February
Digital Camera: A generous supporter in Ealing (UK) donated a new digital camera to the project. This will mean that the school can have a record of school functions, graduations and sporting events in the future. Everyone at the school was delighted when the camera was delivered to them in June.
April
Fundraising : The Fundraiser held at an Indian Restaurant in Maidenhead on 1st April raised £425 for the Project. A marvelous boost to the funds. This is the small report which went into the local newspaper.
(double click to enlarge image).
June 2011
Tour to Kongwa : Six supporters from England, four from San Diego, two of them students, and two from Australia joined the group who travelled to the school in June, carrying with them huge bags of donated sports clothing and equipment, toys and games, utensils for the Domestic Science class, stationery, pens/pencils, 300 mugs, the new digital camera so that the school can record special events and the final 8 upgraded laptops (part of a consignment of 14 donated in 2010). Grateful thanks again to British Airways for allowing each of us to carry an additional 23kg of donated goods free of charge.
Swahili Books : The order of Swahili books, placed by San Diego State University, was ready for collection in Dar-es-Salaam and these were loaded onto our transport to bring with us on our six hour journey inland to the school.
Mosquito nets : The mosquito nets we had ordered (80 of them) were already stored at the Savannah Tours office when we arrived. Savannah Tours generously donated a further 50 nets and these huge packages, too big to carry in our transport, were sent by bus to Kongwa for the head teacher to pick up at the other end.
Arrival
The welcome at the school was, as always, overwhelming, with the school children singing and the local villagers on their drums encouraging us to join in. Those in the group who had never been to Tanzania before were visibly moved.
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 The children running to us
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 Drummers
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 Welcome wageni
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The Library : Please go to “The Library Project” for a detailed report.
On the first day we all gathered in the Library to sort out the new books . . . .
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. . . . and unpack the bundles of mosquito nets.
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Then some time to spend with the children, having fun in the classroom . . . . .
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. . . . . and in the playground
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 Head and shoulders, knees and toes . . .
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Tree Planting Ceremony
In front of the main school buildings we were each allocated a pre dug hole in the ground and handed a tree to plant. After mixing manure with the soil we put the plant into the hole, packed the soil around it and poured the water in. It is hoped that this symbolic planting will encourage us to return to our tree in the future to watch its progress.
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School children were appointed as guardians of the trees to tend them when we left Kongwa.
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School Buildings
The main school area is looking good with the shrubs planted by the SDSU students last year now well established and the buildings painted last October still looking very smart.
Now to get the other buildings to that same standard.
The Kindergarten was a huge task as it was very dilapidated. Thankfully, San Diego State University funded this particular project leaving funds in our pot to deal with the Technical Department and the Domestic Science room.
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Kindergarten inside and outside |
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Local painters/decorators were contracted to start immediately and by the following day work was in progress.
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Painting begins inside the Kindergarten and Domestic Science Room |
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and the outside of the Technical Department |
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Additional funds provided by Aaron, SDSU student, enabled us to commission a local carpenter to make 12 small tables and chairs for the Kindergarten. Confirmation has been received that these were delivered to the school on 20th July. We hope soon to receive photographs of the painted Kindergarten with the furniture in place.
The Lunch Program
This was set in motion with the purchase of a herd of milk goats (see details in Goats for Kids)
Electricity Supply
Negotiations with the electricity company, Tanesco, were completed on our last day in Kongwa and a new contract signed to extend the supply to the newly renovated buildings – work to begin in August.
This means that our dream of having all the buildings at the school linked to an electricity supply will have come true. One of the key commitments after the first visit in 2008 has succeeded and all thanks to supporters of this Project.
Office Supplies
A photocopier and printer were ordered in Dar-es-Salaam and will be delivered to the school on 9th August when another ex-pupil of the school (and great supporter of the Project) is taking his family to see where he grew up.
His group have kindly donated 30 reams of A4 paper which, with the copier and printer, will enable the teachers to print test and exam papers instead of having to write each one out by hand . . . . 800 of them!!!
Baking Aids and Implements for Domestic Science Department
A supply of equipment for the Domestic Science Department, donated in England and carried in our excess baggage allowance, was given to the school. There are still items on the list of requirements but this is a great start.
Celebrations
The schoolchildren danced for us . . .
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. . . . we were presented with gifts . . .
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Mosquito nets were handed to the children of kindergarten age.
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Football Nets unpacked and set up by the men.
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KONGWA SECONDARY SCHOOL
We were invited to Kongwa Secondary School and were greeted by the Headmaster and teachers who were proud to show us some of the classrooms where smart young ‘O’ level and ‘A’ level students were hard at work in stark surroundings. They had indicated last October that access to the internet would be a great help to their studies and to this end we handed over five of the laptops which were excitedly received.
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As a gesture of their appreciation we were presented with a billy goat . . an addition to our herd. |  |
Mnyakongo Secondary School
Another secondary school to which the primary pupils will go if they pass their final exams. We have yet to visit this school (we ran out of time) but did present a laptop to the Headmaster to allow them to gain access to the internet for educational purposes.
Kongwa Parish Youth Club
A laptop and a collection of BBC educational and wildlife programmes on DVDs were given to the Parish Priest who runs a Youth Club. This will enable him to show them to the young people he supports in outlying areas.
Thanks
The generosity of the Mnyakongo School Project supporters and San Diego State University has enabled us to achieve these amazing results.
Parting Shots
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Click to go to 2012