Nyumbani Immersion Programme

Dear Parents,

As you are aware, we hope to organize an African Immersion Project involving a visit to the Nyumbani Village Project in Kenya for two weeks next February.

At this time we are inviting all interested students to formally apply for selection. A brief overview of the rationale behind this project and some details about the trip are outlined below. A comprehensive programme of preparation is currently being finalized and will be delivered early in the new academic year.

To facilitate the planning of the trip it is essential that we receive completed application forms not late than Friday 4th June, 2010. Applications should be accompanied by a deposit of €500. In the event that an application is unsuccessful, the deposit will be returned, otherwise it will be offset against the cost of the trip.

Yours sincerely,

Gerardine Hackett, Aidan Ward,

Principal. Co-ordinator Nyumbani Project.

Download Application Form

Overview and Rationale

It is intended to make this Experience available to 10 - 20 suitable 5th year students.

The trip will take place during the week before and hte week of the February mid-term break.

The trip will involve volunteer work for
- Nyumbani Childrens Home
- Leo Toto Children’s Home

On arrival at each location students will receive an orientation and induction programme before commencing work. The work involved will depend on the current needs of each programme, but will likely include tasks such as working with the orphaned children, assisting in visits to patients in local slums and painting/renovation work in Nyumbani village.

Accomodation will be in local hotels which, while basic, are both clean and safe.

Stages of the Programme:

Stage 1: The selection of the students:

All Transition Year students were invited, with their parents, to attend an information evening about the Project in the school.

Interested students are invited to apply in writing stating why they want to go, why they should be selected.

Parents are asked to submit a testimonial on behalf of their daughter.

The students are selected by the school management, after consultation with form teachers and Project co-ordinators.

Parents of students who have been selected will be invited to the school for a detailed information evening. The programme and its rationale will be outlined in greater detail. The Project is clearly set in a Christian context. Every opportunity is given to deal with fears and concerns regarding health, diet, safety, emotional impact etc. The parents must be happy that their child is participating.

Students will need to display a good measure of common sense and emotional maturity; they must be physically robust and have a good track record in school. Selected students should be good at relating to people and will need to be willing to work hard for the benefit of those less fortunate than themselves.

students will be expected to demonstrate a willingness to make personal sacrifice to fund their trip (approximate cost of travel and accommodation is 1,500 euro) and to fundraise to provide a significant donation, in hte region of 1,500 euro per student, towards the Project. It is envisaged that students will provide their own fare through summer jobs, babysitting, requesting cash in lieu of gifts for birthdays/Christmas etc. Donations for the Project can be raised through fundraising activities, some of which will be facilitated within the school. This approach has the benefit of obliging the students to work and thereby show their commitment to the project and more importantly explain what they will be doing and why.

Students will be required to undergo a lengthy programme of preparation. This programme will be delivered in the new academic year and may require students to be available for some after school sessions. This provides students with valuable background knowledge for the trip so that they can achieve maximum benefit from the Experience and also provides an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to the Project.

Stage 2: Programme of Preparation:

A thorough programme of preparation will be delivered. The programme will address a number of key themes for the Project. These will include:

the religious, political and social make-up of the country they are visiting

economic situation - national and local industries

Third World debt – origins – and its impact on economic development

Basic rights e.g. to health care, education, welfare, employment, self-determination

The role of the West in creating and sustaining structural injustices

Being made aware of the stereotypes that some Africans have of the West and what we need to be sensitive to:

e.g.: rich, wasteful, irreligious, powerful, somebody to get hand-outs from etc

Work on attuning the students to very different attitudes e.g.

relations between the sexes, alcohol, the family, work, time, privacy

The students would also need to be familiarized with important processes:

The practice of journaling
Group work and group / faith sharing
Prayer exercises
Key texts from the Gospel

Stage 3: De-Briefing and Learning - while on placement:

The students meet each day whilst on placement to reflect on what is happening to them and to draw lessons from what they are learning. Group discussion, individual meetings, journaling and prayer periods are integral elements of the programme.

Given that the scenes and events of their day are quite extraordinary, even traumatic, it is important that opportunities are provided for them to talk about what is happening and what they are feeling: their upset and sadness, anger and frustration, joy and admiration etc.

Quiet time and readings (Gospel, spiritual writers, poets and novelists) are very effective.

It is important that prejudices and strongly felt reactions of the students (and teachers alike) are explored. Anger at the poor organization in the country, the abuse of the environment, the exploitation of children, the apparent inability to get anything right etc must be talked through.

It is important also to examine the obvious virtues of their new situation – the strength of family, the extraordinary sense of community and sharing, the religious vibrancy, the culture, the indomitable spirit, the joy despite the squalour, the initiative and genius of individuals when it comes to making a living.

It is also an opportunity to explore, in this context, what benefits the Irish students enjoy in the West – access to education, health services, welfare, better infrastructure, career opportunities etc.

Stage 4: De-Briefing and Learning - on return to school:

This de-briefing will include elements of:

integrating the insights; working on promoting a ‘faith that does justice’
making presentations to younger class groups
planning awareness days for the whole school
setting up a branch of Amnesty International in the school
joining the conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
publishing a booklet which records their experiences – highlights / lessons /low points

For further reading on Nyumbani see website:

http://www.nyumbani.org/