for our fundraising activities during the year. Because of you, we have had a lasting impact on the communities we visited and we thank you for helping us to:

At Kutenhoas Primary School:

• buy new school uniforms for all the learners
• paint, clean and provide beds, mattresses and linen for the orphans boarding house
• paint, clean and fill the Kindergarten with toys and other supplies
• construct climbing frames and a trampoline
• organise and take part in an inter school soccer tournament
• convert a shipping container into a library
• pay for an ox barbeque party for the whole village
• donate 10 wind up radios for the community
• give each learner a new pencil case filled with school supplies
• give each orphan a rucksack filled with clothes, shoes and toys
• give each family in the village a sack of clothing
• donate more than 50 bicycles and hundreds of other items

At Shituwa and Endola Schools

• pay for 2 teachers to attend an IT training course
• buy a new computer
• contribute funds towards the orphans feeding program
• donate a new digital camera and a new video camera
• donate 2 wind up radios
• donate new sports kits for the soccer teams
• play an annual soccer game
• donate pencil cases, pens and other school supplies

At J P Brandt Primary School

• donate boxes of school and craft supplies
• donate 2 wind up radios
• discuss possible project ideas for next year

Keep an eye on future editions of Cobham Connection for more about Namibia 2006 from the ACS students themselves.