Introductory explanation
Thank you for showing an interest in having a link school in Tanzania. There are significant implications for your school alongside the benefits you will gain.
The schools we link with are government schools and are extremely poor. Most do not have access to clean water and electricity is rare. The postal system is unreliable and a very lengthy process. They have no access to computers, so internet exchange directly with the school is not possible.
After several years of unsuccessful attempts to create regular links, we have now come up with system that works. All contact is by email through the diocesan office in Musoma. The Diocesan Director of Education (Lay Canon Arthur Mauya) and his assistant (Miss Melina Galibona) have set up a system whereby they will receive electronic communication and print it out to take to the link school. Occasionally individuals from Yorkshire visit Mara and they will take small items for the schools e.g. letters or cards from your children, greetings from headteacher to headteacher, photographs etc.
As you will realise, there is a cost to these arrangements and the Diocese of Mara cannot fund it. It is for this reason that there is a charge to Yorkshire participating schools of £15 pcm or £180 per year, all of which goes directly to Mara. This pays for the cost of diesel when your items and messages are taken to the schools, the cost of paper, ink and any other consumables.
Your commitment to this project will involve the following:
- Annual or monthly ‘subscription’ (as outlined above)
- A named link person in your school (this could be the HT, staff member, governor)
- Representation at a termly meeting for updates and sharing information
- The sending of a profile to your link school (pro forma will be provided)
- An agreement to regular contact with your link school.
Whilst there is no obligation to fundraise for your link school, they will undoubtedly have projects in mind and items they need. There will always be a hope that you will be able to offer them a little financial support. Sometimes requests are unrealistic and that is why there will always be a Diocesan Education Department oversight of both requests and donations. It is essential that best use is made of limited funds and resources. Every penny of a donation will reach the intended recipient in Mara.
Given the enormous need and the complication of the links, experience has now shown us that we need at least two West Yorkshire and the Dales schools (WYAD schools) to every Mara school. Given the logistics of Arthur and Melina visiting the schools in Mara, it is not generally possible to link your school with any link your parish might already have.
If you are still interested in forming a link, you will need to contact Rev Gill Johnson by email and declare your interest (). She will then return your contact and ask you to arrange the following:
- Set up standing order arrangement for an annual or monthly payment (diocesan pro forma provided)
- Complete an electronic copy of the school profile
- Allocate a named individual as link contact for your school (an email address will be needed and this must be an adult)
Once this has taken place Gill will contact Arthur and Melina and a link will be allocated. You will then be able to contact your school to send greetings, ask questions, send photographs, and send messages (all via the email address in the Mara Diocesan office which you will be given).
Please feel free to contact Gill at any time to discuss any questions or thoughts you might have.
Finally, please be aware that these are very rural and poor schools. Contact will not be instant, so you will need to plan ahead if you are seeking to use information in project work.
Many thanks for taking the time to consider this linking project.
Best wishes
Yours sincerely
Revd Gill Johnson
Education Development Officer
Enc
Leeds Diocesan Board of Finance is a registered charity (number 1155876)
Company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (number 8823593)
Registered office: Church House, 1 South Parade, Wakefield WF1 1LP