international Schools working together
Page 3 Raising environmental awareness Page 6 Camp Cambodia one year old Page 10
‘Best thing I’ve ever done’ Juliette Denny’s experience is typical of the hundreds of school pupils, gappers and professionals who travelled with Camps International in 2011
A
lthough it was a spur-of-themoment decision, choosing to go to Kenya on the first Bristol sports expedition (SDX) with Camps International was without doubt the best thing I’ve ever done. From the moment we arrived we were looked after and put at complete ease. We were introduced to the team at Camp Imani, including Mama Mercy, the camp manager, Kittonyi, our chef, and Peter and Cat, our in-country liaisons. They were all lovely and welcoming and straight away encouraged us to go out and meet some of the community, who all greeted us with massive smiles and cries of “Jambo!” We spent our mornings doing work to improve the sports facilities in the area, which are so important as sport is one of the only things that brings the community together, which was plain to see at the Fun Run and Sports Festival that we organised. In our three weeks there we completed a football pitch, two netball pitches, a volleyball pitch, a cricket pitch and a long jump track and pit, all complete with markings and nets where necessary. Lots of the community pitched in to help, including a young local builder Gilbert, who selflessly helped us throughout our entire stay. In the afternoons we ran coaching sessions for the local community, with kids from the local primary and secondary schools working alongside other members
Juliette Denny (second from left) travelled to Kenya with Camps International as part of Umoja, the Bristol Kenya Partnership of the wider community. Their energy and enthusiasm was infectious, and they were so eager to learn and listen. There was a moment, just a few days in, when we ended up playing football with some of the locals. The sun was just setting over the mountains in the distance, and, despite the fact that many of the kids were playing barefoot, on a slanting pitch with many divots and areas that changed from
sand to solid without warning, using flipflops as goalposts, everyone was in their element. We were playing simply because we love the game and I will always look back on that as the most incredible and humbling experience of my life. Despite their obvious lack of material possessions, the people seemed much happier than those in the West. Their sense of community and genuine appreciation of
the value of friendship was obvious, and changed my perspective on life as a whole. Although we were there to help and teach them, we ended up learning so much more from them, although they may not have realised it. They taught us not to take for granted the things we do have in life, and that it is people, not possessions, that can truly bring you happiness. Further report, page 8