Restart Africa: Building Connections Through Weekly Zoom Calls

Restart Africa is one of Shrewsbury School’s three School Charities, alongside St Barnabas Foodbank and The Shewsy, and continues to be a focus of meaningful community engagement for pupils and staff.

As Georgia G ((MSH, LVI) describes, each Thursday, a group of seven Lower Sixth pupils meet online for weekly Zoom calls with young people at Restart Africa in Gilgil, Kenya. Splitting into two groups, pupils spend time chatting with both the boys’ and girls’ groups, swapping halfway through so everyone has the opportunity to connect. These sessions have quickly become a highlight of the week for all involved.

The calls are lively, warm and full of laughter. Georgia adds how pupils share updates about school life, enjoy plenty of friendly “gossip”, learn Swahili words from their Kenyan friends, and take part in games ranging from Hangman and Pictionary to dance and karaoke competitions. The enthusiasm and creativity shown on both sides have helped build genuine friendships, despite the distance.

These regular online connections are an important part of the School’s long-standing partnership with Restart Africa, helping pupils to build understanding, empathy and global awareness. They also form part of the preparation for the upcoming Kenya school trip during the Easter holidays, when twenty Shrewsbury pupils will visit Restart Africa in person to work alongside former street children and see first-hand the impact of the charity’s work. The trip will also include a visit to the Enonkishu Conservancy, a rewilding project on the northern border of the Maasai Mara, as well as opportunities to experience local schools, wildlife and tribal cultures.

Alongside this engagement, there will be two fundraising events for Restart Africa this term: the all-night sports event on 13 February and the annual football tournament on 15 March. Further details are available from [email protected] or [email protected]