The students at l'Ecole Buhumba are excited for 2016!
We are finalizing plans are raising funds to complete construction of the primary school in Buhumba Village this summer! We have obtained detailed plans, a final budget, and the construction schedule from our contractor. As with the construction of the stone foundation for the school last year, we plan to hire local workers and source local supplies, while bringing additional supplies by boat from Goma. Weather permitting, the construction should take about 3-4 months.
If we can raise $15,000 in the next three months, we will be able to complete construction of the new classrooms for the school before the fall term begins in September. If we can raise $35,000, we can complete the entire compound, including the administrative building and latrines. We can only finish the school if we raise the additional funds that are needed for construction. We will be launching a new fundraising campaign in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, we are busy improving our ongoing programs at the school, including the Bustani sustainable garden project. We are consulting with medical professionals to design a public health program for the school, which we anticipate launching later this year.
As always, these programs are only possible through the generous contributions of our supporters. We greatly appreciate the support from hundreds of individual donors, along with foundations and corporations that have supported our programs.
Thank you for all that you have done to help the students at l'Ecole Buhumba!
We brought a doctor to Idjwi to meet the kids! This was a really big deal, because most of the kids in Buhumba Village have never seen a doctor, and their health is generally poor. Many kids have repeated cases of malaria, intestinal worms or other conditions that make them feel sick. Sick kids can't get to school, but more often can't perform well because they don't realize that they are sick. As we are trying to improve all aspects of their education, I was delighted that we could bring Dr. Sparrow as a special addition to our summer camp trip in August, and she was welcomed warmly by the kids and the whole community.
Dr. Annie Sparrow is an extraordinary lady who is also a pediatrician and global health specialist who has treated children in Somalia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and many other countries. She came to Buhumba to see the kids and to evaluate their general health. Dr. Sparrow performed some basic tests to identify cases of neglected tropical diseases. She brought some medicines that could help kids right away, such as treatment to remove intestinal worms. She came mostly to observe, and left with an intense desire to make a difference, to come back herself, and to help us to create a more permanent program to improve their future.
The Fund is currently working with Dr. Sparrow and other public health professionals to design and implement a program to provide much-needed primary and preventive health care for the children of Buhumba Village. Dr. Sparrow's initial visit was a very important first step.
We appreciate your continued support that allows us to provide this type of program for the kids on Idjwi. We will be excited to keep all of our friends and supporters updated about our efforts to improve their overall well being .
In August, we traveled to Idjwi Island armed with art supplies, colorful t-shirts, and special snacks and hosted more than 100 students to our first ever "Colonie de Vacances" (summer camp) at EP Buhumba (our primary school). We were greeted with a fantastic welcome ceremony from the entire community. Together with the school teachers, our group from the US and Goma led the students in art projects and other fun activities.
The projects were simple, but meant so much to these kids who have never known even a small piece of paper that wasn't for a strict purpose! The children were at first confused, and then delighted, and the experience for all was truly amazing. We brought a full array of art supplies, some building toys and sports equipment (soccer balls and team t-shirts) for the camp, which we left for the kids to keep throughout the school year.
EP Buhumba's director and the teachers were busy getting ready for the new school term starting in September, but they all joined in the camp project fun. We had a fantastic time playing soccer and creating crafts. Students and teachers together made a large banner to hang in the school.
The teachers were grateful for the Fund's ongoing support that we are providing to the school, including the retention bonuses they received. We are expecting more than 350 primary school students at the school this year, and are working on some exciting plans to further expand programs at our school.
It is summer time on Idjwi Island! Last week, more than 350 students completed the school year at the Buhumba Primary School. The Idjwi Island Education Fund is recognizing the top students with scholarship funds to use for tuition or supplies during the next school year. We are also recognizing the teachers with a year-end bonus. Although the school year may be over, our programs will continue through the summer.
The Bustani Sustainable Garden Project continues to be a great success. Under the tutelage of a trained agronomist, the students raised and sold crops of onions, carrots, cabbage and beans at a local market. The funds that they generated are being used to purchase notebooks and pens for the students. Our agronomist will continue to work with the students through the summer.
Next month, the Idjwi Island Education Fund will be hosting its first-ever "colonie de vacances" summer camp for the children in Buhumba Village. During the day camp, the students will enjoy art projects, gardening instruction, and sports. The camp will be led by our board member, Safi Ayamunongo, a teacher in Washington, D.C.
Friends and Supporters -
We are pleased to share a copy of the Idjwi Island Education Funds' 2014 Annual Report. Our highlights for 2014 include:
We appreciate the contributions we received through volunteer efforts and donations during 2014. We look forward to more exciting developments during 2015.
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