What’s in a Name?
Amahoro is the Kihaa and Kirundi word for Peace. Kiha and Kirundi are the local languages of the waha and warundi people who live in the villages surrounding Kigoma town belong to. When Rai met with the chief of Mgaraganza to discuss the building of this secondary school, they had a conversation about selecting a name in the local language. Amahoro, similar to the local greeting, Namahoro, was a choice appreciated by all.
Where to Build
The local community and village leaders chose a beautiful piece of land central to Mgaraganza village. The land was donated by the local leadership to Project Wezesha. It sits on top of a hill near a road that leads down to Kagongo village in one direction and down to Lake Tanganyika in the other. On the lake side, there are three villages from which students used to walk almost 2 hours to reach the closest secondary school. Amahoro Secondary School would cut their walk time by more than half. In addition, Amahoro Secondary School is adjacent to the well known Gombe Stream National Park, site of the groundbreaking work of Jane Goodall and home to the chimps that changed our understanding about how chimps communicate, use tools, and participate in family groups.
Amahoro Secondary School Opening
We broke ground for Amahoro Secondary School in 2010. We worked as quickly as our fundraising would allow, building brick by brick, classroom by classroom. Ultimately, we built a classroom with 16 rooms. There are several classrooms, teachers’ offices and science labs. (See pictures here.) With the help of many amazing donors, we were able to build several latrines for the girls and boys. We also collected donations for many desks and chairs so students would no longer have to sit on stones and wood planks. There are still many needs at the school as the student population grows, but the village leaders and regional Ministry of Education know they are on deck to take over the remaining responsibilities. We’ll continue to work with them and support when and how we can.
In 2015, Amahoro Secondary School opened! The ceremony was an amazing event! Village, town, and regional leaders attended and offered congratulatory speeches. The entire village showed up to enjoy music, dance, and food. Everyone’s excitement for the new school was contagious! Check out this video of the festivities.