Thursday, November 11, 2004
She is a pretty thing, my new chicken is. Golden brown feathers with a little black trim for interest. She is friendly and calm, and doesn’t seem to mind being held.
Of course there is a story behind this.
Last week my friend Paul came by with a friend of his to explain why the friend, Samwel, needs and deserves a loan of $300 so he can continue his education. It was a convincing presentation, and I agreed to contact some of my family to see if they might be willing to respond to this request.
This is the first time I have agreed to seek help on behalf of a student. I am asked for such help continually, but usually from students who haven’t a clue about what they want to do with their education, or why would be an advantage for them to study in the US. I’ve gotten real good at simply saying I can’t help them.
But for Samwel, the appeal sounds like this:
First, let me present some background about the school system here. Primary school, of 7 years duration, is taught in Kiswahili. Secondary school, 6 years, is taught in English. Because of the difficulty many families have in paying fees lots of students drop out for a year or three, and so there is a surprising age range in all the secondary school classes. There are National Examinations in the 2nd and 4th year of secondary school, and of course again for graduation. These are a big deal – only 25 percent of the 4th year students advance further in government schools.
Students who do not continue in government schools still have the option of going to private schools, but they are much more expensive and are considered inferior because the better students all prefer the more economical government schools.
Next year Tanzania wants to increase the percentage of students in primary school. To do this they are building a lot of new schools, and lowering the requirements for teaching certification to attract new teachers. Next year anyone who has completed the 4th year and taken a one-year course in a Teaching College has satisfied the new requirements.
Now, about Samwel Mnanka. Samwel is 32, has a wife and 4 kids and lives in a small mud house that he built near the school. He completed four years of secondary school at Nsumba last year. However he was not accepted in a government school and this year he has been working as the school night watchman, earning $53/month. He now wants to take advantage of the new requirements and qualify to teach at a primary school.
Samwel has been accepted to a private college in the Tanga Region over near the coast, at a cost of $390 payable up front. He believes he can raise $90 from family and friends. With Paul’s assistance, he was hoping I could help him find someone to loan him $300. The government will continue his $53/month as a stipend while he is a full time student. He intends to send his family back to their village where they can survive on $13/month, allowing him to repay the loan at $40/month. In a rural village his family will raise their own food and maybe even sell a little excess, like many folks do here.
Samwel speaks English as well as I speak Kiswahili, which frankly does not speak well for either of us. But I respect Paul’s endorsement, and other teachers have confirmed that Samwel would make good use of this opportunity. In addition, I am very impressed that he is requesting a loan and not a gift, and that his family will be sacrificing with him to achieve his educational goal.
I went to his home this evening to take some photos of Samwel and his family in front of their home. They gave me the chicken to thank me for my effort. Paul gave me a bag of corn meal to feed her, and instructions on what to do with a chicken.
I think I will name her Gertrude.
Of course there is a story behind this.
Last week my friend Paul came by with a friend of his to explain why the friend, Samwel, needs and deserves a loan of $300 so he can continue his education. It was a convincing presentation, and I agreed to contact some of my family to see if they might be willing to respond to this request.
This is the first time I have agreed to seek help on behalf of a student. I am asked for such help continually, but usually from students who haven’t a clue about what they want to do with their education, or why would be an advantage for them to study in the US. I’ve gotten real good at simply saying I can’t help them.
But for Samwel, the appeal sounds like this:
First, let me present some background about the school system here. Primary school, of 7 years duration, is taught in Kiswahili. Secondary school, 6 years, is taught in English. Because of the difficulty many families have in paying fees lots of students drop out for a year or three, and so there is a surprising age range in all the secondary school classes. There are National Examinations in the 2nd and 4th year of secondary school, and of course again for graduation. These are a big deal – only 25 percent of the 4th year students advance further in government schools.
Students who do not continue in government schools still have the option of going to private schools, but they are much more expensive and are considered inferior because the better students all prefer the more economical government schools.
Next year Tanzania wants to increase the percentage of students in primary school. To do this they are building a lot of new schools, and lowering the requirements for teaching certification to attract new teachers. Next year anyone who has completed the 4th year and taken a one-year course in a Teaching College has satisfied the new requirements.
Now, about Samwel Mnanka. Samwel is 32, has a wife and 4 kids and lives in a small mud house that he built near the school. He completed four years of secondary school at Nsumba last year. However he was not accepted in a government school and this year he has been working as the school night watchman, earning $53/month. He now wants to take advantage of the new requirements and qualify to teach at a primary school.
Samwel has been accepted to a private college in the Tanga Region over near the coast, at a cost of $390 payable up front. He believes he can raise $90 from family and friends. With Paul’s assistance, he was hoping I could help him find someone to loan him $300. The government will continue his $53/month as a stipend while he is a full time student. He intends to send his family back to their village where they can survive on $13/month, allowing him to repay the loan at $40/month. In a rural village his family will raise their own food and maybe even sell a little excess, like many folks do here.
Samwel speaks English as well as I speak Kiswahili, which frankly does not speak well for either of us. But I respect Paul’s endorsement, and other teachers have confirmed that Samwel would make good use of this opportunity. In addition, I am very impressed that he is requesting a loan and not a gift, and that his family will be sacrificing with him to achieve his educational goal.
I went to his home this evening to take some photos of Samwel and his family in front of their home. They gave me the chicken to thank me for my effort. Paul gave me a bag of corn meal to feed her, and instructions on what to do with a chicken.
I think I will name her Gertrude.
