Mama Sylvia School is the largest of the tGF projects. We commenced the school in 2020 after building two classrooms and an office. We were eager to support the new school to improve the teaching and learning environment for children, many of whom walk up to 2 hours each way to attend school.
Although tGF is funding the majority of the school, by working with others we can achieve our goals together.
The key to this project is to bring together all the interested parties required to make it a long-term sustainable success.
The school has grown to 240 pupils in 4 years, and the pupil numbers are due to rise to 360 by 2027.
As part of completing 5 classrooms, we have supplied tables and chairs for 360 pupils together with teachers’ desks and chairs. We also built a teachers’ office and a store. Our largest project in 2023/24 was the fencing of the 25 acre school perimeter along with school gates. The fence creates a security within the school and protects the grounds from destruction by animals.
Additionally, we provided 4 teachers, teacher training and mentoring, along with teaching resources, we also built two playgrounds for enjoyable sporting and fun facilities for the children.
In 2023/24 tGF provided the funds for a borehole and taps, and the project was delivered on our behalf by The Mud House Children’s Foundation. There are taps inside and outside the school grounds. This allows the school to benefit from fresh drinking water, invaluable to the children. The taps we provided outside the school are used by several villages and this means that these communities no longer need to obtain their drinking water from muddy rivers. The borehole is over 200m deep, and when there are droughts it will literally be a life saver.
The Headteacher has produced a detailed 4-year plan which our Board have approved. This is a substantial commitment by tGF, which we believe is required to ensure the future success of the school.
The village community built the original mud house classroom with rocks as seats and provided two teachers.
They have donated the 25 acres of land and the original toilets.
tGF registered this land designated for a Government school.
The Regional Council built a road to the school and TASAF (the Government’s Tanzanian Social Action Fund) provided two teachers houses and a new toilet block.
In 2023 KWF, the German Federal Government Foreign Aid Organisation, built a staff room and two further classrooms bringing the total number to nine.
The district MP has visited the remote village to see the school first hand on a number of occasions and he is giving it his full backing. We also have the commitment of the local and regional councils.
Mama Sylvia School is to be a Government School going forward:
The District Government Officials have now registered Mama Sylvia School as a Government School. They are totally committed to its development and are already providing support as needed.
In 2024 we will be constructing a dining room, kitchens, hand basins and providing dining room furniture.
