Matandani School Plan – 2017

  1. Complete the new block with two classrooms and a multipurpose room – €5000

This new block has commenced and is being constructed with the fundraising efforts from last year. We have enough money to get it to roof level, but more money is needed to complete the roof and complete furnishings. This will include painting, secure doors, electricity and a sink with running water in each classroom. The multipurpose room will act as a head teacher’s office / teacher’s resource room / library and future SEN room.

 

  1. Transparent roof sheets – for classrooms with solid roofs – €250 x 4 = €1000

 

There are two classroom blocks, each with solid metal roofs. These classrooms will be quite dark, however there is a cost effective way to add light. Transparent corrugated sheets can be added to the roof to provide cost effective day-lighting into the classrooms. This is an important aspect of the entire build, delivering much needed light into the classrooms.

 

  1. Desks for STD 7 & 8 – €40 each x 25 – €1000

 

These desks are needed in all classrooms. At the moment, many children sit on plastic chairs and sit around small tables leading to cramped conditions. Unfortunately the furniture is in various stages of repair. There are lots of tables that barely function as working tables, and many chairs have three legs. It is thought that we will buy these desks for one classroom at a time, working our way from standard (STD) 8 down.

 

  1. Portable petrol generator – €900

The school was one of the first government rural schools to be connected to the electricity grid. However the electricity supply has not been great. It fails regularly and it is difficult to operate the laptop, printer and projector. Research has been carried out on the various types of generators. The selected generator is the quietest and the most economical on the market. It would be perfect to have at school and would be great for school functions or community needs as it is very light and portable.

 

  1. Subsidise school uniform – €500

Children in Malawi do not own much clothes. Going to school is looked on as a really good place to go, and therefore a school uniform is worn with pride. However as the children grow, wear and tear becomes apparent, and the children outgrow their uniforms regularly. Many families cannot afford to fix or buy a new uniform. Many children come to school with holes in their uniform, or have to wear the one uniform all week without getting a chance to wash it. It is hoped that a free repair service could be provided and a subsidised fabric made available for new uniforms.

 

  1. Two toilet blocks – Boys and Girls – €1500 x 2 = €3000

 

The toilet situation at Matandani has improved a lot over the last year, but there is a lot more to be done. At the moment there are now 20 toilets for 1,430 children. That means that the ratio of children per toilet is down from 119 to 72. We now plan to build two more blocks of toilets, one for the girls and one for the boys. This will increase the number of clean, flushing toilets to 28 and therefore reduce the ratio down to 50 children sharing one toilet! By comparison, in an average Irish school there is 1 toilet for every 10 children!

 

  1. Soccer Pitch – €250

 

Last year some land at Matandani was levelled by a digger, in an effort to create a soccer pitch. This has made a huge difference to the school and allowed us to make the pitch the correct size according to FIFA standards. We have also been able to add better quality soil to the ground. One thing that is still missing however is the metal goalposts. We need to get these made locally to the correct dimensions and install them.

 

  1. Solar power – panel – €1500

 

As the electricity is very undependable in Malawi, the plan is to put in a solar PV panel at Matandani. This needs to be strong enough to power the office equipment; e.g. laptops, printer and the projector in the adjoining classroom. It is also hoped that the solar panels will be able to keep the low wattage security lights working throughout the night.

 

We need your help to achieve:

TOTAL €13,150

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If extra money is donated, see next page:

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  1. Build New Houses for More Teachers – €4,500

Matandani is situated in a rural area and it is important to have teachers housed on site. This significantly improves teacher attendance, but it also gives the teachers an opportunity to settle in the area and raise a family. Many teachers are given jobs at Matandani School, but unfortunately live far away. Also, the location of houses on site would attract new teachers to come and work at the school. Currently, Matandani  has TWO  houses for teachers. These are owned by government and only become available if a teacher moves school or retires, therefore more houses are needed.

 

  1. Build New Classroom Blocks – €9,000 per block

Last year a new block comprising of two classrooms and a storage room was constructed. This allows the division of standards one and two class groupings. Classroom overcrowding still remains a problem in most other standards at Matandani. The long term goal is to construct sixteen classrooms, reducing overcrowding and allowing the division of class levels.