Ballard School has an established tradition of summer expeditions to Kenya, and have fund-raised for biannual expeditions with the help and support of parents and pupils through the school. This year seventeen intrepid Ballard pupils set off for a month’s expedition to complete community, environmental and personal challenges, working closely with Kenyan communities. It was a fantastic experience and incredibly tough, but the team rose to the challenge and exceeded all expectations.
Our building projects included laying the foundations for a school kitchen and refurbishing an entire classroom; we provided and administered the medication for over 300 local goats, and constructed many metres of elephant deterrent to help the local farmers protect their crops. We camped in bandas made of sisal, screamed through our cold showers and slept with the sound of lions in the distance! The personal challenge to the expedition was to complete the open water PADI qualification and Ballard School was the only team to achieve 100% pass rate this year; they were unstoppable!
The expedition gave the Ballard team the chance to see a very different way of life and to make a difference to the lives of others. We were terribly proud of the way the team conducted themselves and impressed by their willingness to throw themselves into the project work, despite the sometimes intense heat and harsh conditions. It is a life changing experience for our pupils and one they will never forget.
