The biggest questions I've had have been about where I'm living and where I'll be volunteering. I know I felt a lot better when I saw pictures to answer these questions myself so here's a glimpse of what my life will be like for the next month.
1. Living- my home for the month of July:
Part of the program fee to volunteer for Cross Cultural Solutions goes towards making sure all volunteers are safe while at the home base. The sixteen other volunteers and I will be staying in this home base where bottled water is provided and essential mosquito nets to sleep under!
2. Volunteering- my volunteer placement:
I will be volunteering at Mwasama Primary School. Here is the detailed information provided to me by Cross Cultural Solutions. I am greatly looking forward to working with the faculty at Mwasama and helping to educate the children of Bagamoyo!
Mwasama Primary School
School: Teaching Children and Assisting Teachers
General Information
Mission and Needs of the Partner Program
The mission of this primary school is to prepare the children of the Bagamoyo region with basic knowledge and skills they will need to attend secondary school.
Because of the low economic standards of this town, the quality of education has fallen tremendously beyond limits. The owner of Mwasama Primary School is a teacher by profession and a parent; she felt a duty to join the government in the effort to eradicate ignorance (illiteracy) and thus reduce poverty. After a trial period of one and a half years, starting in 1998, she discovered that orphans and children from poor families are capable of schooling, but lack funds to help them beyond Secondary Education.
This is a private school. It is situated one kilometer outside the historical town of Bagamoyo. All subjects are taught in English (except Swahili) as this is an English medium school. There are 22 staff members, 10 of which are non-teaching staff, and 389 students. Out of 389 registered pupils, 17 are parentless children (street children or orphans whose parents died of HIV/AIDS).
Volunteer Activities/Duties
-Teach English, mathematics, reading, and writing
-Teach sports, games and songs, arts and crafts
-Help assess the development and progress of students (help create testing procedures)
-Organize projects and activities for the children
-Work with the teacher to develop primary school activities and materials that can be used for years to come(using creativity to create things with little supplies and modern equipment)
-Participate in cultural exchange with the children and teachers.
Mwasama is considered to be the best primary school in the area. My friend Amber volunteered there, and she absolutely loved it. The children are wonderful, and I know you are going to have an amazing time! Also, CCS also has two other houses where you may be staying. There is one right across the street and one around the corner called the summer house. That's where I stayed while I was there. You have to go to the main house for meals, but the walk is nice. I'm so excited for you, have so much fun!!
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