ROTARY CLUB OF ZANZIBAR STONETOWN SEARCHING FOR PARTNERS TO HELP BUY SCHOOL DESKS AT MIGOMBANI SCHOOL IN ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA

MIGOMBANI SCHOOL MIGOMBANI- the area Migombani School is located on the outskirts of Stone Town, Zanzibar in the midst of the urban sprawl. It schools children from Migombani as well as Mpendai as there isn’t another Primary School in the area. There are 1,087 students in the school, in 11 classrooms. There is a morning and an afternoon session in order to accommodate all of the students at the school. There is not a single school desk on the premises, forcing the teachers to teach in dire conditions. There are over 45 children per classroom, some of which have mats on the floor, others the children are just sitting on concrete.

Migombani School

The students of Migombani school already have it rough. All of the students come from an extremely impoverished background, where their parents struggle to pay the voluntary 3,000tsh ($2.30USD) school fees ANNUALLY. In order to come to school, the parents must provide a uniform and school books and pencils. In some cases, students come to school without shoes. We have already assisted Migombani School with the piping for new toilets on school grounds which has improved their quality of education incredibly, as they no longer have to walk outside of school grounds to use the restroom.

WHY SCHOOL DESKS? These children are already learning in a challenging environment. Their teachers are paid minimum wage, less than $50 USD per month, but they do the best they can with the resources at hand. With school desks, their standard of education would improve and they would be able to concentrate far better and this in turn will result in them continuing in the school system. The western world takes school desks for granted. Imagine having to do all of your work on the floor everyday, soon all motivation to continue would be lost.

WHY TEACHERS DESKS AND STAFF ROOM TABLES? The underpaid and underappreciated teachers have two sessions of students a day. They have school work to correct and need to assist their students when they have questions. Currently, all of this is done from the floor or a small make shift table on the side. The teachers too would be far more motivated with proper tables and chairs from which to do their work.

The Classrooms and Potential Library

HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST? ITEM NEEDEDQTYAMT IN TSHTOTAL IN TSH School Desks165175,00028,875,000 Teachers Desks1180,000880,000 Teachers Chairs1125,000275,000 Teachers Staff 4 tables480,000320,000 Teachers Staff 8 Chairs825,000200,000 Office Cupboard1500,000 Library door1200,000 Library Window2100,000200,000 Library Table380,000240,000 Library Chair1625,000400,000 Library Shelves 800,000 Transportation of goods to school 300,000 TSH33,190,000 USD TOTAL$25,531 These figures take into account that there are 11 classrooms that would use 15 desks each. Each desk would seat 3 students and has a built in bench. This would also include Teachers Desks and Chairs for the classrooms as well as outfitting a library at the school. Currently all library books are locked up in a tiny closet as their designated library room has no doors or windows, let alone tables and chairs. RC of Zanzibar Stone Town has $1,000usd that we have raised for this project and our district gives a maximum of $500usd per project.

What do we need? We need help from Clubs and Rotarians around the world to partner with on this project This is such a worthwhile project; it will vastly improve the future of over 1,000 children in Zanzibar. Are you willing to help? Willing to give children a better chance and better future?

HOW CAN YOU HELP? How many years were you privileged enough to receive education seated at a desk? Most of us had the honour of sitting in a classroom for 12 years and many more of us went on to higher education. Would you give US$5 for every year that you sat at a school desk? Would you pledge US$20 for every year of higher education?

The maths! 12 x US$5 = US$60 3 x US$20 = US$ This totals US$120 = one school desk And also equals 6 very happy children!