Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, the National Bank of Kenya, and the Reading Road Rally

We’re out in Kenya Connect‘s Institution Bus on a road trip for the Reading Road Rally. It’s part of my volunteering in Kenya where we bring books and stories to rural communities in Machakos county.

The headteacher here has a fabulous way of dancing, and I love that she joins in with all the pupils.

I think we’ve brought a mobile library here, but first it’s time for me to appreciate the singing and dancing, as well as the incredible drumming of the children in this school. I love the materials, too.

It’s a song and full performance about love and respect for older people, which is why the children are dressed up in the stereotypical clothes of their elders.

The whole school joins in with the joyous celebration:

I love the attitude of this boy with his pinstripe jacket and modern dance moves.

I spend a long time chatting with some of the sponsors of the Reading Road Rally about the statistics for investment in early years. I’m sitting next to bankers from National Bank of Kenya and tell them all about The Heckman Equation. It’s a comprehensive solution to the development of human potential by investing in birth-to-five programs that follow a strict formula. You get 13% return on investment per child per year. It’s the most efficient thing you can do to transform the fortunes of your country, which makes me wonder why the UK Government has been so hot and cold with early years.

Sorry, I’m boring you, aren’t I? They love it. The thought that literacy leads to better jobs and higher pay and more self-employed businesses creating a larger economy needing more banking services is not lost on the bankers. I want them to feel appreciated, to see the difference they are making, and to feel comfortable that it is good business for them, all at once. I think they’re relieved that someone sees their perspective.

Then it’s back to appreciating Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault. I’m glad I’ve brought my new wide-angle lens along for the ride.

Do you fancy being one of the sponsors of a team on the next Reading Road Rally? It’s on 18 June 2027 at 10:00am. Be there. Create a team of 3 to 6 people and organise travel to Wamunyu (2 hours from Nairobi on the Machakos-Kitui Road). Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze sponsorship is available for between 75,000 and 672,000 Kenyan Shillings.

Go on, you know you want to. You could sit and listen to me talking about The Heckman Equation.

If you would like to help the charity Kenya Connect empower rural communities you can visit them here and donate here. They have an Amazon Wishlist for the basics of paper, pencils, and books. Please support them if you can. Their need is great and their cause an honourable one.