Standing on the Churwi side of the water. Look at the coconut tree. You can see how high the water reached. I first heard of Churwi in 2008 I think, it was confirmation time again and Sr Annette had a new project. She wrote to the 6th class telling them about a village way up on the hills. There was no school there and the children had to walk an hour to Maji Matitu school. That would be somewhat manageable if there was no rainy season. Every year the rains come around the months of March and April. The lower land floods and the roads are impassable. Each year people die trying to cross the floods. Even still this year two little children died in the floods between Maji Matitu and Churwi.
So with help from the Creagh NS confirmation class, a school was built on the hills of Churwi. It began with 59 pupils. It now has well over 1000 enrolled.
On Friday we walked up for a visit and to drop off some gifts from Ireland.
Teachers sit outside to plan lessons and mark copies.
Some of these children were disruptive in class and have to kneel outside under the teachers watchful eyes.
While this school was built by the Holy Union Sisters, it is now a government school. Classes are large and often there is not enough furniture.
The school grounds were very clean when we visited. Each class maintains a garden.
The acting head teacher and the sports teacher were delighted to receive our gifts. The two footballs came all the way from Noel Mannions sports shop in Ballinasloe. They were intrigued by the LEGO from Galway Education Centre. The skipping ropes and pens (also from Galway Education Centre) will be put to good use by the pupils and teachers.
We don't realise how lucky we are in Ireland with our interactive whiteboards, laptop trolleys and tablets galore. This is one of the older classes studying the subject ICT/Computers.
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