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Njonjo Primary School, April 2010
Last summer Inspire Malawi was invited by
Mr Chitekwe, Headmaster at Njonjo Primary School, to visit Njonjo Village and
view the facilities at his school. Njonjo is in a particularly remote village
along the Masasa road, up in the rolling hills of Lizulu Zone. Despite it
picturesque location Njonjo is a very isolated village without electricity or
running water. The School has eight classrooms and all were in a severe state
of disrepair. Njonjo Primary School was also lacking adequate teaching and
learning resources together with any equipment for sport.
Upon seeing the terrible conditions at
Njonjo Primary School it was earmarked for development and, in October 2009,
the community was mobilised. Bricks were moulded and river sand was collected
ready for building work to begin later that year. Moses Chautsi, our project
manager, hired local builders and carpenters and started working on the school
at the height of the rainy season! By March 2010 most of the floors had been
replaced and the crumbling plaster on the walls repaired. Damaged windows and
doors were replaced and a much needed disabled ramp installed. All that
remained now was to bring the walls to life with colours, shapes and teaching
tools.
In April this year a team of 19 volunteers
flew to Malawi; seven were training teachers in Dedza and the remaining twelve
spent four long days working to paint and redecorate Njonjo’s classrooms. The
first job was to lime wash all of the walls a brilliant white. Wearing goggles,
gloves and a face mask whilst painting for hours in the heat of Africa is no
easy task! The team worked tirelessly too get the job done with a little help
from some local children and the School committee. By the time we were ready to
decorate more volunteers from the community had arrived, ready and willing,
including some of the Parent’s Association. Working together with the community
to transform their school we decorated 6 classrooms in only 4 days. Each and
every room filled with colour and life, from top to bottom. The Teachers from
Njonjo directed the work and chose the images/diagrams that would be most
useful to have up on the walls. Of course, painting is a far more enjoyable
task when listening to music and it was wonderful when some of the local
children entertained us with their wonderful singing! It was also hugely
motivating to see the look on their little faces peering through the windows,
trying to catch a glimpse of their new classrooms. When all of the rooms were
finished, the floors swept and the doors hung we installed 50 new desks made
for us by a local carpenter.
On Friday 16th April we
officially opened the new classrooms at a wonderful hand-over ceremony out in
the sunshine on the school field. We were delighted to see village chiefs,
elders and even a Traditional Autority representative, TA Masasa at the
ceremony. Sr Elizabeth, Principal at St Joseph’s Teacher Training College in
Bembeke was also in attendance together with other local Head teachers,
teachers, pupils and members of the community. The celebrations kicked off with
traditional singing and poetry from Njonjo’s pupils, which was followed by
speeches and words of thanks from across the community. The highlight for us at
the ceremony was a very heartfelt speech from the TA Masasa and the most
spectacular Ngoni war dance performed by men of the village.
We presented our gifts of sports equipment,
books, pens and pencils to a roar of cheering from the children. Laughter and
smiles filled the faces of all those around us as we toured the newly decorated
rooms which was such a rewarding and heart warming experience. Later that day
we were treated to the most beautiful service at Mlanda CCAP Church with the
ladies choir singing for us and presenting us with two live chickens as a thank
you gift!
In a bid to inspire and motivate the
community to look after their new classrooms, two of the eight rooms at Njonjo
were left in their poor condition. It is our hope that, should they be
correctly looked after and cared for, we will return to Njonjo in the very near
future to repair and redecorate the remaining rooms.
The project was a huge success and will
benefit hundreds of children for many years to come. Njonjo is now a safe and
inspiring learning environment and we have no doubt that with developments we
have been able to make, hand in hand with the community, the quality of
education there can only improve. Congratulations and THANK YOU to all the
volunteers who worked so tirelessly to transform Njonjo Primary School, you did
and amazing job! Huge thanks must also go to all of our sponsors and supporters
here in UK without whom none of this fantastic development would’ve been
possible. Zikomo Kwambeli.
Below are comments from some of our
volunteers:
‘Having heard loads of fabulous stuff
about Malawi from my sister Alanna (Masasa Project 2007) I have to say she
undersold it!’
Sinead Lynch, 2010
‘Although the liming and painting was hard
work it was great team work and so worthwhile seeing the end result and the
appreciation of Njonjo School at the ceremony’
Jimmi Alexander, 2010
‘Excellent trip again- loved it! Wish
I’d been delayed by ash and could’ve stayed longer! The School was awesome,
really enjoyed the decorating’
Mick Rowe, 2010
What can I say, once again I have had an
amazing time. Travelling to Njonjo in the green machine (mini bus) looking at
those views never got tiring; looking across the mountains down to the lake
with Mama Rhoda pumping on the radio- pure bliss. This time I surprised myself
with my hidden talent of being able to paint Malawian Agricultural machinery
with some amazing accuracy!
