Student Exchange 2019: Student Reflections on Week Two

Over the next few weeks, the students will be writing blogs on their experiences during the Exchange Programme. Each week, two students from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad and the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa will pair up and pick a topic that they have found particularly pertinent. This can be something that they have learnt, or something that has stood out for them. By curating these blog posts, the students will have an opportunity to reflect on their journey and will have a platform to express their feelings and sentiments on their exchange environment.

This week, we'll hear from Hotep and Shafyna. They are currently at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. For their student reflection, they have chosen to reflect on the natural environment – having noted particularly the length and breadth of the campus in Hyderabad. Next, Ashrith and Sujith, who are at currently the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, will talk about the enrichment programme.

Hyderabad Blog: Hotep and Shafyna

“After spending two weeks here at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, we realise that there is more flora and fauna in the environment than what is visible to our naked eyes. Unlike our Mombasa campus, the campus in Hyderabad sprawls into a massive 100 acres of land. The campus is a host to hectares of trees, bushes, grass, and holds three whole sports fields! 

We know that the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has different kinds of animals, birds and insects as well as different species of bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, dragonflies, along with cats and goats. However, at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, we have discovered more wildlife and have spotted many different varieties of native birds, reptiles and animals like snakes, scorpions, peacocks, deer. We have also seen insects like dragonflies, honeybees and so many others that we don’t know the names of!

Even though the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad is bigger and is more spacious than the Academy in Mombasa, both follow similar ways of maintaining greenery in their respective campuses. The grass, trees and bushes are well-maintained as they are trimmed daily and the fallen leaves, grass, branches, etc are taken to a compost area.

Both the academies have sprinklers installed which helps in watering plants equally at specific intervals of time. But the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad uses water conservatively. In fact, recycled water is preferred for watering plants here.

We also quite liked the Junior School library which is spacious and has many different genres of books and authors. The best part is that there is an open-air sitting area right outside the library! 

Though it has only been two weeks since we arrived, we are already liking this beautiful place. We look forward to discovering new things and new places here at the Academy!”

Mombasa Blog: Ashrith and Sujith

Ashrith and Sujith are at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. They have enjoyed the enrichment programme and particularly the array of different choices on offer. 

“Enrichment is precisely what the name suggests - it is a holistic time for students to explore, find interests and broaden their skill sets. There are a lot of identical enrichments offered at both the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad and the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, like a variety of sports and arts. While there are some similarities between enrichments done in each Academy, there are quite a few differences as well in terms of the variety of enrichments offered. 

At the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, each term students are asked to pick one enrichment they want to focus on so they can hone their skills in that enrichmentand the choices on offer are rather different. However, at Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, students choose one to three enrichments per semester from three different categories called action, citizenship and expression. Action enrichments are sports/activity-based, while citizenship enrichments are all about how an individual can take a role in the community such as through animal care, first-aid or Model United Nations. Expression enrichments are all about expressing interests and talents, where students can then showcase it through enrichments such as the orchestra, Afro-Desi dance and Cheza Ndogo, which is a dance group focusing on Afro-style dancing. 

As of now, we are involved in Anime Club, Badminton and Stand-Up Shout-Out, which focuses on discussing global issues. We’re excited to participate in these enrichments and see what we can learn during our time at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa.”

Stay Informed

The students have certainly had a busy week! Stay tuned over the coming weeks to see how the students are getting on with out weekly student blog posts and galleries – and be sure to check our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram!