In 2003 Chiwawatala School only had 4 teachers teaching 600 pupils in 7 grades. Classes had to be held on a rotational basis. In 2006, with Sausage Tree’s help the ratio was reduced to 1 teacher per 38 pupils. However over the last 2 years the school has grown significantly and is now teaching pupils in grades 8 and 9. There are currently 752 pupils being taught by 16 teachers, a ratio of 50 pupils to 1 teacher.
We visited the school in July 2011, and saw Mr. Charles Zulu, the head teacher, who is instrumental in this school project. Continuity is crucial and we have known him now for 9 years. He is a great man who now oversees all of the head teachers in the area which is great for Sausage Tree as it means the government are far less likely to move him which they usually do every few years. They also now have electricity, a library and a water tank. The World Food Organisation have provided them with special cookers which use less wood and every day they provide a meal of beans and maze meal for all the pupils. They still need more teachers houses and have to juggle classrooms as there aren’t enough for each year group but it is fantastic to see a well resourced school (by African standards) that is running efficiently.
Mr Zulu keeps strict records of all material donations given to Chiwawatala and to where all the items are issued. He is very happy to show people around his school and is proud of it. It is refreshing to listen to Mr. Zulu speaking about his school with passion and being so positive about the future. We hope to help him achieve his aims for his school.
The school has recently rebuilt the vegetable garden and with the help of Conservation Science Africa (CSA) the children are going to learn about sustainable and environmentally friendly ways of growing vegetables. The CSA also has a couple of their own plots on the school campus and the produce is sold to Mfuwe Lodge; a percentage of the profit is then given to the school. The lady who works for them, Lisa, now works for our team out there too which is a fantastic link up. She is making sure that the trees from the tree planting scheme are growing well and is planning on initiating this scheme again soon.
Work that we have helped fund includes:
- Building a grain store so that the children can now be given meals provided by the World Food Organisation.
- One double classroom re-roofed, made secure for the rains. New beams, struts and iron sheeting replaced.
- New pit latrines built.
- Classrooms whitewashed (needs to be done regularly).
- New doors put on all classrooms to make them secure.
- The building and stocking of a fish pond.
- In September 2006 the government decided that it would send four teachers to the school. However, with no accommodation the teachers would ask to be relocated. Sausage Tree built one house which was then handed over to the government to house one of its teachers.
- Funding the school’s vegetable garden and tree plantation.
- Tree planting scheme.
- Providing stationary, educational resources and books.
- In 2008 Sausage Tree supplied £3,200 worth of new test books.
Future Projects
- Building new teachers houses. There are currently only 10 teacher’s houses although there are 16 teachers at the school. The 6 teachers without a school house either share or rent in the village.
- Sponsorship of more children and students.
- More reading and writing resources.
- Providing sports equipment.
