Following the SKAL Congress, Land & Life supporters from SKAL Monaco visited Amboseli to see progress on the ground at Esiteti School and to catch up with old friends from the nearby boma.
Much to the delight of the Maasai community and of the students and staff of the school, Land & Life was accompanied by the internationally renowned musician Zhang Zhang, violin soloist for the Monaco Philharmonic Orchestra and extraordinarily talented performer. She played for the assembled Maasai in the boma and then went on to play first to the whole school and then in each classroom for the delighted and amazed students of Esiteti. Most of the children had never seen a violin before, let alone had someone this talented play for them at close quarters, and the sheer amazement on their faces was wonderful to see.
SKAL Monaco funding, among other donations from visitors and friends, has helped us to install new wiring and inverter at the school, bringing reliable power to the main school block. They have also provided funds towards the renovations of the school including new windows and doors, fixing of the floors and walls and painting of the whole building. And of course the SKAL funds also covered construction of three, soon to be four, new classrooms.
The visit saw the unveiling of the official plaque on the classrooms thanking SKAL Monaco and Land & Life for their support. A large crowd of all school students, school staff, school committee and parents attended and cheered and clapped. Gifts of beaded jewellry and traditional Maasai clothing were presented to the SKAL representatives, to Zhang Zhang and to Hannah from Land & Life, and the overall feeling was joyful and happy.