Help me set up a school!

Jambo all!!!! I'm now in phase 3 of my African adventure; the voluntary work. Although I need to update my Blog site with phase 2 that is, the superb experience of a safari, phase 3 has taken priority most of all as it needs your help!

The organisation I'm doing the voluntary work with is mainly based in Uk however, the local representatives have their own community called Art in Tanzania, which was new to us volunteers especially since we booked everything through Real Gap Year UK. We also discovered that the money we donated to Gap Year was not given to this local community and therefore the latter cannot help us realise any school-based projects. I must say I had had a very warm karibu (welcome) on my first day!!! Not only we volunteers are expected to teach without any plan or agenda from the teachers, we're not even given specific tasks or projects or if we were (as some of my fellows were promised back in UK/US) nothing really materialised. On top of that if we had to be taken to a school we're expected to buy all the school material and stuff out of our own pockets. In summary, we're the victims; torn apart between a two nations, greedy and needy of our money.

My accommodation didn't prove very nice either; we have no hot water in the house and the water is so cold it hurts my head when I wash my hair, we have one shower and a little sink with one toilet between about 6 people, the food is not very good either and I sleep on the top bunk bed which has a foam mattress and a loose ladder (which I asked for it to be attached) to climb up to. Plus we're not allowed out of the house after dark (safety being the main concern)!!!! All fun! Well, 3 days down the line and I'm getting used to it.

On my first day, Corneille, or 'Captain' as we call him had no idea where to take me or what to do !!! I suggested I visit one of the other fellas' project sites to see what's it like and about. So, I walked for an hour with Richard and Kelly to the Faraja nursery school. This school was lucky enough to have had 2 volunteers with enough money to stock them well with learning and teaching material. That day, Kelly and I practically thought what to teach and do with the kids on the spot. We did the numbers in Swahili and English first. Some of the kids were brighter than others. Whereas one was writing numbers in letters I was trying to teach another kid to write number "2"! We then took them out to play after having had their porridge, and I came up with a ball game; calling out the name before throwing the ball to the other player. In that way, I 'prepared' them for the English lesson; "what is your name?" and "my name is ____". We then let them draw and colour themselves on their copybooks and lastly sang English nursery rhymes :)

Pls visit Joanna's blogsite for more details and photos:-
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/into_east_africa

It felt good. My creative thinking together with Kelly's saved the day and we taught the kids something new apart from making them smile!!

That evening Capt. again asked me what I want to do and I asked him I still had no clue or idea what's needed. Now I know he was pushing me into taking one of the needy nursery schools and practically set it up with my own money. I'm kind of getting used to this culture of trying to squeeze money out of you in every way using all types of manners and tactics. I have not committed myself so far although I would love too cause the kids just won my heart. However, unless I get enough funds from whoever is reading this and the email I sent out I will not be able to do it. And that's what I affirmed with the Capt. I cannot afford to fork out more money than I've already gave as donation as part of my voluntary package, which was about GBP500. (I just hope this money was invested in some other goodwill project!!). I cannot let my heart win me over to a degree which brings me to a personal compromise and other than that I feel I need to show these people that we aren't a walking money box either.

Yesterday, I went along with Joanna to visit and help her out with her project. She has successfully, given funds she raised from her family and friends, set up 2 classrooms. Around 60 orphans are being taught by their teacher in an old unused church. They have no materials or books etc. Luckily enough, a local had some money and decided given the situation to rent out these 2 6m squared rooms, which together with the landowner, painted, put doors and windows, set up 2 long-drops (toilets) in the back yard etc. So that Joanna with her funds employed a carpenter to build 16 desks, 2 blackboards and a set of shelves. She also bought loads of teaching material and copybooks and pens etc... for the children. Yesterday, we started setting up the classrooms and I got to paint the name of the school on the facade; "Letoa Day Care"

We were as giggly and excited like two little kids and can't wait to see the expression on the faces of those kids when we officially open it probably next week.

I would love to do the same and give a bunch of kids a better school life. But I won't be able to unless you help me financially. I have 3 weeks in which to do something about one out of the 2 or 3 in the area where I'm staying. Capt. even told me that a bunch don't even have a room, they meet their teacher and are taught outside under a tree!!!

It doesn't cost much to rent and buy stuff here so whatever you donate could change a life. To give you an idea a desk for 2 kids cost about $20 to build and it only costs $1 to feed one child with porridge for a month. Porridge is generally (if available) given to each child during their break-time.
If I'm unable to make it I will ensure that your money is given to one of my fellow volunteer's projects.

If you would like to send me money pls write an email to nickyconti@gmail.com so I send you my bank account details.

Thank you !
love
Nicky
xxxxx