I’m Chris Hind, second time volunteer to CWB after a trip last year to Uganda and at the end of our first week here in Muranga, Kenya. This is a part reflection of why this experience is so incredible.
One of the initial things that attracted me to CWB was the simplicity of message. We are a charity committed to driving Aids out of Africa but also so much more. The work we do with refugees and promoting gender equality is truly amazing and this week we have reinforced this at every opportunity with primary school children and seeing girls and boys enjoying cricket together is so heartening.
However I want to return to a theme of simplicity.
What could be simpler than our ‘ABCT’ message
The first three letters of the alphabet with a clear, unambiguous message: Abstain, Be Faithful, Condom use and Test, Know your HIV status. When I first heard it on our training weekend for Uganda last year I knew that despite my initial reservations that talking about sex to, say, nine year olds would be difficult, the link to cricket and how we take every opportunity to reinforce this in every activity made it almost second nature.
Or how about this, two cones or as we described them a crater, and a volcano. A great game that the children run around a circle upturning the volcano’s to turn them into craters and vice versa. The laughter we had when asking them to hop as they did this was infectious.
We are so fortunate to work with some great Kenyan coaches and I’ve never been afraid of stealing an idea and sharing a batting ‘station’ with Nicholas was illuminating as he ran through:
Pick up the bat; Look at the ball (I really need to do this when I play); Take a step; Hit the ball!
The resounding sound of plastic on tennis ball (not as prosaic as willow on leather I admit) and the laughter as each group chanted the instruction back was another huge learning point. Boys and girls playing cricket together with an eclectic bunch of men and woman from England in rural Kenya, seriously if you are reading this and thinking about volunteering just do it. You will not regret it.
Finally and I did this when I blogged last year and yet I make no apology for it; So many people have supported our individual efforts in fundraising and some of you may have wondered if your donation would really make a difference. It does!
On behalf of everyone on our team a huge thank you and so far well over 4000 children coached this week would add their thanks as well.
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