The magical sounds of the Swahili language filled Norwich School yesterday as an African choir helped to forge closer links between Kenya and the county's pupils.

The magical sounds of the Swahili language filled Norwich School yesterday as an African choir helped to forge closer links between Kenya and the county's pupils.

Members of the St Philip's Choir, from one of the poorest districts of Nairobi, sung their hearts out as they showed pupils what it is like to live in deprived areas of Africa.

The visit to Norwich School was part of a week-long tour by the choir which was arranged by the Rise project.

Rise, which is run by Norwich's Cherry Crowley, organises pupil exchanges between Kenya and Norfolk to help develop student leadership and citizenship skills with the ethos of My Norfolk, My Responsibility.

Since October 2005 large groups of Norfolk pupils have helped taught at Nairobi schools and got involved in community projects while in Kenya, such as tree planting and making food parcels.

The St Philip's Choir was invited to Norwich School by Mrs Crowley after she saw them singing as part of her work at Nairobi's Starehe boys and girls schools, which pride themselves on strong student leadership.

During the week the choir also sang at Flegg, Acle, Cliff Park and Methwold High Schools and their feeder junior schools.

And the Kenyans, many of who have never been on a plane before, spoke of their amazement of seeing how disciplined motorists were on Norfolk's roads and how green everything looked - although they did complain about the cold weather.

Mrs Crowley, 58 and former headteacher at Flegg High School, said that she was so impressed with the choir that she hoped to bring them back for some of the large festivals held in Norfolk.

'I am absolutely delighted that the young people of Norfolk just loved seeing and meeting the choir.'