In Djibouti city this morning, it was nothing but gridlock surrounding each Djiboutian public school, especially the big one downtown. Cars were parked everywhere, with traffic going nowhere, as students returned to school after the long summer break. Anxious parents lined the dirt walkways nearby and held the hands of young ones crossing the street. And, all of the children, from the smallest kidergartner to the oldest secondary school student, was dressed in their newest school clothes. The scene was just like in the US and I would think almost everywhere else in the world.
The 1st day of the Djiboutian public schools had been delayed this year because of Ramadan. We were told that they started back to school 21 days later than normal and will make up the days with shorter breaks at Christmas and elsewhere. The French school here has been operating for three weeks already.
As we made our way back to Lac Assal, John and I saw the shutters finally opened on the small rural schools near the outskirts of Djibouti City. But, to my sorrow, as we got closer to the compound and Lac Assal, we saw the many, many children, who have no school to go to, playing in the dirt or herding the goats. We must do something about providing clean, sustainable water here, so that these kids will have a chance at an education! Until there is water here, there will be no school.
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