Here are some pics of the building project! The whole point is this project, right? I get so caught up in the distractions of people and culture – bad girl. HaHa! I know you don’t think so … building is the boring part (in terms of writing), but it’s moving right along!
So, the way it works in a nutshell – the villagers donate their time to carry sand, stones and bricks to the site. The piles are growing! That’s Lucas standing atop the big pile. The builder and three laborers (who are paid) work to do the construction that requires actual building skills. This week, Isaya (from Mwanga) and his workers (from Mgaraganza) measured out the space for the football field (requisite with all schools) and the actual classroom and office buildings. The foundation will be put in first, followed by the walls for the headmaster office and one of the classrooms. At that point, we’ll reevaluate where our finances are and see how much more we have to fundraise to continue. In addition, I’m meeting again with the Ministry of Education again this week to push them a little on their offer to provide support in the form of additional classrooms. Project Wezesha funds some, the Ministry of Education funds others – collaboration for a school that otherwise would have reached the ‘to do’ list for the MOE … who knows when.
The odd structure pictured below is the storage room – a quickly thrown together space to store building materials during the course of the project. This was necessary because without it, the materials could be destroyed or stolen as the site is quite isolated – sitting atop a hill in an undeveloped area of the village. Isaya will actually also sleep in this make-shift storage shed while the project is under way. He lives in Mwanga – next to Kigoma town – and couldn’t do the work effectively at all if he had to commute in every day. So, he’ll sleep and work here until the project is done or funds run out for materials.
This school is mondo! It will have 16 classrooms (4 for each of the four levels of secondary school) plus offices for the teachers, the headmaster, storage for exams and paperwork and an additional space that is currently designated for the second master – but which I am lobbying to have designated as a much needed library. The head and second master can share a space – a small sacrifice in exchange for a greater chance of success for these students.
After seeing how inhibited the students’ goal of attending secondary school is as a result of their low English language proficiency levels, I think a reading space is necessary – in primary and secondary schools. Many (most) schools here don’t have libraries. And not only for English language reading materials of course, but for additional reading materials in Kiswahili on academic topics, such as math, history, science, etc. They often don’t have texts at all and can’t genuinely be expected to excel when they only have the information they copy from the board into their notebooks – having no resources with which to seek additional knowledge, additional reading opportunities … additional KNOWLEDGE – Bottom line! Reading is essential and books are awesome – Ask any parent or teacher!
I wonder if I can make a partnership with John Wood and the Room to Read campaign. Hmmmm … Anyone have connections?