News
News - July 2011
Rachel has paid her annual visit to Ndola in June 2011 where she found the chicken coop had been erected and was ready for the students to start raising chickens. This will be a learning tool as well as an income-generating project for the school as a step towards self sufficiency. Another exciting piece of news is that Golgota Community School now has its own well (Jacob's Well II), giving the children clean water. To those who are reading this for the first time, Jacob's Well is situated at Nekhairo Community School, on the grounds of the African Methodist Church at Kabushi. Jacob's Well at Kabushi has now been diverted to a storage tank with a tap, which is a development carried out by the Church and is most appreciated.
We thank the Lions Club of Burwood for meeting 50% of the cost of Jacob's Well II at Masala and our thanks go to those private donors who contributed the other 50% for the cost of Jacob's Well II at Masala.
The classroom floor at Golgota Community School
had broken into potholes and was recently repaired. The children are
now using a safe and healthy learning environment and we are satisfied with
the way the work has been completed.
One of the teachers who takes the senior class at Nekhairo Community School needed syllabus books as required by the Zambia Ministry of Education. Funds were provided for these books to be purchased for the teacher.
News - January 2011
Students and staff at both Golgota and Nekhairo schools
have now received the generously branded and donated school satchels. Big thank
you to Anne & Graeme Williamson of Albury Enviro Bags, Australia.
Soccer balls have also been kindly donated by Harry's Toy Shop in Beaconsfield,
Australia.
We are yet again indebted to DHL Express who, not only airfreighted the
consignment for us at no cost but also met the cost of duties and taxes when the
shipment arrived in Ndola. A BIG thank you again, DHL!
Something to pop in your diaries…. an Afro Dance
Party is being organised in Sydney, with part proceeds of the sale of
tickets going to the community schools in Ndola. The function will be held
on Saturday, 19 February at the Manhattan Lounge, 58 Elizabeth Street,
Martin Place (CBD). Tickets are $45.00 including finger food and will be
available at the door.
News - December 2010
Firstly, we’d like to welcome on board Humphrey Chipandwe in Ndola who has been sending to Sydney photographs of our children as and when these have been requested.
Secondly, I’d like to formally invite Humphrey to be an association member of the Philip and Henrietta Bandah School Inc. and, at the same time, sincerely thank him for the work he has undertaken to date by providing this great service of transmitting the pictures for Scott to post on the website so that those people who have become partners with us can see the progress we are making. Thank you, Humphrey! We also acknowledge our 2 community schools’ administrators, Mr Evans Kambafwile and Pastor Christopher N’gandu who carry out all duties to ensure the 2 schools function effectively at all times.
We thank them for their invaluable and tireless efforts.
Finally at Nekhairo Community School, in 2009, the
first lot of our students passed their primary school examinations to
proceed to Government Basic Schools. This is the second year, in 2010, that
Nekhairo Community School students have again passed their primary school
examinations to go to Government Basic Schools. These students are:
Lewis Mwansa
Elijah Bwalya
Susan Kasoma
Lawless Mondwa
Yvonne Kalaba
Eunice Kalobwe
Mutinta Malawo
Precious Kunda
We congratulate our students for such an achievement and we thank the
teachers who have guided and supported them towards this goal.
Golgota Community School
Members of the Parents/Teachers Committee polishing the classroom floor who have all performed a wonderful job - the floor is now clean and shiny.
Children showing their new uniforms and bags. The bags were donated by Marina and David Williamson of Albury Enviro Bags. The good news is that the company has now offered to provide the schools with bags designed with the school logo - a big thank you goes out to Marina and David for this wonderful contribution
Two new mobile partitions have recently been purchased to allow use of the classroom efficiently by different classes with minimum disruptions.
Nekhairo Community School
We’d like to announce that one of the teachers, Masuzyo Chilembo has resigned and will not be replaced. The school is functioning well without an additional teacher. We’ve also learned that Pastor Mama Idah Simukwai has retired and we are waiting to receive a formal email from the Pastor who has replaced her.
Since this will be our last news for 2010, we wish all our partners who have assisted the 2 community schools throughout the year a Merry Christmas and happiness and good health in 2011. A big thank you goes to those families who are consistently generous, financially, to ensure that the work of the schools continues.
More News August 2010
Since July 2009, the number of teachers paid by our organisation has increased from 4 to 9 teachers. The breakdown is 4 teachers at Golgota Community School and 5 teachers at Nekhairo Community School. The teachers are paid in Kwacha (local currency). Rachel holds a private property purchased in 1964 in Lusaka and the rent collected pays the teachers. Currently, we have 1 teacher on maternity leave.
August 2010 Update
Ndola Community Schools:
On Wednesday, 26 May there was a meeting held to nominate the incoming
Parent/Teacher Association Committee members at Golgota Community. The
following day, Thursday, 27 May the schools were handing out mid-term report
cards to the parents. It was great to see so many parents attending and
showing interest in their children's education. (Click on the images below to see them larger)
A new camera was handed to be shared by the two schools to make it easier and cost effective or them to send photographs to Sydney.
In the past, they have had to hire a photographer to come to the school for photographs.
Below are pictures of the beautiful vegetable garden which the students tend with care. The garden began in March 2010 with aid from the Burwood Lions Club. It has proved a success as a teaching tool as well as an income generating project.
(Click on the images below to see them larger)
Rachel with the students in their uniforms that were made from fabric donated in Sydney.
Nekhairo Community School
There were some happy smiling faces waiting to greet Rachel. The community has also been hard at work tailoring the uniforms from the donated fabric in Sydney.
March 2010 Update
The Community School Committee held a meeting in
January during which they decided to start an income-generating project.
The ideas that were floated, for instance, were carpentry
and welding classes. However Zambian schools that offer these
classes have
a policy that the students should be older, i.e. Grades 5 to 7. As the
majority of the students at both Golgota and Nekhairo Community Schools are
not old enough, it was agreed that neither carpentry nor welding would be an
option for safety reasons. We have a duty of care for the children who
attend the two community schools.
A decision was then made to start a school
vegetable garden, with the produce sold to a wholesaler at the local market.
The garden will also be incorporated into the students' lessons about
"Learning for Life" and understanding the concept of the cycle of life,
using plants. The attached photos shows the children with the
gardening implements at one of the two schools.
The Lions Club, Burwood provided the funds to
purchase these gardening tools so again a big thank you for
there contribution and on-going support..
January 2010 Update
Congratulations to the 9 students from the Grade 7 Class at Nekhairo Community School who have been accepted into a government basic school to complete Grades 8 and 9. Zambian students study for only 5 years after primary school and the two years of Grades 8 and 9 are termed "basic school". Students then proceed to Grades 10 to 12 in order to obtain their School Certificate with "O" Levels qualifications. With such qualifications, students are eligible to train as teachers, nurses, etc.
Lameck Simwanza
Christine Kalobwe
Victor Kabinga
Charles Chilfya
Michael Kambilombilo
Racheal Kalobwe
Martine Malate
Flarida Mbewe
Precious Mufwankila
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