Children swap life stories as schools link up with Africa

Twenty-two London schools are being twinned with their counterparts in Africa, in a scheme run by the charity for which Evening Standard readers raised £171,000.

More than 1,000 pupils in the capital have exchanged letters, drawings and photographs with children in Kenya, Malawi and Sierra Leone.

In addition, more than 900 pupils in Malawi and Sierra Leone will benefit from internet centres equipped with computers funded by our Christmas appeal, so they can email their linked schools.

So far, Plan UK, which Standard readers supported, has linked 105 British schools with their counterparts in the three African countries with another 300 due to be linked by September next year. Plan UK is the British arm of charity Plan International.

For some London schools, the process of information and cultural exchange is under way.

At Marlborough primary in Chelsea, which is twinned with Opande Primary in western Kenya, pupils have exchanged 200 letters.

Teacher Claire Hooker, 26, said: "In addition to the letters, we dispatched photographs, stories written collectively by our classes, examples of our favourite break-time games and a school jumper. The children loved getting letters from Opande in return. It's broadening our horizons to learn about the challenges of teaching and learning in Kenya where they struggle with things we take for granted, such as electricity, text books and proper classrooms."

Marlborough is an ethnically diverse school where 35 languages are spoken, but the reality of life for students in rural Opande, which has recently installed solar electricity in one classroom, is an eye-opening experience for inner-city children.

"I can't believe they walk an hour to school in the morning," said Amina, 10. Pun, 10, added: "It must be hard to leave home at 7am and stay at school until

5.30pm with no food - I couldn't do that." Anas, eight, said: "I was shocked to find out that Opande only has one tap."

An Opande teacher said: "Our pupils have noticed the quality of the British pupils' writing. On the other hand, their letters describe things that are more shallow, like their favourite sport, whereas our pupils write about sickness in the family, whether their parents are alive and problems getting food."

Masudi Rasi, who heads up the Plan International office in Kisumu, says: "The school-linking programme and £171,000 raised by the Standard readers is changing the lives of over 1,000 of our poorest school children ... you have given them their futures back."