EdUKaid

This month we welcome again an old member of staff, Kennet Christensen, who will be the new Project Director for EdUKaid. Kennet will begin working in the United Kingdom and plans to arrive in Tanzania around April. Karibu Tena! We also welcome Dharini Bhuvanendra, who is working on the life skills project that EdUKaid is planning on having up and running by May 2009. Karibu!

Book Project

In the upcoming month, EdUKaid will travel to the schools to make sure the numbers of books are correct as well as contact the publishers if there are any discrepancies between books ordered and books delivered. Also, when EdUKaid comes to follow-up the book deliveries, it will bring a member of the immigration staff to show them what work EdUKaid does. EdUKaid is also planning to check the current inventory and overall maintenance of the books, and therefore will be consulting the Headmasters. EdUKaid welcomes the Headmasters’ ideas on the best way to do this as well as to agree an appropriate time.

Life Skills Project

Hi! This is Dharini and I’m very excited about getting started on this project. For the next three months, I will be conducting research into setting up a life skills project in EdUKaid’s primary and secondary schools, in order to increase awareness among pupils of HIV/AIDS and sexual health. Currently we are at the stage of meeting and interviewing various CBOs, NGOs and other organisations, in order to find a local partner to work with on the project.

Student Sponsorship Project

EdUKaid has finished its own and DSP’s student sponsorship meetings for this year. EdUKaid has already paid all of the school fees and other contributions. However, there are some students who did not come to the meetings and EdUKaid would be grateful if the Headmasters could inform EdUKaid of what has happened to these students. Also, the students should come to the EdUKaid house and explain why they have discontinued their sponsorship, and EdUKaid will try to advise them on what further steps they can take regarding their education.

Volunteer Teacher – Tom Learner

I have now been teaching for three weeks, and honestly think I’ve learnt more from the kids than they have from me! I attended a two-day Regional Teacher’s Conference which really helped with lesson planning, and am now well-equipped to use even more songs, activities and pieces of coloured paper to make learning as fun as possible. I am enjoying working with a supportive staff, and look forward to the upcoming weeks’ teaching.

EdUKaid & Secondary Schools Meeting

To finish off last term, there was a meeting held at EdUKaid house with the Headmasters. The needs discussed at the meeting were as follows: solar power, photocopy machines, books, laboratory equipment and sports equipment, provision of teachers, buildings (teachers’ houses, toilets, teachers’ staff room, and storage room), student sponsorship, water supply, teaching  aids (computers, printers, and TV’s), furniture (tables, chairs, and cupboards), workshops and seminars for teachers, and food (school canteen furniture and lunches).

The Headmasters suggested these areas are needed due to the following reasons: there is a lack of facilities and power that makes it difficult for schools to give weekly tests and prepare for examinations. Power is needed to raise academic performance, to avoid going to town to use facilities, as well as to reduce  the  cost of making copies in town. The storage of water is problematic: tanks to hold water are needed to collect rainwater. Food is needed for the students in order to improve their concentration and to raise their academic  performance.

The lack of cupboards ruins books and the lack of staff rooms for teachers is problematic. There is also a shortage of current textbooks, reference books and laboratories which leads to a deficiency in scientific and practical skills. Teachers do not all have specific knowledge and some subjects have no teachers at all, meaning that students are not taught these particular subjects. Sports grounds are needed because they can help improve the health condition of students. The lack of separate toilets  results in girls and boys using the same toilets. Students are absent from schools due to the lack of transport.

Furthermore, students are unable to pay school fees because of  their parents’ difficult financial situation. Therefore, it was requested that the EdUKaid representative should visit the school and communicate with the Headmasters to obtain information about students with economic constraints.

EdUKaid acknowledges the Headmasters’ suggestions and hopes to continue to work together to help solve some of these issues. EdUKaid’s projects such as: the previous desk and cupboard projects, the current book and student sponsorship project, and the upcoming teacher training and life skills projects are projects that target the schools’ needs. Another way EdUKaid has aided the schools has been to forge partnerships with two other organizations: Solaraid & Mikindani Youth Group.  Kisiwa Secondary School and Mgao Primary School have received solar power, whilst others like Mitengo Secondary School have received solar teaching materials. Also, EdUKaid and Mikindani Youth Group have cooperated to have paid librarians at the centre and have an EdUKaid volunteer teach computer lessons.

Please don’t hesitate to stop by our base house located in Ndoro, Mikindani to improve communication between us and the schools, especially those Headmasters, teachers, etc. that live in Mikindani.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Marta Krajnik, Dharini Bhuvanendra, Tom Learner