New School Chiwonda, Tansania
The project provides about 370 children in Chiwonda and the surrounding communities with access to a local elementary school. Shorter commutes to school and a reliable learning environment create the conditions necessary for regular school attendance and successful graduation.
The project
For many children in Chiwonda, Tanzania, the distance to school is too far to attend classes regularly. The nearest elementary school is about seven kilometers away. As a result, of the 178 children of school age, only 78 currently attend school regularly. The construction of a new elementary school will provide children from Chiwonda and other children from surrounding communities with access to basic education close to home. Shorter commutes to school and better learning conditions make it easier for children to attend school regularly and create new educational opportunities for them.
The Chiwonda community recognized this need five years ago and began construction on two classrooms. However, due to a lack of funding, the buildings could not be completed. Together with two local organizations, the project is now supporting the gradual expansion of the elementary school.
In the first phase, the two classrooms that were started will be completed. In addition, another classroom and a teachers’ lounge will be built. A toilet block with 16 pit latrines will provide adequate sanitation facilities for the students. A rainwater harvesting system with a water tank, gutters, and piping will ensure the water supply on the school grounds.
The overall scope of the project extends beyond this first construction phase. Plans call for a total of eight new classrooms, four teachers’ lounges, school desks, and tables and chairs for the teachers. This will provide the school with approximately 370 seats. In addition, there will be another restroom block with 16 pit latrines, a two-unit residence for teachers, a simple school kitchen, and a fully equipped rainwater harvesting system. All infrastructure facilities are being planned and built based on technical advice as well as the school construction standards and requirements of the Tanzanian government.
Step by step, the infrastructure for safe and effective school operations is taking shape. The new school provides children in Chiwonda and the surrounding communities with better conditions for education and, in the long term, better prospects for their future.
