The June 2007 Village Life Outreach Project brigade was the organization’s fourth journey to the rural villages of northwestern Tanzania, but the first for the three members of the Education Team on the trip. After making the long drive out to Roche village for the first time, we pulled up to the Roche Primary School not knowing completely what to expect. However, we were quickly put at ease by the eager and excited students as we talked with them and learned a little bit more about each other’s communities and culture.
During the next two weeks, in addition to working with these students, we met with the village leaders, headmaster and teachers to discuss the primary issues facing their education system and brainstorm ideas for ways we could work together to overcome them. The most inspiring aspect of these meetings was the number of villagers who unexpectedly walked for miles and packed the classroom we were meeting in so that they could listen to our ideas and have their opinions heard, showing their desire and willingness to partner with us to improve their lives and the lives of their children.
The outcome of these meetings was the initiation and advancement of two ambitious projects. The first of these is the Education Sponsorship Program. VLOP is currently in the process of seeking out donors in the U.S. who are willing to sponsor a student in Roche by paying the school fees for her or him to attend an otherwise unaffordable nearby boarding school to continue their secondary school education. On this brigade, in the meetings with the headmaster and teachers, we discussed the criteria by which we would like to select the optimal candidates for this program. These criteria include the students’ current academic standing, their financial need, and a preference for female candidates, as females have proven in similar programs to be the most successful and to bring the most long-term future improvement to their communities by passing along their education to their children. Given these criteria, the teachers identified the ideal candidates for sponsorship and agreed to provide information on additional candidates for when we return in October. Similar sponsorship programs are underway in the village of Nyambogo to provide bicycles to students who are unable to make the six kilometer trip to the closest secondary school and to provide funds to the village of Burere to repair their primary school building, which is in a state of disrepair which often prevents them from having class during inclement weather.
Secondly, on previous brigades it was learned that one of the primary obstacles to proper education in Roche village was the lack of proper nutrition. Because no food is served at the school, students have to walk home for lunch, up to 1.5 hours each way. And even when they get home, there may be little or no food to eat there either. Upon returning to school hungry and thirsty, many students stated that they do not have the necessary energy or focus to concentrate on their schoolwork. To better experience these feelings, members of the Education Team made the long walk home with several of the students, documenting their walk and what they had to eat when they got there. One such student, a 15 year old boy, walked 1.47 miles just to have a small piece of ugali (doughy bread made from maize flour and water), boiled pumpkin leaves, a small handful of peanuts and a small cup of dirty water before making the return trip to school. The main purpose of us experiencing this for ourselves was to kick-off the VLOP Nutrition Project. The end goal of this project is to work with the teachers and parents to improve nutritional awareness and to establish a feeding program whereby lunch is served at the school. This idea was met with rousing enthusiasm from the villagers gathered at our meeting. Together we brainstormed ideas and potential obstacles that would have to be overcome. We agreed to discuss further plans on our next trip in October. Before then, the villagers agreed that they would work together to set-up a system and a schedule to provide drinking water to the students at the school. This would show their commitment and lay the foundation to adopt a similar schedule to prepare and serve food at the school in the future. In return, VLOP agreed to begin the research and legwork of looking for potential sponsors and donor organizations that would be willing to work with us to supply the food for them to use.
Also, thanks to the generosity of many people, we were able to leave a donation of a large amount of school supplies, including pens, pencils, paper and many other teaching aides. These supplies will be distributed to the schools over time to ensure that they last as long as possible and are shared in an equitable manner. Also, as a token of our appreciation, a large amount of soccer jerseys, cleats and balls were donated to the Roche Primary School, much to the delight of the students.
Lastly, in addition to meeting with the teachers and villagers about the Educational Sponsorship Program and the Nutrition Project, the members of the Education Team also enjoyed spending a lot of time with the students. This ranged from activities such as teaching math, painting, singing songs and playing soccer to the more quiet moments of getting to talk to a small group of kids and learning more about not only the differences between our cultures, but the similarities as well.
Education Sponsorship Project
Village Life’s Education Committee works with villagers to identify needs and strategize solutions to provide education to all who seek it. Most children there have access to primary school (1st - 6th grade), but very few (an estimated 30% or less) have the Opportunity to attend secondary school, which then closes the door to higher education and a better life. School fees, lack of transportation, and dismal school conditions make a secondary education a distant dream for most of these children. The students are eager to make the sacrifice and work hard to obtain knowledge — what they need now are individuals like you to provide the Opportunity.
Village Life’s 2007 Education Sponsorship Project focuses on providing the children of these villages with U.S. Sponsors like you to support their secondary education and instruction needs.
In Roche Village, fewer than 25 students are invited to attend the government subsidized, regional school. The hundreds who are left have no other options as they cannot afford the fee for an alternative boarding school. Your pledge, which covers the cost of their secondary education for four years, plus room, board and some meals, provides the opportunity.
Nyambogo Village is allowed to send twenty students to school in a neighboring village free of charge. However, the school is more than 6 kilometers (4 miles) away. Without transportation and, in many cases, without shoes, the journey is just too arduous for the children. Village leaders have requested VLOP’s assistance in purchasing bicycles for the children so they can reach the neighboring village and thus their aspirations for a comprehensive education.
In Burere, village leaders met with our team and determined that their biggest barrier to sending students to secondary education was the inadequate condition of the primary school. It has few usable classrooms, and many of those are crumbling. As a result, classes are often held outside under the shade of trees to shield from the unyielding heat, yet classes are consistently canceled for weeks during the twice-annual rainy seasons. It also lacks essential items such as books, paper, and pencils. The Education Sponsorship Project aims to collect donations to provide school supplies and support classroom renovation and construction.
By pledging $500 each year for four years, these students can turn hard work and sacrifice into a chance to succeed.
By donating just $100, you can cover the purchase of a bike, its maintenance, and a set of new tires for one of the twenty students eager to expand their minds.
A Gift of Your Choice will help change the face of education for hundreds of young learners by assisting with material and labor costs for classroom renovation and construction, and for purchasing of learning materials.
Without Opportunity, the sacrifices of the students in these three villages will not result in a better life. With your support, Village Life Outreach Project can continue to make a difference in the lives of thousands.
Won’t you give these children the opportunity to learn, excel, and stop the vicious cycle of poverty that has crippled the region? Make your tax-deductible pledge or donation today and we look forward to us bringing you a photo and letter from the child or children you are sponsoring after we return from Tanzania.
Please click on the link below and mail the attached form.
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Contact us anytime at: contact@villagelifeoutreach.org.