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Letter from the Project Director

Remember that movie “Field of Dreams“? When we bought the twenty acres in 2004, I had a vision of a school project that would offer big dreams of bright futures for local children. Gosh it’s wonderful to see that vision coming to life!

There was a snag about fulfilling the government building requirements: every classroom has to be wheelchair accessible. Never having seen a child in a wheelchair, we plunged ahead and created a manual gravity powered lift for access to our second story classrooms. Sure enough, this year, we’ve been blessed with Nikas, who was disabled by severe malaria. At nine years old, it is his first time attending school. It’s a truly amazing thing to see the other kids jostle for their turn to help support Nikas as he slowly walks from the class to the dining hall.

We have four other young students who have been cognitively delayed by disease and they each are doing so well in our inclusive classrooms! They are hidden gems within the growing number of children who are attending our school. This is grassroots community development. Please know that your continuing support is making big dreams of bright futures come true.

Our sincere thanks, together with immeasurable gratitude from all our students and their parents and families.


- Lynda Kearns

Growth of the Project 

For all of you who have been following the project at Vigaliwa Vingi, and for those of you who have been there, you would be surprised at how much it has grown.

It is starting to look like a village! 
 


Vijaliwa Vingi is shaping up to be an impressive facility!

(Left: The entrance from the public road onto Vijaliwa Vingi's "main street")
Those of you who have been to Vijaliwa Vingi may not recognize the original house. It is on the far right and has been renovated into staff quarters. The first structure on the left is the kitchen, which opens onto the dining room. 
From left: kitchen, dining room, staff quarters


The original north veranda is now a walk through separating the staff building and dining room, and leading from the school yard to the farm (right).

The farm currently has turkeys, chickens, ducks, goats, and four dairy cows. Eggs and milk are used to supplement the lunch program, and any excess is sold in the community. 



 
The pre-primary area, where we started building the school in 2017...

Is now a hub of activity! All four classrooms are in use and the courtyard between has become a favourite for meetings. Look how much the tree has grown in that time! Great for shade on a hot day.
 

 

This was the AGM meeting in early September 2021. Mary Liwa (standing) is our current Chairperson, and is one of the original board members from 2002.

 

The primary school site, located to the north on our "main street" is growing again!

In behind the two-storey four-classroom block, you can just make out the foundation for the second block, which is currently under construction, and the bottom two classes will be ready for the start of the new school year in January 2022.
Second block construction. You can see the fundi (construction wrokers) hard at work!


 

We are starting to accept applications for boarding students.

This is one of the ten rooms in the new girls' dorm. 

When the second storey is completed, it will be the largest building of the campus. We will also be duplicating this building for the boys.

The future looks very bright indeed for these smiling faces!

We again thank each of you for your continued support, and invite you all to make a special contribution to our building fund, perhaps as a gift in the name of a special person in your life.
Website
Our mailing address is:
CanaDares Society for Children in Tanzania
#702-3633 Mt. Semour Pkwy
North Vancouver, BV V7H 0A9
Canada

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