Celestielle Charitable Trust visit
18th January 2025
Talofa lava to everyone reading this!
On Thursday 16th, the senator team had the pleasure of hosting four exchange students from New Zealand for a memorable day of cultural exchange and learning. Having contributed to a similar initiative last year with another group of New Zealand students, I was especially excited to host this year’s exchange and build on those connections with a different group of senators alongside me which included Ian, our Head Senator, Anisi our Deputy Head, Alex as well as Yassin and Luis who kindly assisted us on the school tour. The girls' warmth and curiosity about life in Kenya and our school experiences were contagious, quickly breaking down any initial barriers, like literally no icebreakers needed! Later, we visited Swahiba Taba Samu in Kibera, an experience that really stood out for all of us.
One of the students expressed how inspired she was by the entrepreneurial spirit of the people in Kibera, One gentleman particularly, who opened up a school with his wife for the youth and welcomed us and the Tabasamu people to donate shoes to the children in their care, a gesture that reflects Tabasamu's mission of uplifting communities through acts of kindness and support. On the bus ride back to school from Kibera we all shared how moved we were by the children’s joy and resilience despite their challenges. For me, seeing the students engage so deeply with the community affirmed the importance of these connections and how lucky we are for these opportunities.
The New Zealand students left with a deeper appreciation for Kenya, and we gained new perspectives, lifelong memories and I even picked up a bit of the Samoan language which I will use when I see the girls again in the future!
Asante sana,
Harlene Singh - Y13
