With having spent over a week in Eswatini, Team 731, from St Helen and St Katharine School, UK, have met a variety of people at many locations. The Swazi locals have been so welcoming towards us, as we have been finding our feet as a team and settling in.
The Start of the Expedition
At the start, we were all unfamiliar with the expedition lifestyle. Then, slowly, we all adjusted and adapted to our surroundings. We worked as a group to remind each other why we are here, motivating each other with reminders of our aims, and the way that they can positively impact local communities we have come to know and love. A refreshing experience of camping for a long time in a setting of “social media detox” has taught how we truly work in a group setting as individuals.
Safari on Expedition
So far, the wildlife has been a highlight of our expedition. We’ve been lucky enough to experience multiple game drives and one organised safari. Our group knows not to take any animal sighting for granted. From impalas to lions, Team 731 is always excited at the prospect of new wildlife. A group favourite of ours have been the Pumbas (Warthogs), who never fail to make us smile with their cartoon styled trot, and comedic looking facial features!
Expedition Project
We’re currently writing this from a classroom at Mhlumeni High School where we’ve recently started our 10-day stint of building, and other various tasks, at this community. We have been given two construction projects where members of our team have been aiding the builders. One half of our team have been building the new science block, and the other half have been helping at the beginnings of a new teacher’s accommodation block. New skills acquired include cement mixing, brick laying, slashing grass, and vegetable planting!
Opening Ceremony
On Tuesday, there will be an opening ceremony, where we’ll be joined by the local media and the Regional Education Officer from the Ministry of Education. This event symbolises all the hard work the workers, volunteers and our team have put in, to achieve our aims and goals which we had initially set out, whilst all the time, keeping in mind how much the students at Mhlumeni appreciate and support our work.
The Future
Our work with Mhlumeni High School isn’t over yet. We have plans to support the construction of new necessities, including a school kitchen. Every day, rice with beans is prepared for over 120 students in a tiny makeshift kitchen made from concrete blocks and corrugated iron sheets. The next expedition in 2026 will help the construction of the new school kitchen, enabling the students’ easier access to more sanitary school lunches.
We can’t wait to see where the other half of our trip will take us!
Rose & Cecilia
