I received the following newsletter from Truus Veldkamp on behalf of the Friends of Makeni in Holland – very nice reading!<\/p>\n
Upon our return from Zambia, we are very happy and proud to announce you that the ITC project of Paul Jongeling is a complete success.\u00a0 Paul, together with his wife Vera and their son Geert have set up a complete computer lab.\u00a0 They worked together with two boys of the orphanage and with Andrew Mukuyamba.\u00a0 As a result: 20 computers full of educational material, tuned to the Zambian educational system are functioning well.\u00a0 From level preschool up to education of adults.\u00a0 The full Wikipedia and hundreds of e-books can be consulted and can be used as from now on.<\/p>\n
After only 10 days the whole system was working well.\u00a0 From now on from the computer classroom and also from the library lessons can be given using audiovisual means. Four beamers are working; two of them are mobile and thus can be used in the different classrooms.\u00a0 Six laptops and four desktops make it possible for the teachers to prepare their lessons from any place around.\u00a0 All sets are connected wireless with printers.<\/p>\n
Immediately training has been started for all teachers and members of the staff and also for 20 of the best students.\u00a0 Apart from all this the usual computer lessons as of grade 6 have been restarted.\u00a0 We do hope that this way Makeni can also attract more students paying for short courses.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Zulu who last year already used audio education said: I\u2019m afraid that I will get addicted to this way of teaching.\u00a0 It offers so much more possibilities.\u00a0 It\u2019s unbelievable!<\/p>\n
Makeni has a very big electricity problem going on during the raining season.\u00a0 All the buildings are earthen but apparently not efficiently enough.\u00a0 There is a constant leak of electricity and one feels it as soon as one is in contact with metal or water.\u00a0 This was already known but the problem had been accepted as something related to the season.\u00a0 Paul is an expert and has been working very hard to do something about it with good results but there was not enough time.\u00a0 Too many buildings are loosely spread over the compound to solve the problem completely in such a short time.\u00a0 They intended to try and send for somebody aware of solutions but we have our doubts about that.\u00a0 Our full hope rests with Huib van Zessen, an electricity super expert going to Makeni in the month of May.<\/p>\n
Another important issue of our visit was to take care of the fact that the pupils from grade 1 till grade 4 should get more hours of lessons.\u00a0 Till now, these children only got lessons during 3 hours while the other pupils are going to school a full day.\u00a0 After consulting the teachers Makeni started with the extension of hours and from now on and in the future all pupils from the kindergarten on till and included grade 12 go to school a complete day.<\/p>\n
Of course, these very young children cannot a whole day only learn and be quiet.\u00a0 Therefore we bought immediately play items and materials for drawing for different classes.\u00a0 We learned very quickly that in Zambia the offer for these items are very limited.<\/p>\n
Knowing that here in our country we have a lot of play material available for our own children,\u00a0 I herewith make an urgent call to everybody to collect play and lessons material in order to send it to MAKENI.\u00a0 Also our schools many times have a lot of items left over, things they do not use any more!<\/p>\n
In fact, over there, they can use everything.\u00a0 For the children playing with toys is a new phenomenon.\u00a0 They would be so happy and thankful.\u00a0 A container is on hold.\u00a0 When exactly it will leave is not known yet but in the meantime we would be very pleased if you could collect toys and other (lesson) material that we can send over.<\/p>\n
During our presence a lot of work was done concerning the roofing of the wash-place.\u00a0 A complete new roof for the kitchen was not necessary.\u00a0 The tabs not working any more in and outside have been replaced and so have the sinks.\u00a0 The boiler has been reconnected and is functioning!!!\u00a0 Now the stove can be used!<\/p>\n
After a month of holidays spending with their families the children returned to the center.\u00a0 For the first time the orphanage had been closed.\u00a0 The few children without a place to go went together with the auntie\u2019s.\u00a0 Every auntie is responsible for a defined group of children.\u00a0 This system should bring more specific care and attention for the children.<\/p>\n
We also noticed a remarkable improvement of the atmosphere in the orphanage.\u00a0 The children show they are better taken care of and they get better assistance.\u00a0 They make their homework together and for the small ones there are small books and toys. The auntie\u2019s must fill out evaluation forms and that gives more insight about what they are doing and what is going well or not.\u00a0 It is a big step for them but we hope that through this system the care for the children still will improve.<\/p>\n
There are three new girls.\u00a0 In the beginning they were a bit lost but very quickly they were accepted in the group and enjoyed all activities.<\/p>\n
Always, when you are at Makeni, you feel there is never a dull moment.\u00a0 We, the Friends of Makeni, are in the middle of an exciting process.\u00a0 We know that in the coming future important decisions concerning management policy will have to be made.\u00a0 When exactly, we don\u2019t know.\u00a0 We are waiting together with everybody how the future will evolve.<\/p>\n
During the staff meeting we noticed that from close by we have to follow the development in Zambia and consider in which way they can affect the development in the Makeni Center.\u00a0 Zambia is on the rise and Lusaka is showing that effect: a lot of building is going on and a lot of new companies are established there mainly managed by foreigners.<\/p>\n
As the number of pupils \/students is shrinking we are asking ourselves whether all activities offered by Makeni center are still needed.\u00a0 Everybody at the center is indicating one or other unit that according to them became obsolete.\u00a0 In the future choices will have to be made and this not only regarding services offered but also concerning the quantity of personnel.\u00a0 We are afraid that \u2013 regarding the financial issue – Makeni carries on too much with old practices.\u00a0 They should get out of those habits in order not to bring itself unnecessary in financial danger<\/p>\n
Thanks to the sponsoring by Friends and partners Makeni is offering a very good quality of education.\u00a0 Now it is up to the teachers and staff to make choices and efforts who give the Center a dignified place in the Zambia of today.<\/p>\n
The skill education still is not functioning, as it should.\u00a0 The teachers oppose strongly to the fact that they should teach young students and no longer adults due to a lack of interest.\u00a0 That means more work for them.<\/p>\n
We discussed with the staff that in the future we will take more care of the settler villages.\u00a0 They are very far away from the improvement we noticed in town.<\/p>\n
A request has been made for three students: Audry in second year of social studies, Elisabeth for three years nursing studies and Ester for three years of pharmacy studies.\u00a0 All three are from the orphanage.\u00a0 In April we will learn the results of their final exams.\u00a0 In June they hope that with the help of the Friends they will be able to carry on with their studies.\u00a0 Ester would like to make studies to become doctor but expenses are twice as high as pharmacy studies.\u00a0 Next year more children will make an application towards the Friends.\u00a0 Of course we go on supporting the other children through the school foundation at Makeni.<\/p>\n
As of today (February 29, 2012) we know that our Friends of Flanders, De Vlijtige Liesjes with Mieke Claus, gave their OK for Audry, Elisabeth and medical studies for Ester.\u00a0 These Friends will be sponsoring the 3 students for the full duration of their studies on condition that they succeed and pass their exams and Makeni has made a contract with them.\u00a0\u00a0 They also sponsor 5 other orphans for school expenses.<\/p>\n
During our visit we took also part in the official donation of the goats to Mwomboshi.\u00a0 Now all the villages have goats.\u00a0 The principle is that the young goats are distributed among those farmers who showed that they work hard and really participate in the community.<\/p>\n
We are very sorry that we must say good bye to Marja Stam and soon also to Jan Kars as members of the board.\u00a0\u00a0 Marja and Jan we thank both of you very much for five years of hard work for a good case.\u00a0 Keep well.\u00a0 In the meantime we are looking for reinforcement of our board.<\/p>\n
We will keep you informed through our website.\u00a0 There you can also find the photo\u2019s showing all new developments at Makeni.<\/p>\n
With our best regards,<\/p>\n
For the Board,<\/p>\n
Truus Veldkamp<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I received the following newsletter from Truus Veldkamp on behalf of the Friends of Makeni in Holland – very nice reading! Upon our return from Zambia, we are very happy and proud to announce you that the ITC project of … Continue reading