The last day of the 9th year since EducAid Lumley started. Exams are over for better or for worse. Bags are being packed as students get ready to rejoin their families across Sierra Leone then Alhassan has a bright idea …… always one to enjoy the merits of ‘white man dancing’ Alhassan takes it upon himself to teach the celebrating kids how to country dance.
Alhassan gained his new found skill at the Mellor Rose Queen Barn Dance 3 weeks ago.
Was there any vaguely appropriate music around? Not at all. Did it matter? Not at all. The students joined in with greater enthusiasm than accuracy with a totally hysterical effect, swinging their partners, ‘do si do’, forwards and back and so on all to the accompaniment of Sierra Leonean rap.
No less mad was the next day’s antics. The tin shack that houses the resident carpenters and the store is really in need of replacement so today is the day. The resident students up bright and early gathered buckets and buckets of water, measured head pans of sand and stones and then the human concrete mixing chain started to float the first floor.
This was only slightly disrupted by the sceptic tank emptying truck arriving to undertake its joyful and odorous task.
Much laughter, much noise and some well earned rest on its way for some very hard-working youngsters!