By David Kiarie (Originally published on Nov 1, 2013)
Art in Tanzania internship program
from One School of Tegeta in Dar es Salaam are a happy lot following the completion of a modern sanitation block at the school.
The toilets were constructed with funds from a volunteer at Art In Tanzania who saw the school need clean sanitation facilities.
The funds also saw the school connected with piped water by Dar es Salaam Water and Sanitation Company (DAWASCO), bringing to an end the problem of water shortage that the school had to contend with for a long period of time.
“We are glad the pupils now have clean sanitation blocks for both boys and girls and a reliable source of clean water that is safe for domestic use,” said the school head Obedi Rusumo.
Rusumo said that although the school had been funded to put up a sanitation block, the administration minimized costs and saved enough money to buy a water storage tank and connect piped water.
“We used to order between 200-300 litres of water daily which cost us between Tsh. 15,000-Tsh.20,000, about 10-13 US dollars. We no longer need the water vendor’s services and can use the money we are saving for other purposes.
” We have also managed to clear a Tsh 2 million debt that we owed DAWASCO after connecting us with clean piped water,” said the school headteacher, Obedi.
He further said that the Ministry of Education officials who visited the school, which was facing closure due to poor sanitation, have hailed the project and already registered the education centre as a nursery school with the government.
The government has also promised to donate land to the school to enable it to grow into a primary school. Presently, pupils who study at private nursery schools must join other schools for primary education.
The school with six teachers has two levels of baby and middle classes with pupils aged three to six years old.
The school also plans to connect electric power and has mobilized some funds, although they have a Tsh 700,000 deficit. The total cost of the exercise is Tsh 1.2 million, according to Rusumo.
”I credit our school development to Art In Tanzania, through whom we meet our esteemed sponsor Carol Wood, who has stood with us for this long,”
Carol, a former volunteer with Art In Tanzania, also sends monthly donations to purchase flour to make porridge for close to 200 pupils at the school.
The sponsor also donated sleeping mats used by baby class pupils who have to nap every day at school before they go home at noon.
The headteacher further expressed his gratitude with AIT for offering volunteers to teach pupils at the school.
”The volunteers and interns teach our pupils both written and spoken English, among other subjects,” Rusumo said, adding that it has helped improve their class performance. Another volunteer from Art In Tanzania, Rick Jones, also built desks for the school several years ago.
