Donation protected
Volunteering in Livingstone, Zambia at the Determined School changed my life and stole my heart. The children made the volunteers feel like rock stars with their daily welcome. Everyone wanted to hug us, be next to us, and hold our hands.
The principal of the school is also the 1st and 2nd grade teacher, and she was as eager to learn as the children. There are four classrooms, two grades per room—Pre-K and Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th, and 5th and 6th. There are no computers, and no text books so everything is taught on the blackboard, and then copied in notebooks by students. They have a copier but it is old and very slow.
(The principal of Determined School posing with volunteers, Sylvia and David).
When I arrived at the school, I taught on a very small blackboard. It was too high for the children to reach, and so old and bumpy that you could hardly read what I had written. The husband of the principal, is a very competent builder, who built most of the school himself. After consultation with him, I bought two bags of cement and two buckets of blackboard paint which was delivered on a Friday. That Monday morning he had made beautiful large blackboards in each class room- the total cost was $53. This greatly increased the transfer of knowledge—see the posted picture of one of the boards. Never in my life have I spent so little and seen such a great result!
About to be shipped is:
A computer—my friend Diane is donating and updating a computer from 2013 which has hardly been used. Several people are donating story books. The school owned 4 and I bought 6 more while I was there. It was difficult to buy books in the area, there was one bookstore in town which was very limited. The cost of shipping donated items, like books is expensive. The children now have a few books to read and are beginning to see the point of learning.
I will pay to ship the books as well as the pictures of the children, as the parents have no pictures of their own children.
Shipping the computer from the US will cost between $80-$180.
The whole school plays games every Friday for an hour. The first week there were no balls for games so some of the volunteers bought some soccer balls for them. Here is a video of them playing in the neighboring yard:
Things urgently needed:
1. Money for cement and bricks to finish the construction on the 3 or 4 new classrooms, so each grade will have their own room. The rooms have walls and a roof but need doors, windows, desks, and general finishing. The beautiful thing about this, is that the principal's husband is doing the work himself-it is fast and well done and he is dedicated to the project. The principal has sent updates of the progress to other volunteers who have given some money for this purpose. The government insists that they finish these rooms.
2. Text Books so each child has their own and can continue to learn at home. Currently the majority of class is spent copying whats on the board. The textbooks will allow more time for creative learning during school.
3. English teachers who are trained in teaching the language. English is the official language, but many children come to school not knowing it. Accents are not clear, and there is not a systemized approach to learning—obviously this is further down the road of this project.
4. A new copy machine. With the computer, they can find educational things on the internet and can copy them for the children. Puzzles and games will enhance learning and will be available to these children without purchasing fancy workbooks.
5. Money for internet service. Fees are only $10 per month.
6. Tables and chairs for the new rooms being built.
To quote David, one of the volunteers-“I mean they pretty much need everything that a regular school would have here in France or in the US! “ The encouraging thing is that for those of us more fortunate, the cost is so small and we can make a big difference.
(The builder, Joseph, interacts with kids when they received the donated soccer balls. Joseph is currently building the classrooms on the left, while the blue buildings on the right are the current classrooms).
The children have so little and yet they are so happy and positive. If they can be educated their lives will change tremendously. Please give what you can. I can directly oversee where the money goes and will send pictures of the results. The construction will be accomplished quickly, and all new education objectives will be incorporated quickly. I am still sending weekly words and sentences for them. Thank you for reading this, and for the help you can give. So little will do so much. I am so excited to really make a difference here!
Sylvia Ahramjian
(The children and principal pose with the volunteers Tim and Matilda).
The principal of the school is also the 1st and 2nd grade teacher, and she was as eager to learn as the children. There are four classrooms, two grades per room—Pre-K and Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th, and 5th and 6th. There are no computers, and no text books so everything is taught on the blackboard, and then copied in notebooks by students. They have a copier but it is old and very slow.
(The principal of Determined School posing with volunteers, Sylvia and David). When I arrived at the school, I taught on a very small blackboard. It was too high for the children to reach, and so old and bumpy that you could hardly read what I had written. The husband of the principal, is a very competent builder, who built most of the school himself. After consultation with him, I bought two bags of cement and two buckets of blackboard paint which was delivered on a Friday. That Monday morning he had made beautiful large blackboards in each class room- the total cost was $53. This greatly increased the transfer of knowledge—see the posted picture of one of the boards. Never in my life have I spent so little and seen such a great result!
About to be shipped is:
A computer—my friend Diane is donating and updating a computer from 2013 which has hardly been used. Several people are donating story books. The school owned 4 and I bought 6 more while I was there. It was difficult to buy books in the area, there was one bookstore in town which was very limited. The cost of shipping donated items, like books is expensive. The children now have a few books to read and are beginning to see the point of learning.
I will pay to ship the books as well as the pictures of the children, as the parents have no pictures of their own children.
Shipping the computer from the US will cost between $80-$180.
The whole school plays games every Friday for an hour. The first week there were no balls for games so some of the volunteers bought some soccer balls for them. Here is a video of them playing in the neighboring yard:
Things urgently needed:
1. Money for cement and bricks to finish the construction on the 3 or 4 new classrooms, so each grade will have their own room. The rooms have walls and a roof but need doors, windows, desks, and general finishing. The beautiful thing about this, is that the principal's husband is doing the work himself-it is fast and well done and he is dedicated to the project. The principal has sent updates of the progress to other volunteers who have given some money for this purpose. The government insists that they finish these rooms.
2. Text Books so each child has their own and can continue to learn at home. Currently the majority of class is spent copying whats on the board. The textbooks will allow more time for creative learning during school.
3. English teachers who are trained in teaching the language. English is the official language, but many children come to school not knowing it. Accents are not clear, and there is not a systemized approach to learning—obviously this is further down the road of this project.
4. A new copy machine. With the computer, they can find educational things on the internet and can copy them for the children. Puzzles and games will enhance learning and will be available to these children without purchasing fancy workbooks.
5. Money for internet service. Fees are only $10 per month.
6. Tables and chairs for the new rooms being built.
To quote David, one of the volunteers-“I mean they pretty much need everything that a regular school would have here in France or in the US! “ The encouraging thing is that for those of us more fortunate, the cost is so small and we can make a big difference.
(The builder, Joseph, interacts with kids when they received the donated soccer balls. Joseph is currently building the classrooms on the left, while the blue buildings on the right are the current classrooms). The children have so little and yet they are so happy and positive. If they can be educated their lives will change tremendously. Please give what you can. I can directly oversee where the money goes and will send pictures of the results. The construction will be accomplished quickly, and all new education objectives will be incorporated quickly. I am still sending weekly words and sentences for them. Thank you for reading this, and for the help you can give. So little will do so much. I am so excited to really make a difference here!
Sylvia Ahramjian
(The children and principal pose with the volunteers Tim and Matilda).Organizer
Sylvia Davis Ahramjian
Organizer
West Chester, PA