In this blog, Keith Browne, teacher at International School of Geneva in Switzerland, writes about his impactful visit with his partner, Claire Tannieres to Our Moon’s learning centre in Zambia.
In October 2022, I had the immense pleasure to visit Our Moon’s camp in the Chibombo District of Zambia, northwest of Lusaka. Over the years, I have organized service projects promoting educational opportunities for rural Zambian students and school development in the Western Province with our own students at the International School of Geneva, and these efforts have led to collaborative projects with Helen Leale-Green, the Founder and CEO of Our Moon. Although, I have been associated with Our Moon’s students for many years and have met other cohorts in Livingstone, this was the first chance that I have had to visit them at their residential camp.
The purpose of our visit was to moderate the peer presentations of students’ research essays and to help guide them during mock interviews for their university applications. The essays they presented were the culmination of seven months of hard work with teachers from the International School of Geneva who mentored them during the process. Never before had Our Moon’s students been required to write an analytical and evaluative essay based on the Zambian context of a global issue …and did they ever rise to the occasion! The mock interviews were no different, and the way that they presented their experiences and aspirations as if they were in a live interview was remarkable and heart-warming.
While we were staying at the camp, the hospitality of the staff and greetings from the students were warmly appreciated. From the tour of the grounds by the Executive Officer, Justin, the meals that Sanky put together in the kitchen and the photo shoots by the students’ tutor, Malama, we were made to feel so comfortable and very welcome. Many thanks!
But the best memories will always be the eight students that make up this year’s cohort. They are a wonderful group of individuals who have dreams to soar, to make a difference in a tough world, to be the best they can be … and with the help that Our Moon provides they have an opportunity to be accepted into a post-secondary institution that can be the next step in this journey.
To Ceaser, Pethias, Mapalo, Catherine, Paul, Mathews, Tamali, Racheal – on behalf of my partner, Claire Tannieres, we wish you all the best!
Keith Browne
International School of Geneva