b+c news

It has been a little while since we have been in touch. What have we been up to you ask? You may recall that we were in discussions with an inspiring group who in only four years managed to rally together to build the infrastructure to support 600 local students. The success of the school is due to the strong ownership that the community feels for the school and their excellent management skills.

We had previously heard of the great work of Got Matar and during our visit to Kenya we had the privilege to meet some of the extraordinary members of the Community Development Group who have been working tirelessly to give local children the best start they deserve.

b+c is teaming up with the school to design a much needed girls dormitory. Currently there is an extremely high drop out rate for girls as they travel long distances each day whilst still being expected to keep up their domestic duties at home. Not only this, the walk from home to school can be an extremely dangerous one. A dormitory will allow the girls to focus on their study providing them with a greater chance of completing their secondary education.

One of the exciting aspects of this project is that the building of the dormitory will run as a training program. This will provide an opportunity for the students and members of the surrounding community to learn basic skills in carpentry, bricklaying and the fundamentals in building design.

We are currently discussing the brief with the Community Development Group and the girls of Got Matar. We are thrilled to be sharing our passion for good design with Got Matar and proud to be continuing the support of Kenyan girls in furthering their education. We look forward to sharing stories of the road ahead with you all.

You can find more information on Got Matar and read all about other exciting initiatives that they have started by visting www.gotmatar.org

Friends of Rang'i

Rang'i Care Centre is an initiative set up to provide a home for orphaned children. The b+c team visited the children at Rang'i during our trip to Kenya and spent hours playing with all the amazing children. 

Amber has a long history with the centre having worked there in 2005. She and her fellow volunteers fell in love with the people and continue to show their support for the centre. They have recently set up the Friends of Rang'i blog so that everyone can be kept in the loop and read about the amazing work carried out at the centre. Here you can find out how to get involved, see photos, view the plans for the new school and read about inspiring people who grew up at Rangi' and are now achieving amazing results at college! 

You can also join the Rang'i Care Centre Facebook group.

We wish Rang'i all the best in the future and send all our love to all the gorgeous children who continue to inspire us all. 

Teach a Man to Fish

The old saying "Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have feed him for a lifetime" is the inspiration for this particular organisation. Teach a Man to Fish aims to broaden access for the poor to high quality education combining vocational training and entrepreneurship by supporting institutions to increase their financial self-sufficiency. 

The website is packed full of fantastic projects from a 100% self-sustainable agricultural school in Paraguay to other small income generating projects such as piggeries and poultry initiatives in Uganda and Kenya. 

I hope this has give you a little inspiration for the day... if so I urge to you stop by and take a further look. 

We have just been introduced to EdKenya through the Chairman of Harambee Schools Kenya who has just set it up. It is an online community for NGOs involved in Kenyan education. It has only just started and is just getting going, but it's free to join and looks great! 

It will be such a valuable tool when looking at planning schools, networking with those who have worked on educational projects previously and to share like experiences.

If you are involved with a school project or with school policy and education in Kenya make sure you sign up.

glorious gardens

We were blown away by the Thuthuka School garden in Tembisa Township near Johannesburg as seen last week on Around the World in 80 Gardens. After viewing some stunning botanical gardens in Cape Town and a beautiful and opulent garden and home in Parktown, Johannesburg - the Thuthuka School garden brought tears to my eyes! The students work in the garden of their school to grow edible herbs and flowers, vegetables and trees. The children are so happy and delighted to have the space and resources to be able to beautify their school and you can feel their enthusiasm and passion when they show you around...

(it's about 3.20 minutes into the clip here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgUJHL7-qGY)



There's not much information around about how they started the garden or how they have made it so beautiful- as far as I can google they have had support from Food and Trees for Africa - a South African based organisation that embrace best practices in sustainable environmental activities that empower poor communities while also playing an important role in reducing carbon emissions- truly inspiring!

Africa Calling

The continuing story of Gemma and The School of St Jude is being aired on Australian Story this Monday, June 8th. You can watch a preview of the half hour story here.

If you are unaware of the work of Gemma Sisia, Gemma opened what once was a small school in Northern Tanzania with the help of her friends, family and her local Rotary Club. It started with a handful of students and is now thriving with 1151 students, 130 teachers and 200 staff. Read more about Gemma and this amazing success story which is The School of St Jude by visiting the website.

BSF + The Sorrell Foundation

The Building Schools for the Future programme will see every state secondary school in the UK, a total of 3500, rebuilt or remodelled during the lifetime of the programme. Launched by the Department for Education & Skills in February 2004, BSF is the largest and most ambitious scheme of its kind anywhere in the world. It will transform education for some 3.3 million students aged 11-19.

The programme aims to create learning environments which inspire young people, provide teachers with 21st century workplaces and provide community facilities.

The Sorrell Foundation is one organisation that is working with school children to design their school of the future. The Foundation was set up in 1999 with the aim of inspiring creativity in young people and improving the quality of life through design. 

The following is a list of common issues that students have identified in workshops held over 7 years. 

A great organisation doing fantastic stuff. Take a look at their website to see their other programmes. 

school open day

Despite the bumpy road this week there have been some great days here in Kenya and one of these was the Tumaini School Open Day held at Katolo. It was a chance to invite the whole community to come and learn about the project, ask questions and sign up for groups and committees. 

Although the day kicked off 4 hours late, typical Kenya time, it was a great success! There was a big turnout with alot of support for the project shown throughout the day, especially from the women in the community! 

A marquee, chairs and sound system arrived in the morning which in Katolo is no mean feat! There were posters pinned up, speeches and talks made, discussions and performances by the children from Kanyangoro Primary school. Kimberly, our resident film maker captured it all! 

Letter to a headmaster

This is a letter written by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States (1861-1865), to the Headmaster of the school where his son was studying.

Just a little piece of educational wisdom for you all out there... imagine if every child was taught these values by their teachers and parents...

He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just,

all men are not true.

But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero;

that for every selfish Politician, there is a dedicated leader…

Teach him for every enemy there is a friend.

Steer him away from envy, if you can,

teach him the secret of quiet laughter.

Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to lick…

Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books…

But also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,

bees in the sun, and the flowers on a green hillside.

In the school teach him it is far honourable to fail

than to cheat…

Teach him to have faith in his own ideas,

even if everyone tells him they are wrong…

Teach him to be gentle with gentle people, and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd

when everyone is getting on the band wagon…

Teach him to listen to all men…

but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth,

and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him if you can,

how to laugh when he is sad…

Teach him there is no shame in tears,

Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness…

Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders

but never to put a price-tag on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight

if he thinks he’s right.

Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him,

because only the test of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage to be impatient…

let him have the patience to be brave.

Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself,

because then he will have sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order, but see what you can do…

He is such a fine little fellow, my son!

~ Abraham Lincoln

green school

The world's first green school has just opened in the riverside jungles between Denpasar and Ubud. Constructed entirely of bamboo the Green School's goal is 'to prepare students to become responsible global citizens in a world offering challenges and opportunities that can not be imagined at this moment'. Most students are children from all over the world with some local Balinese students offered scholarships to attend.



And with classrooms that are as spectacular and beautiful as these, the journey from pre school onwards will surely be one to remembered.




It's enough to make me want to go back to school! If you're in Bali - the school is open for tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10am sharp. Bookings are required.

mac-o-ram-a in the Maasai

We're on the cusp of welcoming two b+c directors to the cool Mac owners club! After Kirstin's pc gave up the ghost and Harriet simply needing a laptop to keep up with us when she heads to London next year- the purchases are imminent!



And apart from being easy to use, super cool to look at and generally just great- have a look at the Apple article here. It's from a little while ago, but how great to see technology available in parts of the world that have previously been out of reach. Here's hoping that we can do the same in Katolo at the Secondary School for Girls!

we're so excited...and we just can't hide it...

We're heading to Kenya soooooo soon! We've raised the cash, are finalising the masterplan and preparing for Stage 1 construction of the Secondary School for Girls which will kick off when we're in Katolo in January.

On Sunday at AfroFunk we met Sarah from Hands of Help who will be in Kenya in January too. Kisumu will be the party capital of Kenya on the 20th January when Barack Obama is inaugurated as President. We'll most likely be celebrating with locals at the Jomo Kenyatta stadium in Kisumu or creating a party of our own with anyone who might be in Kisumu too? Let us know if you will be near by!


Meanwhile, how cute are our gorgeous friends Toyi and Scorvel - we can't wait to see them!

Peru's Challenge

The Peru's Challenge Program works with volunteers to create opportunities for rural children living in the Andes of Peru in South America.

The Program was started by Jane Gavel (Australian) and Selvy Ugaz (Peruvian).

The aims of the organisation are to create basic opportunities for the children of Peru focusing on education, health and providing a happy and safe environment.

Like bricks + cartwheels before starting any project, they have lengthy discussions with all members of the community to ascertain what it is that they want and require for their children and how they can work closely together.

"It is very important the community feels that we are working as a team. Constantly through the project development, we involve the community in all decisions and plans. This way, they learn to continue the great work that we have done together and become self sustaining with the support of the relationship built with the Department of Education for years to come."

This is the type of work we love to see! Visit here to read more about this fantastic organisation and inspiring projects they are currently working on.

3 cups of tea

We met a new friend last night for a meeting about all things bricks + cartwheels. We had a lovely evening chatting , discussing and planning..... this new friend recommended a book for us to read. Its called 3 cups of tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, and it does sound like a great read. The front cover is in itself enticing enough.




Its about a man who stumbles across a tiny village in the mountains of Pakistan. The village was unbelievably poor and the children had no teacher or school. When he left this village he promised them he would come back and build them a school. Twelve years later he's built 55 schools in Pakistan.

Sounds pretty inspiring huh? I'm going to buy it as soon as i can!

Kinross Wolaroi School coin trail!

Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange NSW held a coin trail in aid of bricks + cartwheels on June 11.
Students of the secondary school scrounged around at home and collected bucket loads of coins and laid them all out for an inter house competition to see who could make the longest trail!



It was a huge success with the total value of coins amounting to $1400!

It took accounts 3.5 hours to count ALL of the coins. The houses had a fantastic time - loud and organised chaos but very orderly as well!.


Congratulations to all the staff and students for raising such a HUGE amount!

On behalf of bricks + cartwheels and the community of Katolo thank you to Kinross Wolaroi for their support and their amazing donation!