Scholar Update: Emmanuel

I promised an update on our first selected scholar, Emmanuel.  Our project partner submitted an end of year report summarizing the year for him and making recommendations for the next year.

Emmanuel was one of only two students from Itiso Secondary School who qualified to attend A-level schools in 2014.  He was selected to receive the scholarship due to his family's greater financial need.

He was accepted to Dodoma Secondary and became a regular on the school volleyball court, enjoying "how the game is very focused on the team," and claims to be the best player at the school.

Emmanuel dreams of becoming a Pharmacist, aiming to help his community into the following ways:

• Providing health care advice to his community.
• Helping patients feel better and get well as quickly as possible by improving the health of patients by choosing the best medicines and helping to avoid side effects.
• To work directly with patients, since Tanzanian pharmacies are often located within a residential community and in common shopping places like grocery stores.

"Emmanuel believes that, in order any community to work properly in socio-economic activities, it needs to have strong health."

Last week, our project partner proudly informed me that Emmanuel is nearing graduation -- and that he was awarded Division II in the national Form VI exams.  That means that he will qualify for university enrollment, something that would not have been possible had he ended school in Form IV due to finances.

We are currently fundraising in order to support next year's class of scholars.  You can help by supporting our Booster campaign before August 19th, where you can buy a t-shirt (with an authentic Swahili proverb or methali) or make a direct donation (if you have enough shirts already) or both:



https://www.booster.com/itiso-scholarship-support

Thank you,
Allison

Thank you! First scholarship paid!

Thank you to everyonr who helped by donating to the Itiso Scholarship Fund!  Your "thank you" cards are in the mail as we speak.  Thanks to you, I was able to surpass the goal needed this year and pay the fees for our first selected recipient, Emanuel.  My local counterpart, Mr. Sendege, together with Remedius from the NGO assisting with the bank transfers, went to the school to pay Emanuel's fees and check in on him.

Emanuel, left, with Mr. Sendege, right

Emanuel is doing well and excited to be furthering his education and we are proud to be able to help him get there!

Mr. Sendege (left), student Emanuel (center), and Remidius from Youth Empowerment and Support (right)

Since we surpassed our financial needs for this year, we have a little set aside already for next year, when we will be supporting Emanuel for his last year of secxondary school and supporting a new Form V student from Itiso.  For information on giving a tax-deductible donation, please see this post.  All donations go directly to the fund!  You can give a one-time donation or a recurring donation to be given monthly.  On behalf of the students, thank you for your interest and support!

-- Allison

Help me help Itiso students further their education

As a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, I have been wanting to give more back to the community that took me, cared for me, and at least humored my crazy ideas. (Girls' empowerment? If you say so, lady...)

My counterpart from my community in Tanzania, with the help of a local NGO, has helped me set up a scholarship fund for kids from the village who want to attend A-level schools. The village has only an O-level school (lower level high school, for those unfamiliar with the British system), requiring the students to attend a boarding school if they wish to continue their education. This is obviously costly, more costly than most families can afford.** This first year I only anticipate being able to support one student and I hope to continue supporting him and adding a new student next year, etc.

This first student has been selected and accepted into a school following his O-level exams and is waiting to start -- as soon as his fees are paid. With the various fees, tuition, supplies, uniforms, wire transfer fees -- all told will come to $370. If you would like to contribute, you can donate through Friends of Tanzania, as US-based nonprofit (so it's tax deductible!). Be sure to indicate that it is for the Itiso Scholarship Fund as shown under Designation below. [Check out the red circle!]  Normally I'd be able to raise this without begging on the internet, but the semester has already begun over there and the sooner we can send the money, the sooner he can start school!

Thanks in advance to anyone who chooses to donate to my project!  If you leave your contact info, I'll send you a note! :)

 **Why this? In my experience living in the community, kids will bomb exams when they don't think their parents can afford their continued education. I saw it, teachers at every educational level saw it. It was an unspoken way for the kids to relieve their parents of guilt for not being able to pay for schooling. After the secondary school was built in the village and youth no longer had to go to boarding schools, bringing the price of it down, primary school exam pass rates jumped. But pass rates for the secondary school are still dismal. That might be because the school is lousy, but it might not be. I want students to use the promise of a scholarship to try to excel and not lower their expectations because of their perceived financial circumstances.