financial support needed for boys' dormitory mbaash!
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From 2013 on we've been looking for funds to construct two dormitories at the primary school of Mbaash, in respons to a request of the local community. One dormitory is for boys and the other for girls, plus a small toilet/washing building at each dormitory.
Mbaash is located in Maasai area and is a part of the village Selela, which Tanzania Support has been supporting for the past 5 years. |
Why are dormitories necessary?
Mbaash primary school is the heart of a service area with a diameter of almost 50 kilometers. The school has almost 400 pupils. Education is free, public transport is not available. The children thus all come from a wide area to school on foot. That sounds more easy than it really is: for the children who live most far away from school (max. 23 km) this means that they get up at around 4.00 a.m. They start walking in the dark, to arrive at school at 9.00 or 9.30 a.m., whilst the school has started at 8.30.
After the school's out at 15.30, they walk back home, to arrive there at around 20.30 orf 21.00. And they do so five days per week. It won't be a surprise that many children, especially at the end of the week, are very much exhausted.
Mbaash primary school is the heart of a service area with a diameter of almost 50 kilometers. The school has almost 400 pupils. Education is free, public transport is not available. The children thus all come from a wide area to school on foot. That sounds more easy than it really is: for the children who live most far away from school (max. 23 km) this means that they get up at around 4.00 a.m. They start walking in the dark, to arrive at school at 9.00 or 9.30 a.m., whilst the school has started at 8.30.
After the school's out at 15.30, they walk back home, to arrive there at around 20.30 orf 21.00. And they do so five days per week. It won't be a surprise that many children, especially at the end of the week, are very much exhausted.
Besides that, it's quite dangerous: in the past few years three children have died during the walk to school. One stepped on a cobra, was bitten and died, two others were washed away by strong water streams they had to cross in the raining season and drowned. Because of that risk many children don't come to school during the wet seasons.
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Dormitory for girls constructed
In the summer of 2014, the Tanzanian government of Monduli district promised to take care of the foundation for one dormitory plus the adjacent toilet/washing building. After that we've been able, especially tanks to two major sponsors (Atos Foundation and Ein Herz für Kinder) to construct the entire girls' dormitory. During the 11th so called construction trip of Atos Foundation, last January/February, the structural work has been built in two weeks time. That was quite a heavy job. To give an idea, here are some facts. The walls of the building have been constructed using 3,260 concrete blocks of at least 25 kg each. There's no electricity at Mbaash and thus no concrete-mixer; all concrete and mortar had to be mixed by hand. This meant mixing sand/cement/water/gravel with a spade for the entire building (about 25 x 10 meters), including the poured floors. At a temperature of 35 °C or more that literally took blood, sweat and tears of the volunteers. |
Boys' dormitory needed urgentlyThe boys that have to come from far away, now still have to walk to school, with all the mentioned risks and difficulties. By constructing a dormitory for them as well, they can at least attend school all year round and stay there for the night. Children that don't go to school also miss the school meals and supervision of their health by the medical dispensary at Mbaash. For this dormitory, we're trying to find sponsors. The building, including the washing/toilet building, will cost about € 48,000.
Now we're looking, supported by the power of Facebook (so please share this message on your Facebook page), for tips, tricks and ideas to collect this amount.
Who knows suitable funds, companies, large foundations or other possibilities? If you can help us get in contact, more children can attend school in Tanzania.
Now we're looking, supported by the power of Facebook (so please share this message on your Facebook page), for tips, tricks and ideas to collect this amount.
Who knows suitable funds, companies, large foundations or other possibilities? If you can help us get in contact, more children can attend school in Tanzania.