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Form 1 students heading to class.[/caption]Mawewa School students returned to the campuses bright and early on Tuesday, August 30. It was not easy for many of the students to face the early, cold, Kenya winter morning after a shorter than usual term break - two weeks instead of the typical month. It was particularly hard for our Form 1 students coming back to boarding school. Their consolation - the final term is only eight weeks long, and they will enjoy a longer than usual vacation at home with family and friends![caption id="attachment_3226" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

Ms. Orinda's students are staying warm & showing off the flashcards she made during the break. Notice the beautiful floors![/caption]Teachers reported to work on Monday and spent the day organizing and preparing for students to return. The preschool faculty was elated to find their classrooms tiled, making the rooms look bigger and brighter.[caption id="attachment_3227" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

Class 2 enjoying a hot breakfast.[/caption]Many parents feel conflicted about their children being home all day during school breaks. The slum can be a dangerous place for unsupervised young ones while parents work all day. Also, they may not get enough to eat without the twice daily school meals. One parent reports difficulty concentrating at work - her mind feels divided between job duties and concern about the well-being of her children. Parents are often relieved to know their children are safe back in school after the term recess.[caption id="attachment_3228" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

Class 8 student, Teddy W., concentrating during an exam on the first day back to school.[/caption]Two weeks ago, as Class 8 departed for vacation, they said goodbye to their regular classroom and returned on Tuesday to take residence in the KCPE exam room. Additionally, they started the term taking exams in preparation for the KCPE, coming the first week of November. Students are feeling the pressure and their parents share in the jitters. Support staff personnel, Mercy and Stacey, both have children in Class 8. They are feeling nervous about the upcoming exam but are turning it over to God, remaining confident, and supporting their kids the best they can through this stressful time.[caption id="attachment_3229" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

Njenga, Community Support Ministry Coordinator, and Ajema, Projects Director[/caption]The staff in the eduKenya office has been busy equipping the campuses with everything they need to have a successful term - tying up loose ends for 2016, finalizing plans for the 2017 school year, and making arrangements for recruitment of toddlers and teenagers to join the 2017 Mawewa School Kindergarten and Form 1 classes.The end-of-year is an exciting and busy time for the eduKenya staff and Mawewa School’s faculty, staff, and students. We lift them up in prayer as they commit themselves to the tasks at hand and wish them well during this final stretch of the school year!