Lifecause Academy, Lagos
A new contact has been made with Indian Pastor Deepak Dehongde in the city of Lagos here he has just opened Lifecause Academy for under-privileged children in a slum district of the city. Pastor Deepak invited HighLight director, David Freeman, to make an initial on behalf of HighLight visit in the last week of August in order to envision and train his staff. He funded the visit and arranged for David to speak at other schools known to Pastor Deepak.
The week included several very positive sessions with the Lifecause principal and staff who responded with great enthusiasm. A visit was made to the school building which is at present a house in the slum area which has been renovated to provide bright and clean classrooms for the 30+ children aged 3 to 6 These will be divided into a play-school class for 3-4 year olds and a kindergarten class for 4-6 year olds. 
All education in Lagos is in English so they regaled the visitors with many songs and rhymes and enjoyed a new counting song David taught them. This school is making contact with the parents or guardians of these children who we visited and who are clearly thrilled at the possibility of education for their children.
A striking contrast
Three other schools invited training for their staff. The day before visiting the school in the slum, David was invited to the most prestigious school in Lagos. The British School in Lekki (the privileged district) presently caters for approximately 250 pupils and is situated in 22 acres with many quality classrooms, its own bakery and swimming pool! Quite a contrast! The Principal followed up the session by expressing an interest in his school being involved in some way with Pastor Deepak’s school. What a positive result!
On another day 200 teachers attended the session at The English Language School, whose staff are mainly Hindu. This school caters for nearly 1500 Indian children and has an excellent reputation.
 
Isaac Newton School
A day’s training for 20 staff was requested by the principal of Isaac Newton School. Staff were very enthusiastic and, as in all cases where it was shared, the approach to redemptive discipline, amongst other teaching, was a new concept and warmly welcomed.
Future plans
Pastor Deepak has asked for an ongoing relationship with HighLight and mentoring for his principal of the Lifecause. There was a suggestion from the English Language School regarding a longer seminar on a future occasion. The British School and Isaac Newton School have also both asked for further connection, training and relationship. The whole experience of the Indian community in Lagos was thoroughly enjoyable, making the visit very worthwhile and opening a new field for HighLight.