Potential Projects to benefit Mlimani Primary School:

Umeme - Electricity

This is being done now, and it’s a shame that the school didn’t have electricity during this century.

Telephone/communication

At this moment there is no phone at the school or its not working. I think now with the prepaid phone cards in Tanzania, we can try to add a phone line for the Head teacher. It has been very hard to get information. And I am sure it will be useful for her too. An office without a telephone can be such a pain.

Madawati/Benches

The head teacher told me that the school has shortage of 267 benches. I think we need to help with this as soon as possible. Definitely a priority project.

Vyoo / Toilets

This we can do now.  When the head teacher Pendo Kujerua wrote to me, she mentioned that the school has shortage of 62 toilets. It is a health hazard. I think this requires immediate attention.

Vitabu /Text books and Madaftari

This is such a simple project. We can get required textbooks for both teachers and pupils. We can add dictionaries for Std. VII pupils and some other good supplementary books from US. I think this should be also one the initial projects. Also some good materials for English learning for children starting Std. 3 to VIII.

Vifaa vya michezo/ Sports equipments

This is also simple. Few equipments and games to help stimulates pupils’ mind. I think it’s important to encourage outside activities.

Computers/Printers fro Teachers and Computer Lab for Students

I think 1 or 2 computers for teachers will be great to help them easy the burden of their day to day job. But Computer Lab for students is such a challenging project for the following reasons:

1.     Security – Majambazi Tanzania will not do us justice. Watabomoa na kuiba, which will discourage us alumni. So we have to think about this.2

2.     We will need to have Alumni Volunteer Program that will give alumni opportunity to go to Mlimani and give seminars to the kids and possibly teachers on how to use the computers. I will have for us to give computers and then they just sit there like decorations without being used.

3.     The room to put them. The school is already struggling to keep more than 2000 students in a below-average learning environment. If we ask for a room, it will means getting students out and put them in already crowded rooms. Not very encouraging. I think it is great long term project, but if not implemented correctly, it won’t have any impact to students and school.

Library

This is definitely a long term projects. My dream project. Any alumni architects who want to design a library for Mlimani PS? Seriously,……write to me if you are interested.

Cafeteria

Another long term project which has potential to improve learning environment for the kids. The kids won’t have to eat ‘chini ya miti’ anymore. We can do something simple, not necessary a grandee cafeteria. But something practical, huge room with spaces and benches for students to sit and eat.

Renovations

Read Marieke’s paper, if you want to know how bad the conditions at Mlimani PS…. It’s terrible. I think we should renovate some of the building before we do other things. This need to be on the priority projects.

Education Programs, Seminars  and Scholarship Funds

We can sponsor Seminars, Science fair, Academic competitions and scholarship funds as much as we can. I think this has such potential to change the lives of these young minds at Mlimani. Encourage pupils to do well in school, make them enjoy their learning experience and look forward to the future. Give them opportunities to challenge themselves. Also at the end of the year we can give the top 10 students nice incentives/presents and trophies to encourage better academic performance.