While Lynn was attending Rotary meetings in Moshi, I went with Joseph to two more of the schools our children attend: Kyalla P.S. and Makomo P.S. On the way there we dropped in on a Catholic priest who had written a letter to us asking for help in the form of soccer balls for a youth group he runs for boys who have finished primary school and cannot afford to attend secondary school. He told me that the boys help out at home during the day and in the evening have nothing to do, so he wants the balls so that they can play football.
When we arrived at the two schools which are joined together, I was shocked to see their condition. I saw classrooms with deep holes of broken cement in the floors, flaking and very dirty plaster walls, doors falling off hinges, damaged blackboards and broken desks. The disrepair is not vandalism…just age and lack of maintenance. Each school has over 300 students. So at these schools I sat down with the Head Teachers and told them about ABCD: Art Building Children’s Dreams. The two students I was there to see and pay for were present: Robati and Lusia. I paid for Robati’s lunch for the year in the amount of 15000 shillings (about 15 dollars) and for Lusia’s an additional 10000 shillings because she is in Grade 7 and has to pay for what they call exam lunch. Photos were taken at the children’s desks and their friends were very excited. The children were very happy to hear that we will be visiting them at their homes tomorrow.