Nyanza Primary School
Unbelievably, it’s two and a half years since we were in Tanzania so this blog post is a long overdue update on what’s
been happening at Nyanza Primary School. We only get occasional
information and often just an assurance that all is going well so we were
delighted to recently receive a very encouraging update about what has been happening
from Canon Arthur Mauya who is the education link officer
for the diocese. (See previous blog for more details about him.)
Firstly, however, can we say a huge
thankyou to all those of you who have faithfully contributed to The Porridge
Project, often without any feedback. We have greatly appreciated your prayers, financial
support and interest, and hope that the
following news will inspire you as much as it has us and
will enable you to see what has been achieved over the past two and a half years.
· Many more children are coming to school on a regular basis
The Porridge Project kitchen built by the local community |
Arthur writes,
“The school and the
community of Nyanza village would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to
you all for your wonderful generosity. Since this project was introduced in
2016 it has made a big difference to the school, and frankly speaking, the
impact it has made is immeasurable! May God our Almighty richly bless you for what you are doing in this poor community. The children, the staff members, the village
government and most of all the community are very happy with this project. They strongly
support it and kindly ask you to continue supporting it in the coming years.”
The table below lists the number of pupils registered for the incoming school year. Every child will benefit from The Porridge Project. There are 7 members of staff, (4 male and 3 female) and 7 classrooms for 640 children!
CLASS
|
GIRLS
|
BOYS
|
TOTAL
|
Nursery
|
31
|
33
|
64
|
Class 1
|
43
|
45
|
88
|
Class 2
|
61
|
58
|
119
|
Class 3
|
52
|
56
|
108
|
Class 4
|
44
|
62
|
106
|
Class 5
|
19
|
39
|
58
|
Class 6
|
34
|
15
|
49
|
Class 7
|
28
|
20
|
48
|
|
312
|
328
|
640
|
Queuing for porridge |
Arthur states that the
benefits from the Porridge Project for the children are as follows:
· Children’s health has improved· Many more children are coming to school on a regular basis
· In 2016, 74 children in Classes 3 and 4 were deemed as being unable
to read, write and count but in 2018 there were just 12
· Last year’s final exam pass mark was 60% while this year it has risen to 82%
· This year 47 pupils out of 58 in Class 5 passed their national exams with grades B-D
· The children look happy and eager to learn
· Last year’s final exam pass mark was 60% while this year it has risen to 82%
· This year 47 pupils out of 58 in Class 5 passed their national exams with grades B-D
· The children look happy and eager to learn
It would appear from the statistics that the number
of children attending school after Class 4 drops significantly, most likely
because the children are needed to work at home or to earn money. Education
is not a priority for those whose main aim in life is to survive.
Arthur also writes that the role
of parents has massively increased:
· After the Porridge Project was set up the parents
and wider community were united together in constructing a proper kitchen and a room where food is stored securely. Your financial support has helped to
put a roof on it to protect it during the rainy season
· The parents, along with the school staff, have planted a school shamba - a plot where they grow maize for lunch so that children may have a longer day at school
· The parents are motivated and want to continue to pay for the school’s cook and guard
· Parents now come to school to hear about their children’s progress at school which is a new initiative
· Parents are purchasing cups to cope with the increasing number of children and also to replace the broken ones
· The parents are motivated and want to continue to pay for the school’s cook and guard
· Parents now come to school to hear about their children’s progress at school which is a new initiative
· Parents are purchasing cups to cope with the increasing number of children and also to replace the broken ones
Arthur notes that the school and the wider community greatly appreciate the
project. They have seen the benefits from it and have decided that they want to
work very hard by taking part in it but also to supplement the maize
production so that each child has lunch at school twice a week. From
now on each parent will contribute 2.64 kg of maize to the school for this purpose. There are also challenges ahead in that the kitchen needs finishing and also needs a
proper floor. The doors and windows also need to be fixed and the walls need plastered as they will inevitably be washed away by the rains. It is also difficult to
cope with the ever-increasing number of children joining the school. When we were working at Nyanza there were 450 children at the school - now there are 640 children but still only 7 classrooms and 7 teachers. Arthur
asks that we continue to support the local
community of Nyanza Primary School both financially and in prayer. Next year the
school will be connected to the main electricity supply and he would love
the school to have at least one computer to be able to communicate by email and
a photocopier... "so that they can do more exams to improve their academic
performance!"
We are excited and enthused by this news and want to continue to support the school, especially because the community has grasped the vision and are prepared to be involved. We are very aware that the project could easily have disintegrated if the community had not taken ownership of it and we are extremely grateful to God for the progress that has taken place over the last two and a half years.
If you would like to continue to support The Porridge Project that would be wonderful but we do not assume this - please let us know if you want to terminate your giving. Thank-you once again for standing with us in supporting these folks who may seem a very long way away but who desperately need our help. Your support is clearly making a difference in the lives of not only the children but of the whole community.
With many thanks,
We are excited and enthused by this news and want to continue to support the school, especially because the community has grasped the vision and are prepared to be involved. We are very aware that the project could easily have disintegrated if the community had not taken ownership of it and we are extremely grateful to God for the progress that has taken place over the last two and a half years.
If you would like to continue to support The Porridge Project that would be wonderful but we do not assume this - please let us know if you want to terminate your giving. Thank-you once again for standing with us in supporting these folks who may seem a very long way away but who desperately need our help. Your support is clearly making a difference in the lives of not only the children but of the whole community.
With many thanks,