The beginning
Mulemi Community School is situated on the mainland opposite Bovu Island and serves a group of 6 villages spanning a distance of about 6km.
The origins of the school are in a large
mud hut which was the local church. A kind elder started to teach small
children the basics of how to write the alphabet and numbers, using a piece of
charcoal to scribe on the wall, the children sitting in a half circle around him,
copying [him] by scratching in the sand floor.
A few of our guests whilst on their village tour witnessed this and asked if they could contribute some money to buy a blackboard, chalk, pencils and writing books. Soon the community approached Jungle Junction, asking if there was any way we might be able to construct a building that could serve as a school. That was ’way back in 2007.
Guests visiting the Bovu Island began leaving contributions for the construction of a classroom building and slowly we were able to build 2 classrooms and a teacher’s office. The construction of the building is in line with the National Government through the Ministry of Education’s technical building plans. This is so that, one day in the future, we can hand over the buildings to the Ministry to run the school as a Government educational provision.
We have been very fortunate in the past to receive great contribution from volunteers from various British schools, through Outlook Expeditions, who have help to mould the many thousands of cement blocks on site, which are used in the foundations and walls of the construction process.
To date, we now have a total of 184
pupils at the school from grade 1 through to grade 7, and a preschool
class.
The teachers
We sourced three teachers from the local community who had the correct credits from their high school examination results and then paid for them to go to a private teacher-training college to complete a two-year course, after which they qualified as primary school teachers. Since then, one more teacher has joined us.
School fees collected from the parents of the pupils attending our school go towards the teachers’ salaries. However, many of the parents are unable to pay the fees due to the extreme poverty in our rural area where there is no employment and people rely on subsistence fishing and farming for survival. Often drought means no crops at all, some households only managing 1 meal a day. Guests visiting Bovu Island often leave their small change in the teachers’ salary box and a few guests contribute through larger donations. Once we have completed the current phase of building teachers’ housing, the Zambian Government will take over the running of Mulemi School and pay the teachers’ salaries.
The future
Our current phase is to complete the large three-classroom and two-office block. The basic structure up to roof height is in place and we remain with the tasks of putting on the roof, plastering the walls and floors, completing doors and windows. After this, the Ministry of Education will supply the desks.
The last, but most important, stage will be the construction of teachers’ houses, each of which will have two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and toilet & bathroom houses.
The cost of building in Zambia is extremely expensive, because we must construct the buildings to the Government’s high standards, which were established by European Union planners. In addition, our rural location, with the nearest building supplies an hour’s drive away on bush roads, increases the transport costs. Therefore, we are always keen to receive financial help from donors, and from previous and future guests, towards the construction costs of the school.
Funding
Over the past 13 years, we have gratefully received various donations towards the school project. Almost all have come from previous guests that have visited Jungle Junction.
Others have come from various schools around the world that have fundraised through their students. The first classroom block cost approximately U$ 35,000 to construct, that was for the materials and the building contractor’s fees. The new, larger, 3 classroom block has cost approximately U$ 55,000 to get it up to roof level. And an anticipated U$ 7,000 is required to finish it. After that we expect the cost of building the teachers houses to be around U$ 25,000 each and we are aiming at building two of those to start with, that then allowing the Zambian Government to take over the running of the school and most importantly paying the teachers monthly salaries.
Donations
Inquiries about supporting the Mulemi School Project can be made to the Overseas Coordinator. She will advise you on our most urgent needs and how to make donations.
Contact the coordinator: Evelyn Roe mulemi.school@gmail.com
- Use PayPal
Go to http://www.paypal.com and send funds to mulemi.school@gmail.com
2. Send an International bank transfer to our Zambian account. This method works well for larger sums which make it worth paying the fee (which is usually about £25). Ask Evelyn for details: write to mulemi.school@gmail.com
3. Donate through The Kalahari People’s Fund in the USA
The Kalahari Peoples Fund (KPF) in the USA can accept payments on our behalf and issue tax receipts. You can donate in two ways:
(a) Use PayPal on the KPF website, www.kalaharipeoples.org
(b) Send a US bank check made out to ‘The Kalahari Peoples Fund’ and post it to: Kalahari Peoples Fund, PO Box 7855, University Station, Austin, Texas 78713-7855, USA.
When donating through KPF, it is essential that you send an email or accompanying letter to inform them that your donation is for Mulemi Community School in Zambia. Write to information@kalaharipeoples.org with your name and address, amount and date sent, or include a letter with your check. KPF will then send you a tax receipt.