Mrs Cotton in Kenya

This week, despite the political upheavals in Kenya, which have resulted in more than 1000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes, the intrepid Colette Cotton (left), International Coordinator for Intuitive Media visited Peponi School in Nairobi.

Colette flew out with her teddy bear, Smarty. and rhinoceros mascots to help the teachers and children who are keen contributors to SchoolNet Global and SuperClubsPLUS. See Smarty's Blog on BBC World Class.

Our Kenyan colleagues have been through very rough times recently and Peponi school was closed for a while to keep the children from danger. One of our colleagues in Kenya wrote:

"It has been the most terrifying time of mine and the children's lives. All around the school there was gunfire. We are not sure when the school will open again."

But things are calming down now and school is almost back to normal. In fact schools across Nairobi have just lifted their ban on travel, so ICT coordinators from 20 schools made their way to Peponi across very rough roads for an ICT conference with Colette on 22nd February. Judging by their feedback, they found it most valuable:

"I hope you are fine. I just want to thank you once more for your INSET. It was quite informative and ignited in us, a desire to make full use of ICT in our schools and classrooms. I teach in the secondary section of Braeburn High school, Nairobi. I will be grateful if you could register our school and me as members of GoldStarCafe." - David Otukh

"Dear Colette, thanks for the most useful Inset I have attended in Kenya. It was great not just to hear about it but also have a chance to use it and see the kids using it too. I have sent off for SuperClubsPLUS passwords for all the Year 5 and 6 pupils." - Rachael Redman

Children updating their SuperClubsPLUS Home Pages

Peponi school student explores SuperClubsPLUS

Peponi children contribute to the global project pages
and join an international forum with UK pupils.

Colette visited the Karura refugee camp and sent this message back to the UK through her SuperClubsPLUS blog:

"Lucy decided that we should visit Karura Camp in Runda - for people displaced after the recent fighting, I held on tightly as we drove along the red bumpy track to the camp. We said ‘Jambo, Habari’ (hello, how are you?) and asked who was in charge, we were taken to Nickolas and John. We told them that some schools in the UK and Peponi in Nairobi, had been raising money for the camps and we asked what provisions the people needed most.

"They were really helpful and told us this was a small camp of only 250 people with 91 children and were quite happy to show us around. As usual, I took loads of photos. The little children loved the camera and seemed to come from everywhere.

"They had been given one tent for each family, charcoal for their fires and flour to cook their meal for the day - Uguli and Skuma Wiki (Porridge and Kale). A stand pipe had been installed and the women were drawing water. They were also making ‘Chai’ (tea) to drink.

"It was really sad seeing people living like this, but the camp was clean and there was medical care and enough basic food. Once families feel safe to leave the camp they will be given £19 to help them rebuild their homes and lives.

"As we left, the children waved goodbye. We felt that we were so very privileged to have so much. We will be returning with some provisions later in the week." - Colette Cotton, 20 February 2008.

Younger children play in Karura refugee camp

The team at Intuitive Media would like to pay tribute to Colette's courage and dedication and her irrepressible passion for bringing children and teachers together - even (or especially!) in troubled parts of the world.