Working Out the Details

Zach and I spent much of yesterday ironing out the details for the Scholarship Program and brainstorming ideas for the future of the training camp. Neema and Faudhia take their primary school final exams today and by next week, Mama Gwandu will travel to Singida to pick them up. Rather than moving them straight to the training camp in Mbulu, they will stay with Mama Gwandu in Arusha for a few weeks as they are eased into a training schedule and to help with the tough transition of being away from home. But by the first week of October they will be in Mbulu with the rest of the girls. Rather than staying in the same room with the other 10 girls, Zach has rented out a seperate room for them so that they will be able to focus on their studies. Right now, the room is just a 12'x12' cement room with a nice big window and overhead light, but with no furniture, it's not yet suitable to be lived in. And so, with some of the leftover funds that we donated back in June (A big thanks to Susan Vitulli of CPNS!!), I have placed an order with a local carpenter for a bed, table and desk, and two chairs. Today I'm going to pick out a mattress and bedsheets, and maybe a few extra things to spruce up the room a bit.

Yesterday, Zach and I also met with the headmaster at Chief Sarwatt Secondary School to inform him of the girls' enrollment at the start of the new school year in January, explain the program, and to introduce ourselves. Mr Ayo was very enthusiastic about our plans and supportive of our lofty ambition. Sitting in his office, berating him with questions and expressing my concerns, I felt like a parent interviewing potential schools for my child's enrollment. It's so exciting to see all of this coming together. What started out as just an idea, a mere suggestion just two months ago, is coming to life and the future of two young girls from poor, rural villages is about to change dramatically!