Ilfracombe students embark on African adventure

Students from The Ilfracombe Academy, part of Athena Learning Trust, spent their summer break travelling across Africa, taking part in a variety of cultural and wildlife experiences across Kenya, Eswatini, and Tanzania.

In Kenya, the students visited a local school, where they helped with brickmaking and laying the foundation for a new classroom. 

They also worked with park rangers, observing and recording wildlife across an 8,000-acre reserve. 

During a safari, they witnessed a pride of lions resting beside a recently hunted zebra. They also visited a Maasai village, where they learned about the Maasai culture and traditional dances.

In Eswatini, the group contributed to a community project by building a fence around a local church and preschool to protect it from wandering cattle. 

They spent time playing games with the local children before going on a sunrise and sunset game drive, where they saw a variety of wildlife, including lions, elephants, giraffes, and hippos.

Meanwhile, another group of students took on the challenge of trekking up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. 

Before the climb, they spent time in a local village, where they learned about the culture and prepared traditional banana-based dishes over an open fire. 

The students also helped plant banana trees before wrapping up their visit with a cultural exchange of songs and dances.

The expeditions were organised in partnership with Camps International, a social enterprise that arranges ethical and impactful journeys for students.

Steve Roger, Headteacher of The Ilfracombe Academy, said: “At The Ilfracombe Academy we are absolutely committed to enrichment.  We want our students to develop and better themselves in every part of life, academically and outside the classroom. This trip was a once in a lifetime experience and I have no doubt it will have helped to shape our students into well rounded individuals and aided them in acquiring new skills.  

“Not only is this increasingly important for a student’s next steps and employability but even more importantly we know that having experiences like this helps students foster a sense of interest, curiosity and enjoyment about the wider world.”