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BONFAREMO e.V. newsletter | summer 2018

2018 BONFAREMO Newsletter H1 EN final · MO e.V. Adlerstraße 8 D - 84453 Mühldorf a. Inn BONFAREMO e.V. Bonfaremo e.V. | Adlerstraße 8 | D - 84453 Mühldorf a. Inn |

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BONFAREMO e.V.

newsletter | summer 2018

MO e.V. Adlerstraße 8 D - 84453 Mühldorf a. Inn

BONFAREMO e.V. Bonfaremo e.V. | Adlerstraße 8 | D - 84453 Mühldorf a. Inn | www.bonfaremo.org

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Dear Members, Friends and Supporters,

Summer has arrived and with it Bonfaremo’s next Newsletter. In the following pages we would like to tell you about the developments that have occurred over the last six months – at Bonfaremo e.V. and our schools, and of course also for our students at Msafiri, Pemaca and the Malage Center. We would also like to tell you about the One Word Secondary School as two of our sponsored children from Msafiri transferred there.

This newsletter will also focus on Anil’s trip to Kenya and Tanzania in the spring. Anil is responsible for our sponsorship program and through his reports we can gain more personal insights into our projects and learn about the people involved.

Our efforts to enlist more sponsors for our students and increase membership at Bonfaremo have been successful, as was the launch of our new website “bonfaremo.org.” The new website is not only clearer and more interactive, but has also been adapted to comply with the new European data protection regulations. Our membership expanded by 22 people, such that Bonfaremo e.V. now consists of 151 members in 4 different countries. Due to increased banking fees and a higher inflation rate in the countries we work in, Bonfaremo decided to increase its membership fees at the last annual meeting. Thus, income from membership fees increased by 52,2% in comparison to the previous fiscal year (16/17). After several of our sponsored children finished their schooling or switched to other schools, we were able to establish new sponsorships. We currently have 48 active sponsorships (34 PEMACA, 12 MSAFIRI, 2 One World).

We continue to strive to increase transparency for our sponsors and are making every effort to establish direct contact between sponsors and the children they support. Our communication with the project managers in Tanzania and Kenya is very positive, constructive and regular, which is also thanks to the digital infrastructure, which we were able to improve with your help.

We are happy to report that we are on track to reach the goals we set for ourselves this past winter. This is really great news for all our members and the supporters of Bonfaremo e.V. This is also the best opportunity to express our thanks to you – also in the name of our project managers Michael Mngara [Msafiri], Peter Ngare [Pemaca], Gasiano Senzighe [Malage] und Dr. Köhler [One World Secondary School]. Without your enthusiastic help and continued support none of this would be possible.

We would also like to express our thanks at the annual meeting on July 28, 2018, starting at 2:00pm (Hotel Tonight HQ, Alexanderstraße 7, 10178 Berlin, 13th Floor).

We hope to see many of you there to engage in lively conversation, hear about our various

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projects and receive a financial report. We are also looking forward to exchanging ideas about future visions for Bonfaremo e.V.

Yours, Tim-Hendrik Meyer & Matthias Sandberg

table of content

Malage VTC - a story of Gasiano's dedication towards positively impacting the lives of his students ................................................................................ 4PEMACA – personal impressions ................................................................ 7Msafiri – A reflection by volunteer Andrea Sahlmen .................................. 14One World Secondary School – An Overview of 2017 ............................... 18Students seeking Sponsorship ................................................................... 23Challenges in the upcoming year ............................................................... 25

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Malage VTC - a story of Gasiano's dedication towards positively impacting the lives of his students

by Anil Ravindrakumar

Malage is one of the few vocational centers located on the highway connecting the Kilimanjaro region to Tanzania's capital Dar es Salam. The center is located at the foot of the Pare Mountains, home to Gasiano, the founder of Malage VTC. It is during a hiking trip to the mountain top to visit Gaisano’s childhood home that I discover what an inspiring person Gasiano truly is. Hearing about his journey that took him all the way to Germany and the UK for his higher studies, made me stand in awe of his grit and passion towards establishing an educational institution that would create greater impact in his local community. He consciously decided to return home to share his great fortune in receiving a higher education that most Tanzanians unfortunately continue to be denied.

The Pare Mountains in north eastern Tanzania are part of the Kilimanjaro region. Growing up in these mountains, Gasiano spent almost every day of his early childhood descending to the foot of the mountains to attend a local Catholic school. As someone who has hiked to Gasiano's childhood home, I can tell you that this climb must have been quite strenuous for a primary school student. To provide the children of the mountain village with better access to education, Gasiano's father decided to instigate a primary school. An inspirational experience that has driven Gasiano in his aspiration to better his community through providing students that cannot attend secondary school with an alternative career path.

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Some of the students of Malage are indeed from the Pare Mountains. Visiting their homes was quite insightful in terms of understanding their backgrounds and their standard of living. Unfortunately, most households in the Pare Mountains are poor with the main occupation of the local community being farming. Despite their poverty, I was always welcomed into the students' homes with an open heart and genuine hospitality that touched me deeply. Sitting in their livingrooms, I understood the students' strong motivations to study hard and find jobs to alleviate not just their position, but also that of their parents.

Malage VTC is located exactly opposite to the Pare Mountains. As you enter through the gates, you notice a small roundabout with lush green plants, a reflection of the effort the staff and students have made in terms of turning the campus into a welcoming areal. Overall, the school grounds are very well kept, clean and tidy - far from a matter of course. Moreover, Malage VTC differs from other vocational training centres within the region in its encouragement of practical education. Students work directly on tractors and cars, tearing them apart and putting them back together under the supervision of a teacher. The teacher explains the theoretical concepts in real time. This is not limited to the mechanics course, but also extends to the other professions offered by Malage VTC. Student life is hence split between lectures and practical workshops. Food is provided to the students through an in-house kitchen that employs staff from the local community. In Africa, it is fascinating to see how grassroots movements can work in terms of elevating an entire community. For example, Lightness Kagud was once hired as the centre’s secretary, as well as the teacher for ICT level 2 students. Today she owns a stationary shop that is located on the school's premises. True entrepreneurship made possible by Gasiano's vision to create an educational institution that teaches students how to be successful in life and by his willingness to go the extra mile to push his students in pursuit of their dreams.

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I had the opportunity to meet one of the former students of Malage VTC: Livingston. I met Livingston during my one-day stay in Arusha, one of the major cities in north eastern Tanzania. We agreed to meet during the day and decided to go for a walk through the city of Arusha. It was fascinating to hear the story of his early days at Malage, which grew from a mere mechanical workshop to a full-fledged vocational training centre. He took me to the garage where he currently works, introducing me to his colleagues, who were once again more than welcoming. Eventually, I learnt that Gasiano had of course helped him to get this job and that his work had enabled Livingston and his wife to acquire a small hardware shop just up the road from the garage. Later that day he invited me to his home for lunch in the outskirts of Arusha. At his home, I met his wife and three beautiful children. He proudly showed me around his half completed house.

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Banks in Tanzania do not give loans easily, forcing Livingston to gradually work on the family home as allowed by the family earnings. After a decent lunch and a few pictures together, I said my goodbye to his beautiful family and made my way back into the city.

It was during my ride back into Arusha that I realized the genuine altruism of Gasiano to make a difference in his students' lifes, and in his community. This realization left a deep impression on me. In my oppinion, Gasiano's work has a real impact and I hope that we at Bonfaremo will be able to go the extra-mile just as Gasiano has so often done!

PEMACA – personal impressions

by Anil Ravindrakumar

Based on my visit in April of this year I would like to give you my personal assessment on life at PEMACA. Visiting our projects in Kenya and Tanzania, was an incredible experience and I am grateful for being able to share my experiences with you.

The School

When you take the beaten path off the national highway of Loitokitok, Kenya, you go through numerous maize fields, and muddy roads. After ten minutes of quite a challenging ride on a picky picky (a motorcycle which serves as a taxi), you reach a pasture of bright orange buildings framed by a red grilled gate reading “PEMACA Education Centre”.

As you go in, you are faced with a statue of a white lion on the right of which is the office of the school director and classroom of grade 5. Right behind the lion stature is the kitchen, where fresh and hot meals are cooked for the children twice a day. I do mean fresh in the truest sense, since all the vegetables are grown in the school farm and used directly for cooking. Adjoining the kitchen is the animal shelter, where the school’s two cows and one pig along with her five piglets are kept.

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A big square courtyard is surrounded by three buildings which are occupied by students of PP1, PP2 (kindergarten), and grades 1 – 6. The courtyard is also where the kids play.

Next to the buildings is the farm, where maize and beans are grown to feed the students. One of Bonfaremo’s efforts is to improve the farm and make the school independent using the earnings from selling excess produce. Adjacent to the farm, is the for mentioned animal shelter. Part of a current initiative is to explore if raising livestock could be an additional revenue stream for the school, as lasting droughts have consistently destroyed part of the harvest from the farm. The best solution continues to be a deep water well. However, high operating expenses of running the school provide us with little room for implementing such a substantial infrastructure project.

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Here is a map outlining the described school set-up:

School Life

Daily life at PEMACA starts early in the morning at 7:00. From 7:00 till 8:00, the slow learners from Grade 1 – 6 have special tuitions in Science and Math. From 8:00 onwards, regular class starts where the students have their first 5 lessons until lunch break at 13:00. After an hour of lunch break, classes continue until the end of school day at 16:00.

The teaching methods at PEMACA involve a combination of both lectures and practical exercises. Teachers engage in creative methods of teaching to make the lessons more interesting, as well as easier for the students to grasp. Some of the examples include using bottle caps to teach students to count, wooden blocks to teach shapes (squares, circle, etc.), and using songs for storytelling. Nature is all around the school, and most of the

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science classes happen outside the classroom. Different types of soil, plant life and weather patterns are not limited to texts books, are explored in real life.

As mentioned earlier, sport activities are heavily encouraged in the school. Students usually have a certain amount of time dedicated in the afternoon. Amongst the older classes the most commonly played sport is football.

The Challenges

The challenges that I observed at PEMACA are driven by running a school in the rural area of a developing country. There are challenges that are quite outside of our domain, ones that would require the help of the government, and then there are challenges that could be quite well tackled by ourselves. I would like to highlight both.

The most important question we at Bonfaremo are trying to answer is to make the school

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sustainable (and hence independent). In contrast to other private schools, which are solely dependent on school fees to keep them running, PEMACA cannot rely on this stream of income, as a substantial number of students cannot afford tuition. This greatly increase the dependency of the school on the support of external organizations such as Bonfaremo. We realize that this is not sustainable in the long run.

One of the ways we plan to tackle this dependency is to make use of the school farm to plant cash crops like maize, and other vegetables, later to be sold in the local market. Unfortunately, Loitokitok has been severely affected by drought in the last couple of years which has destroyed harvest after harvest. Projects such digging a deep water well to pump water for irrigation have been planned and would be ready to implement. However, as most of Bonfaremo’s funds are directed towards keeping the school running, there is not enough left to fund the well. A side effect of failing harvests in the region is that we have had several students withdrawn from PEMACA. Families dependent on income from farm labor have moved to other area within Kenya, seeking for work to feed their families.

Another way to promote independency of PEMACA is to improve the accessibility of the school and thereby allow more students to be admitted. Currently, the school is running at half of its capacity, as there only are so many kids in the small surrounding villages. The road access itself is keeping more students from families that could afford tuition from further away to attend PEMACA. The mud roads become particularly tricky during the rain season. Unfortunately, this is a challenge that we cannot address without government support, and a challenge caused by the vision of PEMACA to bring education to a rural area, where children often don’t receive the education they deserve.

While the infrastructure that Bonfaremo has thus far been able to fund allows PEMACA to operate successfully, there is a long list of improvements that require our attention. The

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classrooms are filled with aging furniture, blackboards need to be renewed, learning materials are scarce and roofs are thatched. Not to mention that the school does not have electricity. Most of the children’s parents are not able to afford books, because of which teachers sometimes must write down lectures on the blackboard. Apart from texts books, there is also a need for storybooks, that could help the children improve their English.

Over the next months, we, at Bonfaremo are planning to develop individual projects addressing each of these issues. Together with your support, we believe we can continue to make significant improvements to the school.

A Walk down Memory Lane

Africa is tough, and I faced some considerable culture shock despite coming from a developing country such as India myself. It was a true revelation to understand that I have been turning a blind eye to similar challenges faced by my fellow countrymen in rural areas of India. When you grow up in a city in an upper middle-class setting and surround yourself with people of the same upbringing, it is easy to be numb to the poverty around you. In this regard, Africa has truly been an eye opener!

A few things particularly estranged me during my stay in Africa. For instance, the sanitation facilities at school and at Peter’s house. Although, they weren’t intolerable, hygiene standards do deviate significantly from what we are used to here in Europe. In addition, while crossing the border from Tanzania into Kenya the immigration officer started questioning the purpose of my visit to Loitokitok, until hinting that buying her lunch would allow her to drop her concerns in favor of granting my visa request. 10.000 TZS later I was on my way. While corruption is a problem of developing countries this first-hand encounter was simply shocking. Luckily, I did receive some sound advice from a volunteer at Msafiri: “If you want to have a European experience, you should have stayed at home. This is Africa, and these challenges are part of the African experience.” Keeping this comment in mind helped me push through some of these culturally shocking situations.

Thankfully, all the frustration is eclipsed by the amazing people that contribute to the

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projects supported by Bonfaremo. Be it Peter and his family, the school staff or the children. Their contagious smiles and their hospitality made my visit a memorable experience that I will cherish. Some of the people I was allowed to meet are the unsung heroes of PEMACA. For instance, the “picky picky” driver, who drove me to school every day. In charge of transportation and logistics, he is responsible for picking up students that are too far removed from school to walk and with supplying the school with all the everyday materials needed to operate the school. It is simply astonishing how much goods he can fit onto his motorcycle!

Then we have John, the official caretaker of the farm animals. John’s English is impeccable (he sounds quite British at times!). During my time at PEMACA, it was always welcoming to be greeted by John’s beautiful smile while he supplied the staff and students with tea and some biscuits.

Lastly, we have the school cook, the first to arrive at school to light the fires and cook breakfast for the children coming in at 7:00 AM. In such a hot climater, cooking with fire inside a square room of maybe 15 sqm is true heroism!

My stay coincided with Easter, and the school was breaking for a one-month vacation. As part of school tradition, on the last day before vacation begins, there is a ceremony where the students are allowed to put on shows and students of particular educational merit are recognized in front of the entire school. I widely smiled throughout the entire celebrations. Seeing the children sing, dance, and their proud faces upon being rewarded for their achievements was simply incredible.

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Like icing on the cake, my visit was enriched by the love I received from Peter’s family. The openness with which I was welcomed by Peter and Mama Caro (Peter’s wife) was truly heart- warming and made me feel part of the family in no time. Staying in rural Kenya also allowed me to experience and appreciate locally grown fruit and vegetables (some of them grown on the school farm). Especially the taste of freshly harvested avocados has stayed with me!

I discovered “hard” and “amazing” to be the best words to describe my visit to Africa. Africa is not for everyone, but if you have a zest for adventure, an open heart to adapt to situations, and to people who are different from you in every way, it will truly be an experience like no other.

Msafiri – A reflection by volunteer Andrea Sahlmen

Andrea Sahlmen, whom Anil met at Msafiri in the spring, was a first-time volunteer at the Msafiri School three years ago. She now returned as a visitor to see old friends. She talked to Bonfaremo about her experiences as a volunteer.

I was used to backpacking around – for example through Egypt and was therefore familiar with difficult situations. I learned about the volunteer program at Msafiri through the platform globalvolunteers, where I was able to connect with other volunteers, who had previously been to Msafiri and shared their experiences.

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I wanted to teach and work with younger children. Since I knew there would be a pre-school at Msafiri, it was clear that this would be a perfect opportunity for me. I thus immediately applied for a corresponding position and was accepted. I booked my flight and started my journey. Before setting out, I enquired what might be needed at the school and what gifts would be appreciated. I also learned about the general situation and lifestyle – everyone told me my time there would be eventful and rich in experiences. I didn’t need to know more. It was important to me that I could get involved and make a difference. When I arrived here, I was warmly welcomed, and Grace Ngara († 2016), founder of the school, greeted me with open arms. Grace was an incredibly strong woman, and we got along instantly. From day one I was included in the school’s day-to-day activities and in Grace’s life: I was taken along to the Massai market, or we drove to Gonja, an adventurous four-hour drive high up into the mountains. This is where Grace was born, and it is like paradise. Grace’s niece Frieda lives there. Another volunteer from Germany, Anna, had arrived four days after me, and together we stayed in Gonja for several days. It was a wonderful experience: from the familial atmosphere, the delicious fruits from the trees, a beautiful church with a breathtaking view and a choir – there were many moving moments for me and it was a wonderful introduction to my time at Msafiri School.

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At first, I taught in the pre-school and then I took on a third grade class. We had a fixed schedule and for the first few days, I observed an experienced teacher before I started developing my own lessons. Classes are still slightly more traditional than in Germany and there are more repetitive tasks. However, I was always free to implement more creative and interactive lessons. It is important not to come to Kenya with a rigid northern European perception of “good” education, but to be open to and respect the local conditions. I would advise future teachers and volunteers at Msafiri to have precise ideas of what you want to do. For example, if you are looking at picture books in kindergarten, choose those that allow you to ask questions: for example, ‘how many butterflies do you see on this picture?’ Or you can prepare songs with simple choreographies that you can teach the children. I had brought children's books from Germany and read these to the children, sang with them, and after about 10 days, I heard them singing the songs that I had taught them. I was touched by that. And of course, you should follow the curriculum for each class level and discuss with colleagues what is currently being taught in other classes. Because the younger kids barely speak English, questions such as 'What is a radio?' Or 'What is a computer?' were an important foundation in English vocabulary and grammar. While the children try to explain these things in Swahili, one has to consistently speak English and ask questions in English. In kindergarten you can thus really lay the groundwork.

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In third and fourth grade, there are other things to focus on. For example, noticing when some students can’t keep up in math class, and may need a few extra tutoring sessions in the afternoon, requires a certain amount of empathy. You should bring that with you. If you organize and carry out such extra lessons in the afternoon, you will truly be supporting the faculty of Msafiri Also, help is needed and appreciated in all aspects of daily life at the school: cooking in the school kitchen (and there is delicious, traditional African food), tidying up and doing laundry. The school community also truly appreciates it if you can say a few words in Swahili. So, it is very helpful if you can learn a few words and phrases while working together. Another important lesson for me was that you have to be proactive in offering your help; you would never be asked for it. Thus my advice is to keep your eyes open and talk to people, ask them what you can do to help; and in any case, there's always something in the kitchen that needs to be peeled or chopped. Over time, a certain schedule naturally develops, and certain activities establish themselves as a fixed routine. For example, I taught for 3 hours each afternoon from Monday to Friday. This was also noted in the weekly schedule of the school. At 7:30am I got up, at 8:00am school started and then the regular school day with breaks and lunch began. Tutoring takes place in the afternoon. Free time can be designed with the children, playing or singing – there is no time to get bored. Without a TV, you also feel that you have more time for yourself. Like most volunteers, I read in the evening or met up at a café such as 'Mama & Papa Libe' with friends and other volunteers from Msafiri or One World School. This “digital detox” gives you extra time and this helps you to relax after work, focus on the beautiful things of everyday life which you might not do in your regular busy life, for example in Germany.

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In addition to the challenge of designing good lessons, there are a number of other things that a volunteer should bear in mind. I remember, for example, when I was picked up from the airport and driven to Kisangara, it was market day: I was sitting in the car watching the world around me and felt like an alien. This world was so far away from mine ,and the many colors, smells and sounds almost

overwhelmed me. I think it was a real culture shock - I was fascinated and a bit scared at the same time. The feeling persisted at my accommodation. Of course, it was not comparable to what you may be used to. You have to trust your mosquito net, disregard certain things and focus on the beautiful things. You have to learn to deal with insects, spiders and the like. For me it was also a bit of a challenge to get used to equipment being a little more worn or less convenient. Above all, it is very important to check water carefully. For example, I only drank bottled water and also used it to brush my teeth. But in the end, those are simple things that can be done to avoid some of the less pleasant aspects of daily life. You are naturally responsible for your own space. After all, you are not in a hotel. Besides the food served by the school, it is also advisable to purchase the little things you will need in everyday life – from fruit to snack on, to toothpaste in order to maintain hygiene. When I went to the market a week after I had arrived, I realized that I had also more figuratively “arrived”: I was able to completely enjoy the beauty of this market, meet people, taste delicious different dishes and feel at home, despite being so far away from my own home. As Nzungu – white person – it was clear to everyone that I must be a teacher at Msafiri or the One World School; I encountered a lot of appreciation and kindness and that was a wonderful experience. I also dressed accordingly, covering knees and shoulders and took care to be polite and respectful towards everyone. Finally, my general advice to volunteers at Msafiri: Be prepared to ask many questions, relearn some very practical things and dare to leave one's own comfort zone. With that in mind, you will be enriched by many wonderful experiences and impressions and will make many new friends. On the other hand, volunteering at a school like Msafiri is not necessarily for everyone. It is ideal for those who really want to experience cultural exchange on equal footing, are open to challenges and can do without some comforts. With that mindset, those who get involved will have an amazing and unforgettable time. Msafiri will quickly become a real 'second home.' One World Secondary School – An Overview of 2017

by Dr. Karl-Heinz Köhler

Some of the children supported by Bonfaremo’s sponsorship program moved to One World Secondary School after graduating from Msafiri. The German-Tanzanian school started in

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a classroom financed by Bonfaremo. In the future, we would like to offer the opportunity for you to participate in the great work Dr. Köhler and his team do and are happy to share extracts from the newsletter of the One World Secondary School for this purpose.

Our Students travelled to Germany

The school’s partnership with Lappersdorf Gymnasium is gaining momentum. After a joint celebration, in which both schools were connected by Skype, the exchange of teaching materials and the visit of a delegation from the Gymnasium Lappersdorf to the One World Secondary School Kilimanjaro in Kisangara / Tanzania, last year in July twelve OWSK students travelled to Lappersdorf. There they worked on projects under the overarching theme "Health in the One World" with peers from the partner school. In addition to thematic workshops on the topics of first aid, fear of disease and disease prevention, students also dealt with the larger project theme in creative workshops in the fields of music, art and photography.

Our students lived with their peers’ families, who are active in the partnership group of the Gymnasium Lappersdorf. As a result, the visiting students became acquainted with life in Germany and especially aspects of family life. On a guided tour of the city, they were given an overview of the history of Regensburg from the ancient Romans to the present day. Further insights were conveyed during a visit of the Walhalla. The students explored European culture when they watched the musical "Oliver Twist" and attended a very successful concert by Lappersdorf Gymnasium.

The results of the projects were very impressive and were first presented during the final

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event at the Gymnasium Lappersdorf, then also during a visit to our Munich partner school Oskar-von-Miller-Gymnasium. Highlights of the short visit to Munich were the school festival (together with the Maxgymnasium), a city tour and a visit to the Allianz Arena.

I am especially grateful to the school management and teachers of the Gymnasium Lappersdorf and the Oskar-von-Miller-Gymnasium, who prepared our students’ visit perfectly and did everything to make the partnership meeting a success. In addition, I would like to thank "Engagement global" for their financial support in the framework of the ENSA program; and for the planning and moderation of the first two days as well as the final evaluation. I sincerely thank the parents of the two schools, who received our students so warmly.

German-African Youth Academy in Wolfsburg

In November, there was an opportunity for our students to participate in the fifth German-African Youth Academy. This long-term project was founded by Heinz-Jürgen Rickert and myself. In 2013, the first youth academy took place at Kilimanjaro One World Secondary School, Kisangara, Tanzania. This year, the location was Wolfsburg; more precisely, the technologically advanced "Autostadt", which also financially supported the event. About 40 young people from Tanzania, Kenya, Senegal and Germany took part. The overarching theme was sustainable developmen, and it began with students presenting the projects they had started or completed in their home country. The students of Kilimanjaro's One World Secondary School presented their large education project, which they had initiated after their visit to Germany in July. They were deeply impressed by the clean environment in Germany, teaching methods they experienced at the Gymnasium Lappersdorf, and the relationship between parents and children in host families, where plans were discussed on an equal footing. Their project was to explore the extent to which these elements could be incoporated into or adapted to daily life in their home country. The project covers environmental education (dealing with plastic waste), life skills and elements of a good school. All three areas were presented in Wolfsburg. The participants were particularly impressed by the remarks students made in regard to corporal punishment at school.

Following the presentations, the issue of sustainability was continued and illustrated with practical examples of food and chocolate, more specifically the preparation of lunches and the production of chocolate bars. We reflected on additional aspects of sustainability and their relevance to us in the interactive exhibition "Green Level".

After the excursion to the home stadium of the “Wölfe”, the students approached the problem of sustainability through artistic means in a theater and in a film workshop. They were very committed and received great applause at the presentation during the final ceremony. While the play dealt with problematic social phenomena such as alienation, aggression, inequality, stress, etc., which hinder sustainable development, the film crew offered items to trade in the streets and shops of Wolfsburg and recorded the public’s

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reactions, which were revealing in terms of what they said about our consumer-oriented society. The crowning end to the youth academy was our visit to Berlin.

We are particularly grateful to the state coordinator of the UNESCO project schools in Lower Saxony – in particular to Mr. Rickert, as well as Finn, Laura, Philipp and Valentin, the very dedicated "helpers" from the UPS Federal administration, and to the "Autostadt" Wolfsburg – for the exciting conference, which illicited many new ideas and will certainly produce further action.

German Dentists provide treatment at theOne World Secondary School

The young dentists Dr. Andreas Gründlinger and Julia Flessa, who studied at the University of Regensburg, and dentistry student Lena Sellner spent two weeks at One World School. They examined and treated our pupils, teachers and other employees with impressive professionalism and commitment, and free of charge. They also demonstrated how to brush and care for teeth and answered the students’ questions. We thank you very much for the valuable help.

A new Advanced Level

In this school year we initiated the Advanced Level – Form V. As the boarding school building for the high school students cannot be built until 2018, we could only admit 12

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pupils to the advanced level. The first step in this new phase of school development was the construction of a building for advanced level classes. Our high school students feel very comfortable in the building, which also includes a reference library. With a positive learning environment, it will effectively inspire and nurture their learning. I heartily thank the Mirja Sachs Foundation and PROBONO – School Partnerships for One World e.V. for their generous support of the construction work.

Staff Outing

On December 2, 2017, after the students had left for vacation, the teachers, along with all the other employees of One World School, went on their first staff outing. At six o'clock in the morning we left Kisangara and soon enjoyed our first stop near Arusha: Soup, the traditional Tanzanian breakfast, which consists of delicious, freshly made chicken soup with lots of meat and special mandazis (round pieces of fried dough). Afterwards we visited the Arusha National Park, and were impressed by its extraordinary scenic beauty. We saw several species of monkeys, giraffes, buffalos, zebras and thousands of flamingos. After a late lunch, we drove back to Kisangara and ended the day comfortably in the Kindoroko Lodge. The OWSK staff and all employees have grown into a great team, showing team spirit during the company excursion, when small deficiencies on our vehicle were repeatedly noted at police checks, and when we encountered excessivley high prices in restaurants and in the national park.

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Students seeking Sponsorship

The following children are currently seeking sponsorship. We have compiled some information and a picture of each student. Thanks to the teachers and leaders at the sites, sponsorships set up through Bonfaremo ensure that students receive course materials, uniforms, books and a better education. Please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a sponsor.

Godfrey Shindemba @Malage Age: 20 Education: Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Level 2

Samwel Nemes @Malage Age: 19 Education: Motor Vehicle Mechanics (MVM), Level 2

Anjella Rajabu @Malage Age: 21 Education: Electric Installations (EI), Level 1

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Samweli Thobias @Malage Age: 17 Education: Motor Vehicle Mechanics (MVM), Level 2

Elisafi Elifruaha @Malage Age: 15 Education: Motor Vehicle Mechanics (MVM), Level 2

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Challenges in the upcoming year

During the annual meeting last July, we set goals for the current financial year. We have already been able to work through some of these goals, while we would like to tackle the remaining goals in the second half of the year.

General Goals:

[OPEN] designing and application for government funding via Bengo / Stiftung Nord-Süd for PEMACA and MALAGE [OPEN] setting-up financial reserves of up to 6.000 EUR by the end of 2019 [OPEN] reworking the organisations goals (formulating an ethics statement to present to potential donors) [OPEN] increasing the teaching quality via training and teaching-infrastructure development at PEMACA [OPEN] making the financial year the same as the calendar year [IN PROGRESS] consolidation of sponsorship program [IN PROGRESS] establishing regular ‘sponsor letters’ [IN PROGRESS] re-initialisation of voluntary service [IN PROGRESS] placing of volunteers at PEMACA und MALAGE [IN PROGRESS] reaching 200 Members by the end of 2018. [IN PROGRESS] finding responsible person for the following areas:

§ [DONE] sponsorship program [Anil Ravindrakumar] § [DONE] volunteer Program [Anil Ravindrakumar u. Matthias

Sandberg] § [DONE] website Maintenance and Development incl. SEO-

Optimization [Francesco Biancani] § [OPEN] social media

[DONE] producing official documents, notifications and communication (e.g. the newsletter) in German and English. [DONE] revising of the Bonfaremo website

§ bonfaremo.org [DONE] Implementing professional accounting software, to achieve the following goals:

§ more convenient administration of membership, § automated payment procedures (for membership fees and sponsor

donations) and § more professional book keeping including monetary transactions.

[DONE] visit all projects during 2018 [DONE] adaption of EUs General Data Protection Regulation [DONE] implementation of an annual financial audit [DONE] implementation of a professional financial report

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Project specific Goals PEMACA:

§ [IN PROGRESS] establishing new sponsorships § [IN PROGRESS] resume volunteer program

The preliminary registration of the PEMACA Educational Centre as an educational

institution is limited to two years. During this time, the school will be checked several

times and all requirements for a permanent registration will be set. We would like to

assist the PEMACA Educational Centre in fulfilling these requirements:

§ [DONE] finishing class room for Class 6 § [IN PROGRESS] constructing class room for Class 7 § [OPEN] constructing a well to ensure better access to drinking water § [OPEN] constructing a water tank § [OPEN] constructing silos

infrastructure upkeep 173.500,00 KES 1.462,90 €

class room for Class 7 769.400,00 KES 6.487,35 € constructing a well 1.042.860,00 KES 8.793,08 € constructing a water tank 234.950,00 KES 1.981,02 € constructing silos 150.000,00 KES 1.264,75 € costs 2.370.710 KES 19.989,10 €

In order to complete the five fully planned projects, a sum of 2.370.710 KES is required. Using the current exchange rate of 118,60 KES/EUR, this equals 19.989,10 EUR.

We would like to assist Peter with the completion of the classroom construction for grade 7, and the construction of a well. To do this, we require 15.280,43 EUR in funds. We would therefore be very grateful for your support (please reference <PEMACA - 2018>).

Project-specific Goals MALAGE VTC:

§ [DONE] In cooperation with Gasiano, we want to move forward with the goal of ensuring financial independence of the Malage Vocational Training Centre. In this context, enabling successful land management is a significant milestone.

§ [DONE] expansion and refurbishment of sanitary facilities § [DONE] training of a teacher § [DONE] acquisition of a new water pump

We would like to assist Gasiano with the following challenges:

§ [OPEN] repair and maintenance work for the solar power system § [OPEN] scholarship for 5 students § [IN PROGRESS] continuation of the well construction at Mkizingo § [OPEN] renovation of workshop § [OPEN] constructing silos

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repair and maintenance work for the solar power system (115,000 TSH per Month á 6 months)

690.000 TSH 258,08€

scholarship for 5 students (970.000 TSH per student) 4.876.563,57 TSH 1.824.00 € continuation of the well construction at Mkizingo 10.939.543,73 TSH 4.091.76 € renovation of workshop 10.060.773,07 TSH 3.763.07 € constructing silos 1.970.000 TSH 736,85 € costs 27.846.880,37 TSH 10.415,69 €

In order to complete these projects, a sum of 27.846.880,37 TSH is required. Using the current exchange rate of 2673,55 TSH/EUR this equals 10.415,69 EUR.

We would like to assist Gasiano with the first three points to do this, we require 6.173,84 EUR in funds. We would therefore be very grateful for your support (please reference <Malage VTC - 2018>).

Project-specific Goals MSAFIRI:

• [IN PROGRESS] increase sponsorship to 14 sponsored children (currently: 12)

• [IN PROGRESS] improved reporting, in particular for children sponsored through

Bonfaremo

Project-specific Goals One World Secondary School

• [OPEN] consolidation of the cooperation between Msafiri and One World Secondary School

• [OPEN] implementation of routines in order to maintain the sponsorship for former Msafiri-students attending the One World Secondary School

____________________

We are in need of further support. We welcome every donation and fundraising activity. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

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FOR A BETTER TOMORROW