Rabia

Finally she went!! With a big belly of 7 months pregnant, but she went to Nampula and she started at the secondary school.  She will stay with her family in Nampula, near the school and after the baby is born they will live there together, while she goes to secondary school.

I think with this determination she will succeed. 

Thanks to our generous donators who sponsored her and kept faith in her getting there. Thank you again and good luck Rabia. We will keep you posted on her progression.

escola primaria Coral

Finally the school is ready, the program for the inauguration is fixed, entertaiment and food organized, but the answer on when to inaugurate doesn't come from the Mayor of the District. And after several more suggestions and requests for a date, she finally answers that the school is not ready to her liking. Some parts need to be altered. So we alter this within the same week, but after that she is still saying it is not ready enough. 

Why we wonder? Is there a reason not to use the school. After getting more information, we get the answer that she wants more school desks. The ones that are ready are not enough for all the children. But we don't understand. There are no other villages in the district with school desks. This will be one of the firsts. Why just leave the school ready and not in use waiting for more money and more desks to be finished?

After that we hear she wants to open the election year together with opening the school. And that is why the school should be opened on the 4th of February. Fine, but our school will not be part of promoting the campaign of Frelimo. Frelimo were the people using the money for the school for other purposes. Sorry…

Let me explain: originally the Government pays for new school buildings. A village wants a new school, the leader puts in the request at the district, the districts approves and sends it to the Governor of the Province. He approves and sends it to the National Government in Maputo. Since half of the treasury of the National Government exists of donations of other countries and most of these countries donate with conditions (like spending part of education), normally there is enough money for building school.

But then… the National Government takes part of the allocated money ‘for their hard work’, then the Governor takes a part of the allocated money ‘for his hard work’, then the mayor takes a part of the allocated money ‘for her hard work’ and then last but not least the leaders of the village appointed by the Frelimo party take part of the money ‘for his hard work’. So from the money that was left over, the only thing they could build in Cabaceira Pequena were some sticks for the walls….

And then… they came knocking on the door of the lodge, to use the community money for this purpose. From that moment in 2011 till now the lodge has invested 12.750 dollars to build this school of 6 classrooms… So Escola Coral is a proper name for the school we think and the community agrees with this. Thanks to all the guests of Coral Lodge, Cabaceira Pequena is still able to get a proper primary school. Hopefully the money initially for this school will be spent on other school projects in the district (and doesn't end up in anybody's pockets..)

orphans

After meeting with the leaders and receiving a list of about 30 orphans, we interviewed all of them with their caretakers. These were for some still their mothers since only their father died, but for most it was a sister, uncle or grandmother. After having a small chat with them and writing down all the details finally selected 33 children that were missing a father, mother or both.

11 children are below the age of 6. They will go to the pre-school we will start in the building of the orphanage. These children will receive a meal, pre-school education, clothing and housing at will although all of them prefer to live at the house of their families.

22 children are older then 6 and will attend the primary school. They will receive all expenses paid for their education like a school uniform, also 2 sets of cloths every year, a meal a day and housing at will.

All children thank the donator for giving this opportunity to have a good start in life. Now it is up to them to make the best of it.