March :
The small tables and chairs ordered for the Kindergarten are ready to be delivered to the school. The little ones will no longer have to sit two at a desk and share a chair.
Also during March: After two years of drought, which turned the soil into loose sand, the torrential rain caused terrible flooding and mud slides. Many houses were washed away, roads destroyed and crops damaged.
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June/July:
During the past few months a young girl, here in England and aged only 10 years, heard of the plight of the little goat herd at our school which was depleted due to an awful virus during last year. She raised awareness of the issue at her school and, with the backing of her teachers, took it upon herself to start a fundraising campaign. Within a few months she had raised an enormous sum – enough to purchase a small herd of at least 12 milk goats.
Ella and her teachers with the donation cheque.
September: The Annual School Trip to Mikumi
The excitement this trip generates for the children in their final term at Primary School means improved attendance, better schoolwork and higher grades. The buses arrived at school on 9th September to pick up the children for their weekend trip to Mikumi National Park. . . . a drive of over 4 hours.
On a game drive in the National Park the children were excited to see a lion and zebra. They also attended outdoor wildlife lectures with their teacher.
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October : 70th Anniversary Tour 2018
This year a group of ex-pupils, who attended the school in the 1950s, travelled to Kongwa to join the celebrations to mark the 70 years since their school was opened on 4th October 1948. The present school, Mnyakongo Primary, had prepared special dancing routines and written songs and speeches for the occasion.
Excited children were waiting for us when we arrived.
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The small tables and chairs made earlier in the year have been put to good use in the Kindergarten and the little ones no longer have to share. Some of the Kindergarten children posed for a photo.
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The smart new buildings of the latrine blocks will be in full use as soon as a water supply is connected to the SIM tanks for hand washing. 
Celebration day, 4th October, was a splendid day. Elders from the village and local dignitaries were invited to the school to join the celebrations and all the school children were assembled. Different groups of children performed dances and sang songs about our journey and our time at school there so long ago.
The village drummers came to entertain us. . . .
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One of our group had a birthday and was presented with a cake – he was actually born in Kongwa all those years ago. A cake sharing ceremony took place which caused much laughter.
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We laid on a celebration lunch for the teachers, village elders, dignitaries and all the children. Children were told to bring a plate to school with them and lined up for a meal of rice, beans and meat.
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. . . . . . . and after lunch the big pots were scrubbed clean by some of the older girls
A wonderful visit enjoyed by all of those on the tour:
 Graeme |
 Elizabeth |
 Jim (Sigurd) |
 Francis |
 Robert |
 Sheila |
 Roger |
 Susan |
 Barbara |
. . . . and our drivers
 Arnold |
 Abuu |
With many thanks to Savannah Tours for their support of the Project and for their care and attention to detail on every tour since the Project began ten years ago.
Click to go to 2019