School of Olympic Dreams Our World

school in Kenya, inspiring a generation of pupils to pursue

their Olympic dreams. The foothills of Mount Eglon, Kenya. It is dawn

as pupils walk to school on a well- worn path trodden by hundreds of

feet before them. It is a difficult journey for everyone but for some,

the school run has led to Olympic medals. This is an area famous for

producing the best distance runners in the world including two of

Kenya's star athletes, Linet Masai and her brother, Moses. They went

to school here, at Bishop Okiring School, a sporting school where the

high altitude and harsh conditions give the young athletes a steely

determination. Today, teachers and students are making last-minute

preparations to welcome some special visitors who have come all

the way from England. Their school, Bedford Academy, is twinned with

Bishop Okiring School through a BBC and British Council project called

World Class. It aims to inspire students from around the world.

Emma and I'm from Bedford. Ermal. I'm 18 years old and I love

boxing. The schools met for the first time in January, 2011. The

head teacher and a 17-year-old student, Egle, visited Bedford. Now

these British students are making the return trip to Kenya where they

will experience first hand what life is like. After a nine-hour

flight, they touched down in Nairobi. For these two students, it

is about to open up a whole new perspective on their lives. Bishop

Okiring School is located in a remote village at the heart of the

Rift Valley. It is only 25 kilometres from the nearest town

but the condition of the road means that the bone-shaking journey takes

more than two hours. I have never been anywhere like this. Because

the roads around here are so bad, the school rarely gets any visitors,

which makes their arrival all the more special. (STUDENTS SINGING).

For Emma, it is all too much. overwhelmed. Welcome. Being

reunited with Egle and receiving a welcome medal puts a smile back on

her face. The welcoming ceremony today was amazing. I was so

overwhelmed. I started crying. They were so happy to see us, just a

couple of people from England coming over here. They were so

appreciative that we were actually there. The singing was amazing.

Next morning, they are shown around the school. Here we have our

timetable. This is our normal routine timetable from Monday to

Friday. In the morning we have classes and as an option, some of

us can do agriculture and business. Egle is a boarder at the school.

Although primary education in Kenya is free, secondary students must

pay $200 per year, an impossible demand for most families here. The

headmaster does all he can to help. Egle is facing so many challenges.

Egle's mother is a single parent and poor and is unable to pay any

fees for her daughter. And so we offered to help with the boarding.

Egle gives her Emma and Ermal a tour of the dormitory. This is my

bed. Does anyone else live in here? No, these are my books and my

belongings. But in Kenyan society, many families prefer to educate

boys rather than girls. Some families also follow the practice

of female genital mutilation and early marriages for girls as young

as 12. Add in the cost and the odds are stacked against a girl.

Education is so important simply because for example, in our

situation at home, we lack basic needs. But an educated person can

get employed. Is female genital mutilation an issue around here?

Right now in Kenya, there are families that are still doing that.

But my family, they don't. It is early morning and Ermal joins Isaac

on his journey to school. He lives a few huts away from his parents.

Welcome to my house. Come in, I will show you around. Have a seat.

This is where I live, this is where I sleep and this is where I do my

homework. Do you eat breakfast before you go to school? No.

lunch is your first meal? Yes. old were you when you first had a

pair of shoes? I was 15 years-old. En route, they meet up with

schoolmates, David and Nelly, who live 10 and 15 kilometres away from

school. There is only one way to get there on time and that is to

run. 2.5 hours after David and Nelly left home this morning, they

arrive at school. First period is 1.5 hours of double English.

take everything for granted. Like transport and everything we've got

because these guys don't have transport or anything and people

like me, I drive to school. It's, like, kind of stupid in a way

because these guys have to get up and run. We even take classrooms

for granted. For these guys, they have a simple table and chair. And

we have got computers and everything we could possibly need.

Until we actually see the life, the way these guys live, that is when

you realise how lucky we are. 1pm, there is only one thing on

everybody's mind - lunch. School lunches are cooked on an open fire

in a small kitchen. Every day, it is the same menu. With the drought

that is affecting East Africa, food prices have risen throughout the

country. For many of these students, school lunch is the first and often

The kitchen was so smoky, I don't know how people managed to stay in

their and cook. The smoke gets in your eyes, up your nose. You can

taste it. Very tasty. You look at it and you don't think it is, but

it's very tasty. I did not think I was going to eat it but I am happy

that I am. There are 150 students at Bishop Okiring School. Four

years ago, it was a different picture when the school found

itself at the centre of a violent land dispute. What happened during

the fight in 2007? There were conflicts in Mount Elgon. The

students came from the two clans and students from one clan were

chased away from the school and students from another clan would

attack the school, killing one student. Most of the school

property was vandalised. When he became headmaster it in 20th nine

there were just a handful of pupils lead. For now, stability has

returned. Eclair and her friends challenge and made to a 100 metres

sprint. What is your dream? My dream is to be in England. Do you

think you can make it? Yes. sure in 100 metres I can win gold.

I didn't come last! Environmental conditions here make it hard enough

when you are able bodied. For Alex who had polio as a child, getting

around is even more of a challenge. The school's all-inclusive policy

is driving ahead to give students like Alex every chance to get

involved. When they are playing, I ask them to assist me with the ball,

They are visiting home. She is the youngest of nine brothers and

sisters. The only one to have attended secondary school. She is

challenging the norm. Her mother supported daughter's choices.

nine children are suffering. If I had gone to school myself, my

situation would have been better. Now we are very poor. I want her to

go to school so she can earn a living. I would like her to become

a doctor so she can treat my bad guys. The family do all the cooking

inside the mud hut. This is a type of maize and is a staple of the

diet in this part of Kenya. Can I help? You can bring water and

collect firewood. Fetching water is The nearest water source is 1km

away. It is the rainy season in this part of Kenya. Rainwater is

channelled through to a watering hole which serves the local

community. Follow my steps. It is The women's lives revolve around

subsistence farming, growing maize, cabbages, beans and a few animals

It is a harsh existence living hand to mouth on the land. Those who set

their sights higher have to move to The pupils dream of winning Olympic

medals as their ticket to a Her family is so amazing down there.

This is the last day at Bishop Okiring School. Eat if I set a

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds

boxing lesson. It draws a real The students treat Emma and Ermal

So Emma, we've loved having you. Except the small gift. - mac accept.

Clap for Emma. Clap hard. On behalf of our school, please accept this.

Thank you so much for coming. very surprised how welcome you made

me feel. You have all got inspiring stories to tell me. You have

inspired me to be better than I am. If you work hard, one day you will

I had a cute to give you. You can use it in your lessons. Wow!.

day you can come back and give me a Emma and Ermal seal their

friendships by planting a few saplings. Clochard, Emma. - baked

pushcart. -- push hard. When I walked into the ceremony and they

gave me my medal, I was in tears. I was so overwhelmed. Her English has

improved so much she has worked so hard. She actually can do what she

wants to do in the future now. Isaac is a very determined person.

He wants to achieve. He wants to be a businessman. He likes athletics.

I think he has more chance of succeeding in athletics. I hope he