Educate 20 Vulnerable Tanzanian Children

Greetings from the foothills of Mt. Meru!

As I write this, the students and staff of Ikirwa School are finishing up their first month of school. Our student body is 120 strong and among those students are 20 children who are attending Ikirwa School for the 2^nd year thanks to the support of our donor community. So far we have raised enough funds to cover their education through the end of the first semester. 

We could not be more proud of this outstanding group of students. In the course of last year, their hard work led them to excel as students and peers. Five of our scholars received special recognition for their academic achievements. 

Meanwhile, the families of our scholarship students have formed a group, which took over a number of mantenance tasks around campus. From delivering firewood to tending the school vegetable garden, deep cleaning the classrooms and putting on a fresh coat of paint, their contributions free up resources, which we can direct towards our most important task - education. We are very lucky to have the benefit of an involved community of parents and neighbours, who are genuinly dedicated to the success of our school. 

My last visit to Ikirwa coincided with the end of the term. While teachers were busy finalizing grade reports, I took the opportunity to speak with the students about the importance of being thankful and expressing our gratitude through words and actions. As their final project, every student made a card for someone they wanted to thank. It was very moving to see the kids write to their parents, teachers and friends. Unprompted, all 20 of our scholarship students, even the youngest ones, chose to thank the donors who have made their education possible. They were greatful for the gift of education, opportunity and a brighter future which the scholarships afford them. And they were thankful for having a group of people from all walks of life and every corner of the globe who care about the future of a young child in the foothills of Mt. Meru - a sentiment every Ikirwa School teacher, staff memeber and volunteer joins in. We are all greatful for you!