PROJECT UPDATES - NOVEMBER 2022

Hello, all our friends,

Alan's partner Nina Yin, fellow Director Peter Daniels with partner Lorna Pagliaro, and Nina's daughter Corinna joined Alan on this year's November 2022 trip to Tanzania. It was quite the adventure; school buildings opening celebrations, safaris, big cats, rogue elephants, and lots of hugs and entertainment from welcoming Tanzanians.

New 2-family Teacher Residences were built at two of our 7 school projects in the area. Our amazing builder Restus Sanka has once again created a quality building for two lucky teachers and their families at both Tidivi Primary School and Gongali Primary School. It solves their commuting problems on muddy rain season roads, and provides a healthy environment for kids to grow up in. Teachers can now focus more on teaching. This has proven success since we have achieved higher national academic standing on all our schools with teacher residences. 

New Tidivi 2-family teacher residence building at right

New Gongali 2-family teacher residences

the head table at Gongali Primary School: Nina Yin, Alan, Salmina Msuya, Peter Daniels, Lorna Pagliaro

teachers and guests at Tidivi Primary School

Dave Green and wife Cheryl Alexander detoured from their African holiday to join us as honorary guests at Tidivi Primary School. For their contribution to the school's development, they were celebrated as honorary villagers.

Thanking donor Dave Green

Cheryl Alexander being "robed"
as an honorary villager

The villagers didn't stop there. They "robed" us all..

...and sang and danced for us...

teachers dancing

tribal dancing

...and provided an unexpected surprise birthday cake for Alan (that we all enjoyed)

Plaques were installed to commemorate the donors. Special thanks to all ex-cadets of the Royal Military College of Canada for their continuing support.

plaque for donors from
Royal Military College, Canada 

plaque at residence
for donor Lepicq family 

"loving families build healthy communities"

plaque at residence commemorating the Green/Alexander family  Great hat, Dave. (his gift from the community)!

A happy teacher in her new residence at Tidivi Primary School

a happy teacher family in their new residence at Gongali School

another happy teacher family in their
new residence at Gongali Primary School

We visited a couple of our other schools too.

Last year, we completed the Flame Tree Vocational Centre project, adding a Kitchen and Dining Hall, a classroom, and a Girls Dormitory. It is now in the final stages of transferring ownership from local government to the federal agency VETA (Vocational Education Training Authority). This means it will now be properly staffed with the full complement of fully paid administrators, managers and teachers. 

The flame tree seedling planted by the Centre's major sponsor, Dr Peter Pearse, has grown majestically to over 40 feet tall. It is now the beginning of the flowering season for its bright red flowers.

girls dormitory laundry area

typical dorm room

dorm shower area

At Simba Milima Primary School, our sponsor, Safari Partners Ltd from Vancouver, has provided funding to start the construction of a new Kitchen/Dining Hall building that will also provide staff toilets. 

The trip wasn't just all about the schools. 

We went on a couple of Safaris with Claud Goi's Kili-Routes tour company and saw some big game; lions, leopards, giraffes, hippos, water buffalo, and a gazillion zebras. 

leopard; a very rare sight, and this one paraded by only 30 feet away

then nestled herself in a tree to stare at us indifferently

A rogue elephant family invaded our lodge...

...and ate tree leaves before being chased away

George Goi, one of our sponsored students, bussed 5 hours from his University in Moshi to see us at our lodge in Tarangire Park, visiting for only an hour before returning to Moshi to work on a class presentation due the next day. Seen here greeted by Nina's daughter Corinna.

Thank you, Ginny and Greg for sponsoring George through his physiotherapy studies.

The staff at Farm of Dreams lodge treated us like family, with a few tears and singing and dancing fanfare at our leaving. 

Corinna got treated to a birthday cake too, this one with a dangerous blowtorch-like candle.

We still have a lot of work to do to complete 6 schools. we need funding for teacher residences, kitchen/dining halls, administration and toilet buildings.

DONATIONS can be made: 

- using the donate button on website primaryschoolsforafrica.com

- by e-transfer to psfa@shaw.ca

- by mail to 3301 Wordsworth St, Victoria, BC, V8P4B9 with cheque addressed to "Primary Schools For Africa Society".

Our heartfelt thanks to all the generous donors who continue to support our school building and student scholarship programs. 

For all you new readers, please help us support Tanzanian kids get the proper education they desperately need with your kind donations.

Thank You

END OF POST

PROJECT UPDATES - OCTOBER 2021

 Hello, all our friends,

Despite the challenges of Covid-19 worldwide, and especially in Tanzania, PSFA has continued its mission to develop schools in its northern region during 2020 and 2021. It is encouraging that Tanzania's new President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, is fully committed to a vaccination program for the country.

At the outset of the pandemic, PSFA and its partner African Book Box Society (ABB) responded by providing masks, soap, and hand-washing water stations at schools with our Project Manager Restus Sanka advising teachers and students on proper protocols for their use.

kids observing Covid 19 hygiene
protocols before entering classrooms

kids observing Covid 19 hygiene
protocols before entering classrooms

Our 5 primary schools, high school, and vocational school are all in full operation. All classroom buildings are completed at each school, and we are continuing their development adding teacher residences, kitchen/dining, administration, and toilet buildings as incoming funds allow. 

Flame Tree Vocational Centre, Karatu, Tanzania

In 2020, with adopted Covid protocols, we continued with the construction of a new 32-bed Girls Dormitory, a Kitchen/Dining Hall, and a new Classroom building. 

Anne Pearson Girls Dormitory, completed in Late 2020, is named after ABB's Anne Pearson, who passed away in January 2021. Our hearts are heavy with her loss. She was the driving force for ABB's sponsoring of this Centre's development. With her bright personality, wonderful enthusiasm, and passion for teaching, she and her lifelong friend Ruth provided many enjoyable hours for the kids at our primary schools reciting stories from their colourful picture books.

The dormitory is an important addition to allow increased student population to the Centre for local and regional girls. It features a large reading room where students can study together or gather for social activities.

new 32 girl Dormitory at FTVC

typical dormitory room

girls dormitory study room

new Kitchen/dining Hall

Kitchen/Dining Hall. Construction completed in May 2021. Up to 50 students can be accommodated in a well-glazed cheerful dining space where nutritious meals are prepared by local volunteer cooks. The kitchen features efficient stainless steel stoves for their maize, soybeans, groundnut menu items.

    

new FTVC Dining Hall

kitchen at FTVC - cooking porridge meal

Classroom Building. Construction completed in May 2021. A new 48 person classroom provides additional classroom space to support the workshop student course needs. 

new Classroom building

new Classroom building

 

Gongali Aslini Primary School, Gongali Village, Tanzania

New 2 Teacher Family Residences. Construction has commenced in 2021 for two new residences.  It will bring the total number of teacher families living at the school to six. There is substantially improved quality of life for the families; flush toilets and showers that connect to a septic system, clean-burning gas stoves that replace smokey outdoor fires, and the elimination of commuting on dusty clay roads that sometimes become impassable during rainy seasons. 

PSFA Student Scholarship Program.

PSFA supports tertiary level education of the top male and female students that graduate every year from our Edith Gvora High School. We do this by pairing up each student with a generous Canadian donor willing to pay the relatively inexpensive yearly tuition fees and living expenses in exchange for the satisfaction of being the foundation for his/her career success.   

To date we have four students being supported. They include:

Elizabeth Goi - a 3 year course for a Diploma in Banking and Finance

Selina Yohani - a Certificate in Education to teach High School

Deborah Laizer - a 5 year program for a Doctor of Pharmacy degree

George Goi - a 4 year program for a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy

Elizabeth Goi

Deborah Laizer and mom

Selina Yohani with
mom and Restus

Primary Schools Food Program

Thanks to ABB sponsoring a food program at Gongali Primary School, kids are being fed a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal

lunch time

Gongali Primary School
Food Program

Construction donations are needed!

 - to complete our Gongali Teacher Residence project

More Student Sponsors are needed! for students to finish upper 2 levels of High School and attend University programs.

High School fees range from $600 to $2,000 per year, depending on location of school. University or college fees including dormitory accommodation range from $1,000 - $3,000 per year, depending on type of program and location of school. 

Petro Emanuel wants to be a Teacher, attending a college to obtain a Diploma of Education in Physics and Mathematics. His first year expenses are $1,000. 

Josephat Baltazari needs to complete Level 6 of High School, then wants to go to college for 3 - 4 years. His year's expenses for Level 6 are approx $700. 

Sarah Leonard wants to attend a 4 year program leading to a Diploma in Animal Health and Production. She needs to start immediately. Her first year expenses are $2,200.

Claudian Nestafory needs to finish Level 5 High School. His expenses will be approx $1,600.

For further information, please contact Alan Roy at psfa@shaw.ca

DONATIONS can be made: 

- using the donate button on website primaryschoolsforafrica.com

- by e-transfer to psfa@shaw.ca

- by mail to 3301 Wordsworth St, Victoria, BC, V8P4B9 with cheque addressed to Primary Schools For Africa Society

Our heartfelt thanks to all the generous donors who continue to support our school building and student scholarship programs.

Thank You

END OF POST

PROJECT UPDATES - NOVEMBER 2019

Hello, all our friends,

October 2019 is a milestone occasion for Primary Schools For Africa schools. With the opening of the Classroom 5,6,7 buildings at Simba Milima Primary School and Tidivi Primary School, all five of our primary schools now have ALL of their classroom buildings to be able to teach Standard 1 to 7 classes. Yay!!

We can’t rest though. We still need Teacher Residences, Toilets, Kitchen/dining, and Teacher Centre buildings for a fully functioning school.

Simba Milima Primary School, Doffa Village, Tanzania

New Classroom 5,6,7 Building

The opening ceremonies for the Classroom 5,6,7 building were wonderfully organized by headmaster Loatha Paulo and the Doffa Village officials and local people. It’s always so much fun to be greeted by a group of elders who take your arm and “dance” you to the head table with their traditional dance. And the children’s singing and special military marching demonstration (with sticks in lieu of guns) were amazingly precise. Why they’re training this is a bit odd; Loatha says it’s good for discipline and co-operation. District Education Officer Sara Mollel (former headmistress of our Gongali Aslini School - nice that she got this promotion) cut the ribbon to two of the classrooms, but it was more fun to have a couple of eager kids cut the ribbon to the third classroom; a memory they will certainly cherish.

I was “robed” as an honorary village elder (Baba Alan) for the umpteenth time. The stick, by the way, in spite of its humble material, is a strong symbol of local authority.

Simba Milima School buildings

students cutting the ribbon to a new classroom

arrival at Simba Milima

Our sincere thanks to our school sponsor Chris Ronneseth and Safari Partners Inc for their generous yearly donation to maintain the progress of the school’s development - a new building every year!

Tidivi Primary School, Huduma Village, Tanzania

New Classroom 5,6,7 Building

Tidivi Classroom 5,6,7 building opening

Another Classroom 5,6,7 opening with similar ceremonies as Simba Milima. The significance of this school is that they have all 7 classrooms with all 7 teachers now. The event highlight; principal Augustino Mchomvu had a dozen kids each perform an energetic “dancing” speech of school needs; pleading for everything from electricity to water to more community and government support. 

they are ALL smiles

traditional dance

Thanks to the RMC Class of '70 ex-cadets who continue to sponsor this school project.

a new preschooler at Tidivi School

Edith Gvora High School, Gongali Village, Tanzania

Our Project Manager Restus Sanka has informed us that our plea for site electricity and a direct graded road to the school has resulted in success. Tanesco (Tanzania Electric Supply Company) will provide the poles and overhead wires and we will wire the buildings. At the time of writing this, the road has already been graded. No more cross country bumpy, circuitous and muddy travels, and less isolation of the school in the rainy season. Yay!!

Flame Tree Vocational Centre, Bashay Village, Tanzania

A new water system is in place. Incoming piped water to the site and collected rainwater is stored in a 75,000 litre underground concrete storage tank and pumped uphill to 2-5,000 litre SIM tanks where it feeds by gravity to the Centre.  

The Vocational Centre had been experiencing growing pains with unfilled positions of staff and teachers, however, a new Principal Frederick Laizer has been assigned who seems able and willing to dramatically improve administration efficiency as well as tackle issues including increased enrolment and course registrations. We also look forward to possible VETA registration of the Centre within the next year.

The site landscaping is healthy and vibrant with colourful flowers and healthy growth of trees and shrubs. The flame tree planted by donor Peter Pearse two years ago is growing fast and is about 15 feet high.

Restus under Peter Pearse's flame tree

water storage tanks at Flame Tree Vocational Centre

Student Awards

Gongali cash prize students

Restus is pumped about his new role as our School Superintendent. He’s come up with some great ideas to motivate students. 

We are now awarding a cash prize to the top male and female student graduates from Standard 7; 100,000 Shillings (about 60 CAD) to the top boy and girl and 50,000 Shillings (30 CAD) to the second place boy and girl. We made the presentations this year to grads at both Gongali Primary School and Kilimamoja Primary School. We give the cash to the head teacher who will buy things like backpacks and school supplies for their first year in high school.

PSFA Scholarship Progam

We are also initiating a scholarship program for graduates of our one and only high school (Edith Gvora) who intend to continue on from Form Four level to higher learning, either with a college or vocational programs or with completion of 2 pre-university Form 5,6 years at a good private school, followed by university,. 

Anyone who wishes to sponsor a student can contact Alan by email; psfa@shaw.ca, or phone; 250-920-6296.

2018 grad student Deborah Laizer is being sponsored by Tony and Beth Gvora. She is now attending Mwanza College in a 3-year program leading up to a university Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

The undersigned is sponsoring a sister and brother. Jackson Goi is currently in his second year of a Civil Engineering course at Arusha Technical College and his sister Elizabeth is completing Form 5,6 at Dodoma High School, to then continue on with medicine at University to become a doctor.

arrival at Gongali School

skipping demo at Gongali School

Gongali students

Our schools are in continuous need of further development as they grow in size with more pupils each year...

So please donate generously towards the education of these young children who are so eager to learn.

Visit PrimarySchoolsforAfrica.com and click on the "Donate" button, or send a cheque made out to:

"Primary Schools For Africa Society", and mail to:

3301 Wordsworth Street, Victoria, BC, V8P4B9

Asante Sana Sana (Thank You very very much)

Alan Roy