Join a Working Team at the school in August!

In August a working team will be travelling from Australia to help the school build furniture for the new boarding school and the secondary campus at Usa River.

The team leaves Australia on 18th August and will fly back on 11th September. They will be spending around two weeks working at the school, going on a safari for 5 days and heading to Zanzibar for a few days rest.

The team still has a few spaces, so if you would like to be part of a really enriching and rewarding experience, now is your chance. You can look here to see what previous working teams have achieved at the School.

Gemma with some St Jude's students

Don't worry, you don't need to be a carpenter or even a Rotarian to join - just hardworking, willing and enthusiastic!

To find out more, contact Kelli Williams on kelliraew@gmail.com

What a GREAT way to find out more about a new country and new culture! You can get a local perspective on the School of St Jude by checking out Anthea's blog. She was born in Africa and lives outside Arusha with her farmer-husband and three teenagers. She says:

Ask any child in the West what they want and they’ll be hard pressed to decide between latest iPod or designer trainers. Ask an African child and they’ll tell you that more than anything in the whole wide world – they want to go to school.

In one of the poorest countries of the world, Tanzania, this is only possible through the help of people like you. Make it happen!

Change and more change

The School of St Jude has 150 staff, including teachers, office workers, cooks, cleaners, drivers, builders and others. They are a rich mix of locals and international volunteers.

The mix of staff is constantly changing due to the rapid growth of taking on extra classes each year, and because the international volunteers are usually on one or two-year assignments. At the end of each year, there are the sad goodbyes as some internationals complete their assignment and head home – changed forever by their experience at the School of St Jude.

In 2006 Suzanne revolutionised the Art Department, and the volunteers kitchen!

They quickly come to love the kids for their enthusiasm and wish to learn. And they have all the rewards and satisfaction of contributing their skills in infamiliar conditions and rising to the challenges.

Alicia has the biggest heart and a cheerful willingness to do any job asked of her

Kim says,

The hardest part of the end of each year – saying good bye to the friends who have been such a part of our lives for a year or so. We share the joys of the job and the frustrations; we share our meals and washing up; we yell about noise and empty vegemite jars … and we make up; we complain together about the weather … or someone snoring; we share our jokes and smokes and diarrhea mixture; we rely on each other for chats about home and we are there for each other when bad news hits; and we make each other laugh … or at least, smile even if it is because of our variety of accents, vocabulary, and pronunciations … we are the ‘vollies’. And for that reason we come and go – taking a lot with us, leaving a bit behind … including promises to return ...

Emily, Head of Music Department and ceaseless advocate for the medical care of Alfani when he broke his leg.

Everyone at the School of St Jude is growing and developing as they face new challenges. Local teachers are striving to implement new curricula and apply newly-learnt skills, while the volunteers are striving to be effective in a challenging new environment. When the staff have the support and resources to take on new challenges, you know the kids are getting the best education possible.

Maria Kieran, Recruitment Co-Ordinator 2006, says:

Many people come to Africa to make their mark. The School of St Jude is making a massive impact in the lives of so many children. By giving them good education, and through respecting the African culture and beliefs, the school is giving these children the ability and skills to change their lives for themselves. I’d rather be a tiny part of something major than a big part of nothing.

Each year, the School faces the challenge of welcoming new staff, supporting them as they settle in, utilising their talents, and then farewelling them as they head off into the world as permanent members of the worldwide family of school supporters.

If you have visited the School, volunteered there, or know someone who has, you can use the 'comment' link below this post to share your story.



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End of school year

The 2006 school year is nearly over in Tanzania as well as in Australia. The School of St Jude has had its final assembly before the summer holidays.

Final assembly for 2006

With nine teachers and office staff leaving at the end of the year, Friday's assembly was big and emotional with some tears shed by both staff and students. Many of the classes did farewell songs and dances for the teachers and those who were leaving made speeches about how the school has changed them.

At any point in time there can be around 24 volunteers working at the school. These fantastic people help to keep the school running.

As well as teaching classes and running the office, volunteers help the local teachers to expand their teaching skills beyond the basic ‘chalk and talk’ methods that are the focus of teacher education in Tanzania.

Mandy uses a board game for revision

Here is a revision game that Mandy has demonstrated to the teaching staff.
Mandy came to the school for a quick visit in 2005 and used her great teaching tools with the classes. This was so successful that Gemma encouraged her to return this year for three months to continue her lessons. She has shown the Tanzanian teachers some ways that the children can have organised fun in the classroom while learning.

The game is used at the end of a lesson for revsion. When a student’s counter falls on a number with a gold star, he or she has to answer a question correctly before advancing on the board. The kids love it; they are learning in a fun atmosphere and the teacher has a happy, focussed class - it’s winners all round!

Mr Andrew uses the Snakes and Ladders board game

Mr Andrew has the ‘Snakes and Ladders’ version – if you don’t want to slide backwards down the snake or you want to take an advantage by climbing the ladder, get the question right!

With so many volunteers at the school, there is a high level of staff turnover. This would be regarded as a problem in an Australian school, but in Tanzania the benefits far outweigh the work of managing the turnover.

Rotary Clubs make the difference!

Rotary Clubs have given huge support to the School of St Jude from the very beginning. This support comes in all sorts of ways.

• Donations – Rotary Clubs in several countries have supported a variety of fund-raising activities.
  
• Administration – Rotarians set up the East Africa Fund which allows contributions by Australians to be tax-free. That means that the Australian government is subsidising the school in a major way!
  
• Shipping – container loads of goods are shipped from Brisbane thanks to the work and money donated by local Rotary clubs.
  
• Physical work – the very first building work on the school site was done by a team of Rotary volunteers. Each year several groups of Rotary volunteers visit the school to contribute their labour and go on safari in the magnificent National Parks nearby.

Rotary visitors on safari

Gemma reports on ‘Operation Desks and Chairs’ for 17 Rotarians in September this year.

Measure twice, cut once!

We just pointed them in the direction of a wood pile, thrust tools into their hands and they churned out the components of 200 desks and chairs for the sponsored students who will start school next year.

Considering they had to deal with the glitches of third world living, such as intermittent electricity, it was a massive effort and they really worked hard to earn their 6-day safari.

Smiling satisfaction in a job well done!

And this is what will be made from the cut timber. Of course all the piece will fit together.

The great thing about a successful project like the School of St Jude is that people tell each other about it. Word spreads and support grows. And a few thousand children get a great education.