Most of my time for the past week has been spent with the new computer room in the COBET (MEMKWA in Swahili) school.
First a little about the COBET project. Continuing Basic Education in Tanzania. This was set up by the government to support children who were unable to access school due to disadvantage and family circumstances. The pupils start at various ages and receive their primary school education in a condensed 3 year programme and are ready to join secondary school. For their first year in mainstream they are in their own class and the next year, they are integrated with the rest of the school.
The pupils stories are varied. Many of the girls are "house girls". They were sent out to work by their family as young as 6 years of age. Some have been lucky to have employers who let them go to school during the day. However they could be working from 4am to 11pm in the house before and after school each day. Other kids are orphaned, many due to AIDs. There are a lot of kids from broken homes or single mothers.
Unfortunately the funding for the COBET projects has been severely reduced but the Holy Union Sisters are intent on continuing the programme. The "teachers" are not trained and are facilitators who are educating these children as best they can. All teaching is through Swahili and these kids will join the local government school where classes can be well over 100.
Sr Annette decided to try to install a computer room to give these children an opportunity and an advantage over their future classmates in the government school. With the help of the INTO Solidarity Fund, Folens overseas teaching fund, my own confirmation class and other donations, she was able to order 25 computers from Camara.
First a little about the COBET project. Continuing Basic Education in Tanzania. This was set up by the government to support children who were unable to access school due to disadvantage and family circumstances. The pupils start at various ages and receive their primary school education in a condensed 3 year programme and are ready to join secondary school. For their first year in mainstream they are in their own class and the next year, they are integrated with the rest of the school.
The pupils stories are varied. Many of the girls are "house girls". They were sent out to work by their family as young as 6 years of age. Some have been lucky to have employers who let them go to school during the day. However they could be working from 4am to 11pm in the house before and after school each day. Other kids are orphaned, many due to AIDs. There are a lot of kids from broken homes or single mothers.
Unfortunately the funding for the COBET projects has been severely reduced but the Holy Union Sisters are intent on continuing the programme. The "teachers" are not trained and are facilitators who are educating these children as best they can. All teaching is through Swahili and these kids will join the local government school where classes can be well over 100.
Sr Annette decided to try to install a computer room to give these children an opportunity and an advantage over their future classmates in the government school. With the help of the INTO Solidarity Fund, Folens overseas teaching fund, my own confirmation class and other donations, she was able to order 25 computers from Camara.
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