Dear Contributors and Friends of Kibaoni Primary School,
I am pleased to share with you the news that after collecting funds for just over four and one-half months, we are seeing real results at the Kibaoni School. In December, we sent funds ($2,500) to start work on the girl’s latrine. We have the balance of the funds need for that project in the bank. The work on this project has begun in Tanzania.
In late December, we were informed that a number of Kibaoni students had passed their national tests and had qualified to attend Secondary School (O-Level). This is a four year program, but is not free. The students families must pay between $500 and $700 per year to attend. With the average family income in Tanzania being somewhere between $750 and $1,000, few Kibaoni graduates can afford to continue their education – regardless of their potential to succeed at the next level. I am pleased to inform you that with the aid of two individuals families/groups and your generous contributions, our group will be sponsoring a total of four Kibaoni graduates when classes start on January 19th. In addition to Thomas Malinga, who we met last February at Kibaoni; we are paying the tuition costs, etc. for three Secondary School students: Magreth Andrea (a 13 year old girl); Wilfred Steven (a 14 year old boy) and Pascalina Tiehema (a 14 year old girl). There are many more students who need assistance, but this is a great start.
We thank each of you for your support. If you know of others who might wish to help other students, we hope to be able to cover more school fees next term – allowing each new student to reach their full potential. Let me know if you or friends of yours might be interested in sponsoring one of these scholars. Additionally, there is a young woman, Shangwe Steven, who graduated a several years ago from Kibaoni who has been accepted at University, but cannot go on without our help. The university level education in Tanzania at a public university costs approximately $3,000 per year and would require a three to four year committment.
Following the break is an email from Kibaoni’s Headmistress Anna Mzava. In it she talks about last Sunday’s visit at Kibaoni by one of our founders, David Clapp, and a group he was leading through Tanzania. Thought you would appreciate her feelings about our relationship with the children of Kibaoni. All the best to you and yours. We are making a real difference. Thank you.
Jim
