New School Buildings..
We didn’t receive the funding from ‘Room to Read’ for a library and classroom, however, the Zambian Government has rewarded the hard work put in by the Sooka Community, the teachers and supporters by granting the funds to build three new classrooms and a new teachers house. The ground has been cleared on a new site and the building materials are to arrive soon.
This is such wonderful news that the school has been recognised and will almost certainly mean that it will become a Government Primary School within the next 3 years.
With this progress there came a major problem for our amazing teachers Francis and John who have been there since the beginning. As untrained teachers they would lose their positions when the school becomes a Government School. We had a discussion and they are willing and able to study externally…. IF we could find someone to sponsor their Distance Education fees.
I put in a formal proposal to Rotary Club of Tamworth, Sunrise, Australia, and they have agreed to pay the tuition fees for the next 3 years and we are so very thankful for that support. Great news.
We might need to also supply Francis and John with some boxes of candles!!
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| Francis & John |
Community Based Pre—School:
The community invited me to a meeting and they expressed their wish to get a Community Based Pre-School.
The plan would be to build a building in the grounds of the United Church, as that is not Government land. My suggestion was that while we try to raise funds for a building, they could commence a Pre-School in the church a few days per week.
A Pre-School is the missing link in the education system in the community, as they have Grades 1 to 7 at Sooka Community School and the new Mwandi Boarding Secondary School (about 2km walk, for both boarders and day students) and Mwandi High School, both schools going from Grades 8 to 12.
Unfortunately the nearest Pre-School is also in Mwandi and as the parents do not have cars, it is too far for the little ones to walk 14kms round trip to Pre-School through the deep sand.
The Sooka United Church of Zambia, Pastor and Francis were able to obtain a quote for a building and now we need to get together the funds so a contractor can build the Pre-School hopefully before the beginning of Term 1, 2014.
On further consultation with Shackleton’s Lodge staff and other community members it appears quite clear that they want this to be an English Pre-School to help the children learn English at the optimum age. If the Pre-School were in a larger town or city the teaching would be in English. I certainly have enough beautiful books to equip the Pre-School and all are in English.
The next generation
Nothing is impossible and I am sure we can get a Pre-School up and running for these little guys.
Grade 8 Asperations:
The girl who was Dux of Sooka Community School last year, is currently at the Boarding School and her wish is to become a doctor; her wish may well come true, as the Headmaster of that school told Francis and I that she is very clever and already topping her classes there.
How amazing would it be for a young person who commenced school at little Sooka Community School to become a Doctor? Two of the other Grade 8 girls said they would like to be nurses.
Who knows what their future holds.
Beit Cure Hospital, Lusaka:
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| Beit Cure Hospital, Lusaka |
Speaking of things medical… Earlier this year I emailed the Executive Director of the Beit Cure Children’s Hospital in Lusaka and asked if I could come to look through the hospital, as some of our Sooka children have had major surgery there.
WOW, what an amazing, clean, modern hospital with lovely grounds and on the edge of Lusaka with room for expansion. I wanted to be able to thank the staff for the wonderful job they do there and to picture where our children from Sooka go.
The hospital is free to children, which is amazing. So we just need to find the transport sponsorship if a child needs to go up there.
Two of our lovely girls have had major surgery there. One had surgery on her clubfeet… that now look strong and straight and she is very smart and doing so well at school.
The other girl broke her leg in 2009. Unfortunately she had to have the leg amputated at Beit Cure Hospital and then later her prosthetic leg was made there. When I arrived in May, the first person that Victor (Shackleton’s mini bus driver) spoke of was this girl and his concerns about her prosthetic leg, which was now not fitting well and a bit broken. To my surprise a new leg was arriving with nurses from the US soon after I left.
Dr. Tom Irons (Paediatrician from US), who does a clinic with all the Sooka School children in February each year, would have organised this. What a wonderful man.
Until next time, remember……….
“For every life we don’t empower……… someone else overpowers”
