Got to love it when technology works and something you’ve worked very hard for is actually a spectacular success.
One of my aims of the year is to develop our schools linking programme with the intention that in future years a large percentage of our fundraising will come from schools. Bolton School, where both the LivLife co-founder Sam and I went to school, are the first school that we’re linking with and they’re being absolutely tremendous, trialling out various different ideas, raising money, and planning trips out to Tanzania.
Tuesday saw one of the most exciting aspects of our schools linking programme come to the fore – a Skype video and voice link between a UK geography class and a traditional Maasai home on the Maasai Steppe, a World first we think.
As part of the Year 9 geography curriculum, there is a section on the impact of tourism in the Developing World, particularly using the Maasai as an example. Bolton School Girls’ Division were keen to bring a bit of reality to an otherwise remote subject so with the help of a Vodafone internet dongle, the Tanzanian mobile phone networks and my trusty laptop rested on a bucket of water, we had Bolton girls asking Maasai Warriors and mothers how tourism had impacted their lives. It was tremendous fun and very moving in England and Tanzania with both the Maasai and the schoolgirls learning a lot about the different lifestyles, challenges, and the odd moment of hilarity – namely when they discovered a shared love of Coca-Cola.
Now that’s geography.
