4/8/2021
Emanyata Secondary School (ESS) is a community-owned boarding school managed by PWC. Over the past three years, around 80% of students at ESS passed their exams, including many young ladies sponsored by PWC. Unfortunately, few were able to achieve the highest grades of Division 1 and 2. We plan on transforming this situation by completing a modern science laboratory and enhancing numeracy and literacy skills for students struggling academically through the Rapid Learning Approach (RLA).
Emanyata’s conducive school environment of a good teacher: pupil ratio, safe and well-nourished students and a school culture that motivates learners has been recognised in a recent Ministry of Education Quality Assurance report. Some areas to improve were also highlighted, such as providing teachers with more teaching aids and improving resources and teaching pedagogies to include more practical exercises across all subjects.
We are excited to report that, with the support of Oxfam Tanzania in March 2020 PWC broke ground and started construction of a much-needed modern science laboratory at ESS. Many of the 6,500 members of PWC plus community members, leaders and dignitaries came together at a “Harambee” on July 17th to promote equitable access to quality education and to raise local funds to support the completion of this 21st-century resource. The event attended by 500 members of the pastoralist community was marked with pomp and celebration with the women’s joyful songs ringing in the air while a heartfelt poem performed by female students at ESS, sharing the hardships they faced in trying to access a good education moved the crowd to tears.
Despite the recent financial strains induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, our community, dignitaries and education partners continue to raise awareness across the pastoralist society of a girl’s right to basic education. The call to come together was very well received by members of our community, with women standing out for their generous contributions of time money and resources. The willingness of the community to invest in their children’s education further motivated PWCs generous partners from across the world to join hands in this noble cause. Our women’s contributions also emphasized how women are becoming more proactive and the community is developing.
Donations to this transformational project are welcomed via our trusted US partner at https://www.omprakash.org/global/PWC/donate or by sending your donation directly to PWCs bank account. Watch for further updates as this initiative inspires girls and boys at Emanyata to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)-based careers and to innovate local solutions for their communities’ greatest challenges.