School of St. Jude

I am working with a school in Moshono, Tanzania (a small village just outside of Arusha, which is in the heart of north central Tanzania, safari country). The school has approximately 750 children, ranging from grades Pre-Kinder through 6. It was created and is run by a wonderful young Australian woman, Gemma Sisia, and staffed by about 45 dedicated teachers (mostly African, with various western teachers scattered in the mix from year to year).

The mission of the school is very simple - Fighting Poverty Through Education. And the goal is very focused: to take the most needy pupils in the country, educate them well, build in them a sense of commitment to their communuty, and in doing so, ensure that the most important natural resource of Tanzania, its people, stay in the community and build a better future for the country. An amazing commitment on the part of the school, and an amazing vision for the future.

I find myself lucky enough to be able to support this in some small way by spending a month with the teachers and administrators at the school, helping them better understand what effective teaching practices look like, and how to implement and support those practices over time. We are working on making sure the children receive a first-class, western-style education.

For more information about the school, visit www.schoolofstjude.co.tz and take a look at both their photo gallery and their sponsorship pages. All children in the school have a sponsor who funds all fees, materials, books, food, and uniforms. They can use all the help they can get.

More later about what it is like during my first few days at the school.