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Published: June 28th 2007
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Kilimanjaro Children's Foundation After a busy weeked on Zanzibar Island I arrived back at Kilimanjaro Airport to meet Edward Lazaro (a.k.a Teacher) and begin my work with his school in Njoro village near Moshi. For those of you who do not know, two parents from North Shore climbed Kili several summers ago and learned of a school run by their porter in nearby Njoro village. UIpon seeing the state of the school they decided they wanted to help, and now nearly 4 year later a NGo has been created and property for a new school has been purchased. The NGO is called Kilimanjaro Childrens Foundation. Part of the reason for my visit over the next four days is to lay out a trip for next summer where 20 or so members of the North Shore senior class will travel to Moshi and Njoro village to volunteer at the Kilimanjaro Childrens Foundation school and learn from Teacher.
I have had the pleasure to spend the last three days with Teacher and the students from his school and they are an extraordinary group. I thought the conditions were difficult at Meru peak (and they were) but this is something different all together. Unfortunately I am
not able to upload photos otherwise you could see for yourselves, but these are not conditions any children should endure. There are roughly 200 children in the school ages 3-7. All sit on benches (when there is room), outside under a small roof. The area is maybe 15 x15 feet. Crowded is an understatement. The children are all at different levels based on their age, but since there is only one small board for writing all the students share the space. Of the 800 Tsh (less than 40 cents) it costs to attend the school only 25% of the families can afford to pay. Teacher allows the students who can not pay to come anyway since it is ht eonly safe place for them and it will keep them off the streets. About 170 of the students are at school on a regular basis, some others only coming when they feel there is some incentive, such as a Muzungu bringing sweets.
Given the conditions and the resources the students are incredibly attentive and do very well with their school work. Teacher reported that many of his former students are now near the top of their class in primary and secondary
school. The students are in school year round (far more than the average school in Tanzania) and from 8:00 - 12:00 and again from 4:00 - 6:00. Teacher recognizes that many of these students face an uphill battle to enter primary school because of cost, but at least they will be prepared once they get there. For students who can not pass the entrance exam for primary school, it means they will have to pay the cost or nursery school and primary school at the same time and do twice the work. He indicated that rarely ever can a family afford this and thus the children drop out - before they even really start - at the age of 7.
I have spent mosat of the last few days correecting work and giving out new assignments, for some students it is simply practicing the alphabet and numbers and for the next it is doing advanced math (for a 6 year old). Most of them none to very little english, so my limited swahili has been tested. Even with their limited knowledge most of the children in the village speak more English than the adults. It is a strange feeling to
have conversations with a 10 year old to ask a question becuase a 40 year old does not understand, but it has been the case everywhere I have been in this country. In many cases as the children learn English they are responsible for going home and trying to teach it to their parents and grandparentss.
Yesterday Teacher and his family welcomed me to their house for a wonderful lunch of traditional African food. It was wonderful to have a full afternoon with his family and the opportunity to get to know his children Severa and Jim (named after Jim Lumberg, one of the founders of the NGO) a little better. On the way back to school Teacher and his wife took me to the new property. Teacher was beaming with pride before we even arrived and I can not imagine a person with more joy as he showed me where the new buildings will go. It is a truly amazing thing that Jim Lumberg and John Kelly have done, and in this small part of the world there is a village that is eternally grateful.
Today we set out in Moshi to visit all of the shops where Teacher
will but the supplies for building. We first stopped by the store to see all the plumbing equiptment, followed by the lighting and fixtures, paint, cement, you get the idea. We spent nearly two hours walking though town meeting a variety of people, all of whom clearly have a great deal of respect for teacher. We met the woman who will make all the uniforms for the children, picked out the shoes they should wear, and revised plans for the desks that will be made. Everywhere we went felt like a negotiation even though they already know exactly the and price. TIA.
Walking through the village with Teacher is like following around royalty. Nearly everyone we pass comes running out of their homes to say hello and many of the children join him and escort him down the street. He is affectionately know as Teacher to everyone I have met, and since I have been here I have not heard a person call him Edward, not even his wife and children.
This has been an extraordinary experience and I look forward to next May when we will bring back a group of students from NOrht Shore. They have so much
to learn from this incredible man who spends two weeks a month climbing the mountain so to put food on the table, and two weeks in his school so to give the children of Njoro village a future.
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Traci Lumberg
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Sarah- Kathy McHugh told me about your travelblog and I couldn't wait to read it! I have read all your entries at least twice! What an amazing experience. Jim and I would love to hear all about it when you get home. I am so glad to hear that your time with Teacher has been so meaningful. Send him our love. Travel safely!