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 Ntabankulu Primary School urgently needs 2 more classrooms
In 2006 My Rotary friends in KwaZulu Natal asked for help to find a
sponsor to fund a classroom for the children of the 'ant' school. So
named because the children sat on the dirt floor in a hut crawling with
ants. Hitchin Tilehouse came up trumps and with two other sponsors
three classrooms were built. A number of Rotarians from this district
paid a visit in October 2006.
A Matching Grant project arranged by
Wolverton and Stony Stratford and supported by Harpenden Village as
well as Hitchin Tilehouse provided the usual toilets and water tanks.
Feeling good about the completion of the project I paid them a visit in
October 2008 and saw what I thought was a successfully finished
project.
The school Principal Mrs Dlamini spoke of how grateful the
community was for all we had done and then revealed, with tears running
down her face, that she wanted to ask for more. I was stunned to hear
what she had to say and she has since written to me which I shall
reprint:-
Our school end in grade 5 which leads to learners leaving our school to continue in neighbouring schools. After 2 years some come back to the High School next door to us.The Education department has turned down a request to build 2 more classrooms.
The Learners suffer because they have to walk 13 to 15 Kilometres to neighbouring schools. They wake up at 3.00 am so they reach school in time. They become exhausted and cannot concentrate.In winter the parents have to accompany them because the path they must use is dangerous dense forest with dangerous animals like pythons, mambas etc. and they are exposed to rapists.
Others walk along the banks of the Tugela river which is infested with dangerous animals and flooding is a danger. Many children drop out of education.
'MANY CHILDREN DROP OUT OF EDUCATION' - we obviously haven't finished the job.
With almost 300 children now looking for an education at this school the latest assessment is that 4 more classrooms are urgently needed. 2 are being built right now courtesy of an American donor but two more still need funding. With donations and pledges from clubs in District I am optimistic that we can raise the £14,000 needed by the end of this year. If any club would like to contribute to this education project why not invite me as a speaker where I can show video of the children at this school.
Please contact me at
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John Moss
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"One of the most wonderful things about Rotary is that it allows you to be part of something so much larger than yourself."
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to the Rotary Foundation online at the RIBI website.
