Improving Education
As we continue to raise money for additional wells, we are also looking to improve the quality of and access to education. In a region where student to teacher ratios can be over 100 to 1, where a single classroom can have over 100 students, where six-to-eight children have to share a desk … the need for more schools and teachers is critical.
One of the visiting choir members, Barnabus, is the superintendent of schools in Pommern and the surrounding villages. Under his supervision, the village of Ukumbi (now known as Masalali) as completed four classrooms but lacks the resources to complete the structure to meet government standards. In Tanzania, the government will provide the salary of teachers and additional financial support only if a school meets minimum requirements. We have raised $8,500 to fund the expansion of the school by adding additional classroom and an office. This will double the size of the school. The villagers will provide much of the labor to complete the project, including making their own bricks. Below is a recent photograph of the construction work being performed. With the foundation completed, the villagers are waiting for the rainy season to end to build the walls and apply stucco. Once the walls are completed, the Tanzania government is provided funds to complete the roof.
Our goal is to help the villagers to fund the expansion of the school with an additional 4 more classroom in 2012 and possible another 4 classrooms in 2013.
The villagers share the same hopes for their children as we all do: to live a safe environment, to have the means be able to provide for themselves, and have access to education to better their future. By helping them obtain these goals, we have become better people … stronger in community, stronger in faith, and stronger dreamers of what can be accomplished but much more help is needed. As we look to complete this project, we are also exploring other opportunities to improve the education of the region. Whereas fresh water addresses immediate need, education provides an additional means for them to lift themselves up and have hope for the future.