Kambhoke School in Swaziland is twinned with Rhosymedre Primary in Wales. Listen to more from Kambhoke and Swaziland on Radio 4's Crossing Continents.

Head teacher Roz Harrison from Rhosymedre Primary has been visiting her Swazi partner school. This is her story of a day in the life of Kambhoke School.

Kambhoke school is attended by forty-two children aged between four and fifteen.

Many of the children have lost one or both parents, or have parents working away.  Some of these children live with the extended family, others in child-headed households.

In Swaziland, children pay fees to attend schools.  Kambhoke is an 'informal school' outside the mainstream system; it is free.

Children walk up to an hour to school.  Kambhoke provides shoes for all the children - most prefer not to wear them!

Most pupils have completed chores such as fetching water before they arrive at school.  The school day starts with a porridge breakfast.

The school offers four hours of lessons each day.  They aim to teach the children the basics of literacy and numeracy in Siswati and English. 

Uniform is compulsory in mainstream Swazi schools and the cost can prevent children attending.  The Kambhoke schools provides all pupils with uniforms.

Some children's parents have passed away.  Kambhoke school also has an emotional literacy programme helping children express feelings and listen.

The school's cook is the grandmother of one of the school's orphans.  This is her kitchen.

After lessons, they have lunch providing pupils with a square meal.  Roz also felt some of her Welsh pupils were underfed when she joined Rhosymedre in 1999.  

Kambhoke pupils are given bean stew or maize.   Like Kambhoke, Rhosymedre Primary also provides children with free breakfast, snack, and lunch.

Kambhoke includes all the children in the classroom including those with disabilities who are working alongside their friends. 

Roz Harrison finds Rhosymedre and Kambhoke have a lot in common.  Both schools have a duty of care towards their pupils.  The emphasis on emotion and inclusion is a key area of their collaboration. 

And for Roz, it is the commitment of staff in Wales and Swaziland to include and nourish their pupils in mind and body, that gives children in both communities a chance to thrive.

How did they do that?

Listen to the Kambhoke story in Crossing Continents Swaziland: Kingdom of the Kids on Radio 4 podcast.   See the Crossing Continents Swaziland photo gallery.

The partnership between Rhosymedre  Primary and Kambhoke School are twinned via Swazaid, a Welsh charity working in Swaziland.   Email trustees@swazaid.org.uk to find out more.  

They have received funding from a DFID Global Schools Partnership grant. 

The Kambhoke school receives support from Swazaid and World Food Programme.

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