Magwero School for the Deaf

This post is what the fundraising for my young friend Ketty is all about. This is the school which holds our future hopes. Difference between an education, and zero prospects for a young deaf girl who is not understood by anyone in the community except her close relatives.

Magwero school is right on the Zambia – Malawi border, a sprawling collection of buildings at the end of 20 or 30 km of dirt road in a valley that looks suspiciously like Paradise. I mean in a country, a province, where the rains had failed and crops withered, this valley was green, lush, even had a lake!!

Alice asked me to go and check it out when we were having a boys day out in Chipata, the big town of the province, near the Malawi border. She’d already seen it and hoped that somehow she could find a sponsor to pay the fees. Although we just rolled up without any appointment (well…this is Africa), I had a long talk with Nora, the principal and she accepted Ketty on the basis of the hospital records confirming her total deafness.

People from western schools would think the amenities very basic. But things here are different, the kids here want to learn! They know that without education they’re sunk. And most of them are used to sleeping on a mat on the ground and eating basic nutritious food. I love the life here in Zambia, prefer it to Europe (though my old bones would have a problem sleeping on the ground, I’m used to a mattress).

So Ketty will board during term time, but she’ll only be seven by the time she starts and that’s young. So I want to raise enough to pay for at least two trips during each term for Alice to go and visit. Sounds like they do lots of activity stuff though, as well as learning ASL (American sign language), English, and a comprehensive education like children with hearing.

COSTS

These are the current costs. They may go up in  January 2017 when Ketty starts. Which may not affect us. Why? Because the Zambian economy is in a bad way and the Kwacha falls against most other currencies. The fees are set at a meeting between the Principal, and the parents later this year. I’m in regular contact with Nora, vice-Principal, currently acting Principal.

£160                  Tuition fees, accommodation and food (! no there’s no mistake here.)

£55                   ‘Groceries’ – means stuff like toiletries and extras (my estimate)

£370                 Travel has to be taxi, there are no buses as it’s way out in the bush past Chipata. So There and back each of the three terms is 6 x £31. Then Alice has to be able to visit at least twice a term, so another 6 trips. The driver is a friend, so he will keep the price as good as he can for us.

Grand total  = £585 per year

So 12 years = £7020   that’s what we’re aiming for.

If you’d like to donate to help me with fees, please go to the donate page from the menu. Thanks.