Craftsman Training Center
Laying the foundation stone for the Craftsman Training Center (19.10.2018)
Construction of the new Craftsman Center, the first in the Simanjiro district, was completed on time so that the first students could start their lessons as a bricklayer a few weeks ago as originally planned. The training is based on the German dual system, i.e. during their training, the students also work temporarily on company construction sites. This type of training for masons is new for Tanzania, so far apprentices have been trained only in the training centers. For this reason, the authority responsible for training trainees in Tanzania, VETA, has first of all developed a curriculum for the dual training of masons and looked for companies that participate. We now expect a practical training with closer connection of the students to the companies of the country. In addition, they get to know the work of the entrepreneurs, which can help them if they want to work independently after the training. As before, almost all craftsmen who carry out construction work in the district come from outside. ECLAT will monitor this new form of training for a few more months before we officially hand over the project to the state as the responsible operator at the end of October.
Secondary school in Emboreet
At the end of last year, Tanzania again held nationwide final exams in the country’s secondary schools. The secondary school in Emboreet has completed remarkably well. Of the 18 students from “Form IV” (Realschulabschluss / secondary school certificate “o level”) only one student failed. The school ranked 7th among the 52 participating schools in the region and 153th out of the 1371 schools nationwide. These figures show that our efforts to build and expand the school have paid off: only a few years ago, the results of the final exams were poor, as the education of children in the primary schools of the district was inadequate and the infrastructure at the secondary school was deficient. If the children are sent daily long distances to fetch water, they cannot be taught during this time. And when the teachers live far away from the school campus, they neither do appear on time for class nor supervise the students` homework. Correspondingly, the intermediate exams after the second grade were also good: only 3 of the 88 students did not qualify for the next class. The most difficult subject for the students was by far mathematic.
A few weeks ago, also the first girls were admitted to high school teaching in “Form V” at the school. Fortunately, we were able to get enough beds in time so that each child now has its own bed. The construction of the new dormitory will soon be completed, so that they can then move out of the dormitories of the other students again. Next year, in May, the first students will also take the final exams (“Form VI”) for the first time in the district.
Expansion of Primary School
Handing over the new primary school in Lengijape (20.02.2019)
This year, we have already handed over four of our primary school projects: new classrooms in Malambo and the new primary school in Lengijape (February), the renovated school in Kampuni (May) and the extended and renovated school in Loswaki (August). More schools will follow in the coming months.
Greetings from Toima Kiroya, Chairman of the ECLAT Development Foundation (Tanzania)
On behalf of ECLAT, upendo’s partner organization in Tanzania, I would like to use this letter to congratulate our friends in Europe on the new newsletter. The letter reports on our joint projects, especially among the Maasai nomads, the great beneficiaries of support and help from upendo in Tanzania. For us at ECLAT in the country of Maasai, but also in Tanzania as a whole, upendo is one of our most important partners. Upendo is now a well-known organization respected by ECLAT staff as well as the Maasai population and other rural communities. Students and teachers in the area of ECLAT activities welcome and are very grateful for what upendo makes possible for them. In government circles, especially in the Ministry of Education, Tamisemi, and in the district government, upendo is highly valued for its significant contributions to infrastructure development in education and other social services, and is seen as an important complement to government development efforts. Upendo donates a lot of money through ECLAT for the construction and renovation of the school infrastructure in the districts Simanjiro, Ngorongoro, Monduli in northern Tanzania and Tandahimba in southern Tanzania. In the year 2019 alone, thanks to the financial support of upendo, several projects have been completed so far. These include the construction of the primary school in Lengijape in the district of Monduli, the new classrooms at the primary school in Malambo (Ngorongoro), the renovation of the primary school in Kampuni (Simanjiro) and the renovation and expansion of the primary school in Loswaki (Simanjiro). After completing the work, the schools were handed over by ECLAT and upendo to the government as the operator of the schools. Other ongoing primary school projects are in the villages of Nadoilchukin, Kimelok, Luagala and Mazinde. The construction of the secondary school in Emboreet, the only secondary school in the Simanjiro district, continues. The construction of the Simanjiro Craftsman Training Center has already been completed, and the training of the first mason apprentices began a few weeks ago.
upendo also supports the work of ECLAT to improve the position of women in the Maasai culture. Of the 75 women’s groups formed under the leadership of ECLAT, 58 have so far received grants as microcredits. The funds will be provided as start-up capital so that the group can generate revenues that economically boost women. This gives them the freedom and independence to use their own money and their own resources. This work also includes the upendo funded training and development center for women. In this center, the women’s groups are trained in various subject areas. The women’s groups are also regularly visited and cared for by the ECLAT staff in the villages.
I hope that ECLAT and upendo will continue to work in partnership in the future, for the benefit of the people who continue to need this support. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of ECLAT and the people and communities supported by upendo to thank all the friends of upendo and the donor organizations for their financial help, but also for the moral support of the people who benefit from this help. I would like to conclude with a Kiswahili word, the national language of Tanzania: ASANTENI SANA – Thank you!
Photos: Bakiri Angalia (October 2018), Claudio Verbano (February 2019)
