Scotch College

A world experience at Kapumfi and Kokoda

Hugh McKenzie with students in Lusaka, Zambia

Martin Lipshut, Byron Smith and Georr their guide at a memorial at Isurava on the Kokoda Trail

As reported elsewhere in this issue of Great Scot, Scotch boys headed overseas to widely scattered destinations during the September holidays, including Zambia and Papua New Guinea.

Scotch boarders were well represented in both these unforgettable excursions, and Great Scot recently spoke to James Garrick and Hugh McKenzie, who visited Zambia for the Kapumfi Basic School opening ceremony; and also to Byron Smith and Martin Lipshut, who tackled the Kokoda Trail with 10 other Scotch students.

James (who comes from Shepparton and is in Year 11) said the visit to Kapumfi brought to life a project which had captured the hearts and minds of Scotch boys for more than a year. ‘It was great to be there, and to experience the excitement that the local people felt about having a new school in their community. They are very grateful for Scotch’s help, and it really showed when we were there.’

Hugh (from Yea, in Year 10) said the visit brought the whole project to life for him. ‘It was amazing to meet the local people – especially the school students – to see how they live, and to realise how important the school is to them.’

Would they like to return to Kapumfi some day? ‘Yes; but it would also be good for another group of Scotch people to go there to see future developments at the school,’ James said.

Hugh said the visit had had a strong impact on him. ‘It made me realise how lucky and privileged we are, and it also increased my interest in what World Vision is doing in places like Zambia,’ he said.

For Byron Smith (also from Shepparton, and in Year 11), the daily walk up to the hill to the boarding school will never be the same again. ‘I once thought that was a bit of a climb,’ he joked, ‘but Kokoda changed my idea of what a hill really is. I was almost on my knees just getting to the lunch destination on the first day. It was incredible to think that those Australian soldiers took on such a demanding track while in a war situation. I now really appreciate what they did.’

Part of the Papua New Guinea experience was to stay in villages for three days. ‘The villagers accepted us very well, and we were honoured guests,’ said Martin Lipshut (from Tatura, in Year 11). ‘We lived the same way they do – we did a bit of work in their gardens, ate their food, and learned about their lives. It was great.’

The Kapumfi and Papua New Guinea visits broadened the students’ minds immensely, allowing them to see vastly different cultures first-hand, to share memorable experiences and to return with a different view of the world.

Hugh summed it up: ‘Johannesburg in South Africa was so luxurious, and then not long after that we were in a different world, visiting World Vision projects and seeing how local villagers lived. The contrasts we saw were eye-opening.’

David Ashton