Onward the Rally rolls, next stop Mhlosheni Primary.16 teachers 573 learners. Everyone in the rally has safely made it, a much more rural school surrounded by long straight roads, fields of sugar cane and banana plantations......real problems and challenges faced by all the villagers here in this area with interupted electric and water supplies but theres a strength in the community that helps the school any way it can.
Theres a really impressive welcome from the children here in native costumes and also the village chiefs and mothers... Its fascinating to think tribal culture can co exist in a modern day South Africa. Mpumalanga and KZN Rallys are for me truly African experiences being both visually and culturally stunning...
As in our previous school the sponsors and guests are given chance to introduce themselves and in return are treated to a mixture of reading and dance items by the children and the pledge of support is duely signed before our tour of the classrooms.
Its a fantastic atmosphere here today as we are taken to the different grades classes , great reading skills from all the pupils, genuine praise and thanks all round from teachers to the sponsors.
As we're packing up to leave, Merina calls everyone together and thanks the sponsors for all thier hard work durng the last few days of the Rally campaign...It was I thought a really nice touch from our team leader. The Rally had been a great sucess beyond expectations and no matter what the politics, you cant deny the fact that the 7 tons of educational equipment and book boxes were rightfully where they should be..in the classrooms of the 10 schools visited.
Just want to say thanks to my expert driver Corne Hugo for getting me where I needed to be this weekend and thanks also to his wife Merina. They took me back to the airport via the Kruger Park on the Sunday where I saw my first wild Leopard. An unforgettable experience.
Next weekend, the last Rally of this year, KZN North, riding with my cus', goin' to be a roadblock!
