Lessons from Turkana

lunchtime in Todonyang

Two years after my first trip, I have returned to Turkana, in northwest Kenya, to strengthen our partnership with the missionary community, understand the changing needs of the local community, bring specialist expertise to study the phenomenon of Lake Turkana's rising water levels, carry out a professional photography documentary and, above all, be there for the local community with our presence, joy and prayers.

We travelled as a group. Two scientists from Imperial College carried out an important survey of the area that will be instrumental in forecasting the trend of Lake Turkana's water levels, which have recently threatened to flood the mission, the schools and the local villages. Two photographers travelled with us to document life in Turkana, capturing the smiles and joy of the children and the benefits that schooling brings to them.

The rest of us travelled to be with this community: on the one hand, our presence is a meaningful sign of support; on the other, it allows us to understand the emerging priorities, so that we can better support the community in what it needs most.

In fact, our local London parish, the Church of the Holy Apostles in Pimlico, is twinned with the Todonyang parish through a long-standing partnership. As a parish, we are active in supporting vulnerable communities. Children in Todonyang are particularly at risk when they do not go to school: boys become shepherds or fishermen as early as five years old, and girls marry very young and give birth as early as thirteen. Also, in village life, children often eat only once a day, if food is available. By contrast, when children attend school, they eat at least twice a day, learn to speak English, receive an education, play with other children and live the childhood they deserve.

It is a great joy for our parish to sponsor an entire school in Todonyang, the St John Paul II day school, which currently hosts 170 children.

We visited the school and received the warmest welcome from teachers, parents and, of course, children. They prepared a full day of celebration for us, with dancing and singing performances, poem recitals and speeches. We spent time with the staff, parents and children, and we also witnessed the breakfast porridge routine.

There is something special about the way children have porridge at school. Every child first washes their own cup, however small they are. Then the children are called by grade, the little ones first, followed by the older ones. They queue with their clean cups and, when it is their turn, the matron fills them with porridge. Then they find a place to sit, often on the ground, and drink slowly, together with every other child.

The atmosphere is calm and respectful. No child complains or asks for more than they are given, and no child disturbs the others. There is a sense of something sacred happening, where kindness, respect and gratitude can be felt in the air. We felt humbled, and it was a real lesson for all of us.

Most parents have not been to school themselves and do not speak English, but they understand that giving their children an education is the best way to advance their culture and traditions. This is an extraordinary sign of progress in itself, for which we are grateful and which gives us encouragement. Indeed, as we visited the surrounding villages, we saw many more children who are still out of school, and our hope is to welcome more of them into the classroom.

It costs only £100 per year to maintain a child at the St John Paul II school, and we are working to take in 100 more children. You can help us achieve this by contributing at: www.stewardship.org.uk/pages/pimlicoforturkana

As we return home, we bring with us the memories of the children's smiles and, for every child we are able to take into school, we feel grateful.