FOCUS, FOLLOW UP, FLOURISH was the theme of this year's one month long visit to the Great Lakes region of East Africa for two intrepid aged travellers. Science Through Coffee Plus was in the process of being registered as an educational charity with the UK Commissioners. We needed to find out if it could help local secondary school science teachers fulfil their curricular obligations to government, pupils, and parents while at the same time enhancing their careers. Could spending some time finding out about local manufacturing industry and simulating some of the processes practically in school labs make a difference to science education in these countries? We needed some clear evidence, having been active annually with this project since 2016.
This year, we had hoped to consolidate last year's progress in the Eastern DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) where we gave a successful workshop in Uvira at the northern end of Lake Tanganyika. Alas, thus year our agent ("Mr Fixit") Baptist minister Rev John ("Mapendo" = lovingkindness) had sent an urgent message just before we left saying "I beseech you" not to come until next year 2024. He knew civil unrest could easily boil up again and spill south to L Tanganyika from North Kivu / Goma area where militias have been plundering for decades. Just as happened to Pope Francis at the same time we had reluctantly to change our itinerary at short notice. The Pope went on to South Sudan and we went to Burundi for 3 extra days having spent the first 5 in Rwanda where we renewed contact with friends and school science colleagues and gave more workshops. Jan was invaluable, keeping our suitcase of lab kit in good order for the experiments and ensuring we took anti-malarial (both) and heart (Rodney) pills regularly. When meeting delegates from previous years we realised that there was enthusiasm for our ideas, particularly for cross-border visits to factories.
After a gorgeous trip down Lake Tanganyika where we saw sleek new wooden fishing boats being built by hand, visited a sturdy century old school built by Germans and gazed across at the misty Congolese mountains we proceeded to Burundi's new capital at Gitega and then went on to Tanzania and Uganda visiting places and even people (!) Rodney knew from more than 50 years ago. Finally, we flew home, exhausted but happy, in the first week of March. So many highlights make selection hard, but new friends and children growing up like namesake 4 y.o. Rodney or 2 y.o. god-daughter Favor were unforgettable as was our trip to the Rwenzori Mountains with its tough terrain, breath-taking views, chameleons and super strong guides and porters who helped us oldsters off the slopes sometimes by piggy-back. Please look at the slide show Ciaran has put together from the best of Jan's photos.
Thanks for your interest.
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Kwa heri ya kuonana
(Blessings until we meet again)
Jan and Rodney