PROJECT UPDATES - SEPTEMBER 2018

Patricia Elizabeth Primary School Qameyu Village, Tanzania

New Classroom 5,6,7 Building

Thanks to our sponsors, Roland Wille, Alan Cassels and Blaise Salmon, all of Victoria, BC, we had the funds to complete the timely construction of this 3 classroom building. The school now has all 7 classrooms and were fortunate enough as well to have 4 new teachers provided by the District Education Office.
The opening of the building involved the usual festivities of speech-making, singing and dancing.
There is now an urgent need for a teacher residence building to house the new teachers who are temporarily being housed in a very small storage building provided by a local farmer. We will seek donations of $37,000 for its construction cost.

Mathew Sulle Classroom, sponsored
 by Blaise Salmon

temporary teacher residence

Alan, Headmaster Paulo, new teachers Peleus, Olga, Odetha and Said, Education Officer Alphonse

Wille Classroom, sponsored by
the Roland Wille family

Alan "robed" by local minister and
District Education Officer (right)

Restus's Classroom,
sponsored by Alan Cassels

Mathew and Restus get
potatoes for their families.

headmaster's speech 

Simba Milima Primary School, Doffa Village, Tanzania

New 2 Classroom Building 

In Sep 2018, we completed the construction of the second classroom building for levels 3 and 4. We now have 4 classrooms, an administrative building and 2 teacher residences.
When we visited the site for the opening celebrations, Restus and I were welcomed by village men and women who pulled us in to join them as they chanted and danced their way to the ceremonial area. District Education Officer Martin Goi, with his powerful voice, impressed on the villagers the importance of education and the need to continue every effort to support this growing school. 

Thanks to our sponsor donor, Safari Partners Inc of Vancouver BC, and our expert local builder Restus Sanka, the school is on track to become one of the best developed in the region. We have water and solar power. Kids instructed on hygienic practices now wash their hands at a SIM tank placed next to the toilets. Electricity in the classrooms will allow basic computer instruction. Our next building scheduled for 2019 will be a 3 classroom building.

Village officials en route to the opening ceremonies

welcoming with chanting, singing

in the new classrooms

teachers, village officials and Education
 Officer Martin Goi (with hat)

ribbon cutting

village schoolchildren and families 

hygiene at washrooms

Headmaster Loatha Paolo has initiated tree planting

Classrooms 3,4 (left), Classrooms 1,2 and Admin building (centre), Teacher Residences (right)

Headmaster Loatha Paolo's family

Edith Gvora High School, Gongali Village, Tanzania

First Graduation Class Ceremonies

After 4 years, on Sep 20 2018, our only high school celebrated the graduation of 21 girls and 7 boys.

VIP's in attendance included District Commissioner Theresa Mahongo and local and District government officials. It has been a struggle for the school where a very low flow water supply to the site limits the use of the new toilet building and denies classes at the new laboratory building. Students walk several kilometres to another school for their science classes. An improvised tin and twig shelter serves as the kitchen where a hot lunch of beans and maize cooked over a fire is provided to the students. But some things are improving. 

A rousing speech from District Commissioner Theresa Mahongo stressed more effort needed from the local and district government to provide a proper road access, as well as water and electricity to the site. Also, the community must find the means to complete the 4 year old unfinished teacher residence building. Mme Mahongo indicated her office will "work" on the electricity issue.  

We were also fortunate to have had African Book Box Society's Ruth James and Anne Pearson with us on this trip. When recently asked by headmaster Gideon Myovella, they didn't hesitate to provide funding for the supply of books and construction of new library shelving in one of the Administration building's rooms. The school now has a decent library supplied with curriculum books as well as interesting African authored reading material. Kudos to Anne and Ruth who showed up to clean the dust off the shelves before they placed the books. 

Anne and Ruth also announced that they would jump start the use of the Laboratory building by funding the supply of approximately $3,000 worth of science equipment and materials. So now we should address the water supply to the Laboratory. Restus and Steven Sayo of Kaviwasu (Karatu Villages Water Supply - a government consulting agency for water distribution) will work on a solution to supply more water to the site.

Edith Gvora High School graduating class of 2018: 21 girls, 7 boys

graduating students put on a fashion show
 as part to of the entertainment

certificates presented to the students by Alan and
District Commissioner Theresa Mahongo (at left)

books provided  by African Book Box Society to graduating
 student and science award winner Debora Christian,
shown at her residence with her family and friends.

District Commissioner Theresa Mahongo in the new Library Room at the Administration building

Flame Tree Vocational School, Bashay Village, Tanzania

Workshops are being filled...electrical, plumbing, tailor/sewing, computer training...

The school has been running well since its 2017 opening. All 4 workshops have students enrolled, about 8 - 10 students in each. The staff and Board of Directors are actively campaigning for more by visiting schools and churches and are confident the numbers will be maximized by the start of January 2019 classes.

Also, inspectors from the regional VETA office (Vocational Education Training Authority) are currently reviewing the possibility of complete registration of the school. When registered, VETA will assume responsibility for funding, supplying teachers, administrative staff, etc. Yay!

The African Book Box Society has committed to further fund some development urgently required in the near future; teacher residences, water supply, and drop toilets. They are also considering the Board's interest in building the next most viable workshop; Motor Cycle/Auto Repair. PSFA hopes to schedule some of this construction in 2019, pending the success of the enrolment campaign.

Ruth, Alan, Anne with Flame Tree's Board of Directors

the flame tree Peter Pearse planted is now 8' tall 

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) 

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