computerlessons

Since the last storm in February electricity and communications have been bad. After a month of having no electricity at all, we have been struggling to arrange electricity for the orphanage since that time to start computer lessons. So far all installations have been done, but the final stage of the Electricity Company connecting the orphanage to the grid.... that is taking to so long. Every 2 weeks the teacher of the computerlessons, who is dying to start, goes up to Mossuril to talk to the Electricity Company, but so far.... no luck. We keep hoping to start the lessons after the summer holidays.... but bureaucracy....

Mosques

Together with the money for Ramadan, the community received money to rehabilitate the four mosques in the village. The rehabilitation of the first one will start next month and before the end of this year all will shine of full glory.

Primary school

The primary school had sufferd during the storm in February and till now they are using one of the classes of the orphanage. Next month finally the rehabilitation of the school will finish and all children will be able to use the primary school again in its full glory.

Pre-school

Since more children started at the pre-school this year, we also added made more funiture for the pre-school. No we have enough space to sit down 50 children.

Also have started with some nice uniforms for the teachers and the children. They we be distributed the coming month aswell.

Hopefully all will contribute to teach the children younger then 6 years some Portuguese, before they start at the primary school. This hopefully will help them learn to read and write faster then the previous generations.

Houses & beds of the orphans

Since we started the orphan project we have rehabilitated the houses of 6 childeren and started with the 7th one. All 39 orphaned children will receive a rehabilitated house in the coming year, to make sure that during the day they are taken care of at school and the pre-school, with hot healty lunches, but when arriving back at their families they have a secure house to life in.
Also like we informed earlier, 15 of the 35 ophans have received a mattress to sleep on, but the coming month the rest of the orphans will also receive this, so that they not only have a good house, but also a good place to sleep.

 before the rehabilitation of the house of  Sofito

and when it was almost finished; a iron roof and all new poles and constructions

Ramadan

Again this year the people of Cabaceira received a donation for the 100 poorest of the village to have a meal during the month of Ramadan and a donation to celebrate the end.

Like every year it was a great success. At the end of every day during the break of the fast, all people who were lacking food at their house, would have the possibility to break the fast in one of the mosques. 

The mostly elderly people were very happy to contribute to their families with the given donation and to find a good purpose for it. Being it to contribute to the celebrations at the end of Ramadan or to improve their houses.

They are all 100 very grateful for receiving another year this nice contribution.

maintenance

The Cabaceirian carpenter has some nice jobs because of these projects. First he needs to make aproper desk and box to secure the computer. Also he got started with the more benches and desks for the pre-school. 20 new children need also a proper place to sit.
The local builders have been busy fixing the bathrooms of the orphanage, since the roof had been blown away because of the bad weather. Also the floor of the orphanage needed some maintenance. All have been done the last months and now the building is fit for the orphans, pre-school and computer students to prepare themselfs for the future!

Mattresses

They have arrived! All the way from Tanzania, one trader from Cabaceira got us a good deal for 15 mattresses and last week they finally arrived by boat.
So now 15 of our orphas, don't have to sleep on the floor any more. The ones with the worst conditions, got these first ones. The rest will receive them later this year.
Still many people in Cabaceira, sleep on a mat from grass. With the first money they make, they buy a mattress, and when lucky enough to have more money, a bed is bought. But only for the parents. Most children sleep on a mattress on the floor till they have the ability to make their own money.

At least the orphans now made a start with having a mattress and not just a cloth of a mat. Hopefully later we will have means to provide them with a bed as well...

computer

For the primary school we received a donation to buy a computer for computer lessons. Since the power problems and bad weather in the beginning of the school year, we got some delay in starting with these classes, but now it seems like we are going to be having computernerds in Cabaceira very soon.
We will locate the computer in the orphanage because this building is more secure. First the teachers of the primary school themselfs will get the lessons. This will able them to use the computer for their own administration and letters. Also the adults interested in computers are able to attend these classes, which will be given in the evening.
After this basic training. the students of the 7th grade will start.
When their is enough interst from the adults, we hope to extent the lessons with more computers and maybe even a small internet café.
Who knows! But first things, first: the computer will arrive next month.
Cabaceira is looking forward to get started with it.

Pre - school

The pre-school this year extended with 1 class. The children that started last year, are now continuing at the primary school when they have reached the age of 6, or are learning new things in the 2nd grade of the pre-school. The other class has started with new children in the 1st grade of the pre-school. In total 40 children are now attending the school and we hope to continue the coming years with this amount of children.

students progress

All students including all girls are doing very well at the secondary school! All are attending the classes and like their new life in Mossuril. Regulary the teachers inform us about there progress and attendence and we were very happy to hear that really do their up most to make something of their lifes. Last time we had selected girls, all stopped during the year of even before they started, but luckely this year both girls are keen and seem to be hanging on. We all hope that they keep up the good work!

More orphans and pre-chool

The 26 orphans that were supported last year, all passed the to the next class of the primary school or the pre-school. Also with opening the pre-school for free to all children of Cabaceira Pequena, we are now having two classes. The ones that started last year are now able to continue with their Portuguese, which means they will be able to speak it quite well when they start at the primary school next year.

Also 11 more orphans were added to the project, since last year some parents died.They will receive a daily lunch, education, cloths and housing as well the coming year.

For 15 orphans, we have bought matresses since all of them sleep on the floor or on mats. The coming months we will buy more matress for all the orphans.

So far 2 houses have been finished with the rehabilitation. Per household of the orphans (most live with 2 or more orphans in one house), is investigated how we can alter their houses in a way that it is strong and dry during the rain. This normally means we provide, doors, windows and a roof of congregated iron instead of straw. We will start with house number 3 soon and in total 15 houses will be rehabilitated.

So we have our work planned out for us this year and we are looking forward to it!

Secondary School

All 11 have started!! Monday 9th was the first schoolday and especially for the 6 new children this is always a bit frightening. Not only will they meet their new classmates, but since they will also live there, they will have to start a whole new life.
Luckely they are helped by the 5 boys that started 2 years ago and now know their way around.
Only one boy, back down. Chico didn't feel like going to school. For him a new girl was selected and she joined the rest, so still 11 children got started this week.
Let's see how they will keep up!