Thanks to over 700 wonderful people around the world we have now paid off the 30 acres of land for the new primary boarding school which will open in January 2008!
First job was to start the foundations of the boundary wall which will eventually go around the whole 30 acre site.
15th May 2007: The sign for the new school is erected on the main road between Arusha city and Mt Kilimanjaro/Moshi town.
The outside of the boundary wall near the new entrance to the school has been painted with the school logo and an announcement telling people that another free school will be opening next year. Everyone around the village is so excited!
The entrance to the new school....pretty exciting!
BOARDING HOUSES
15th May 2007: The foundations of the new boarding school going up....
20th July 2007: The main structure of the primary boys and primary girls is really taking form!
The primary boys boarding house is below:
The primary girls boarding house is below:
On the 16th August all the staff from the school came out to the new school site to see the changes being made. Everyone is so excited about it opening in Janurary next year!
By November the roofs are on and the finishing touches being completed.
10th January 2008: The boarding houses are ready to open!!
CLASSROOM BLOCKS
15th May 2007: The foundations on the 4 classroom blocks (each have 2 stories to them) are started.
20th July 2007: With the help of now over 700 local men and women, the construction of the 4 classroom blocks are right on schedule!
On the left is our electrician Amani, who has been with us since the school started with 3 kids back in 2002. He is standing with our plumber Robertson. Both are taking a moment out of their very busy workloads to watch a concrete pour taking place. Their jobs are going to triple over the coming year and so will both have to take on more apprentices etc.
By October, the classroom blocks are really taking shape and look wonderful!
Then in November the facial bricks are put on, along with the paint.
10th January 2008: The school opens with an enrolment of 550 primary students!
Below is the Headmaster of the school, Mr Peter Manjalla, standing with Gordon and Helen Smith from the USA. The Smith's have been a massive support to the school by being wise advisors, financial supporters and for being there emotionally when the going gets tough.
ADMINISTRATION/LIBRARY/COMPUTER BLOCK
1st July 2007: The foundations of the administration block gets started.
Below is a picture of my right hand girl Kim (who helps me run the school) working out how big the admin store should be!
On the 6th August, the Australian High Commissioner Lisa Filipetto, her husband Peter and friend Bobby Sura came to visit our school. Below we are standing in the corridor of the administration block of the new school. From left we have Bobby, Bibi Hans (the Chairman of our School Board), Lisa, myself and Peter. We look forward to their return next year for the official school opening.
By October the admin building is really taking form!
Then in November, we have the facial bricks and paint going on!
DINING HALL
The dining hall is a big project as approx 600 students and their staff will be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner EVERY day!! The kitchen had to be carefully designed as well as good ventilation and lighting etc.
Below the foundations of the large hall are being done.
Below the beginnings of the hall is seen between the boys and girls dormitory blocks.
10th January 2008: We open the hall for use!
FOOTBALL FIELD
It took weeks of bulldozing and rock picking for the football ground to be ready for planting!
Once the ground was levelled, the planting of grass started! The grass will grow much faster if we used grass seedlings as apposed to seed.
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10th January 2008: Students are able to enjoy the football field!
