The 8th graders and 12th graders are writing thier national exams this week and next which determines future coaurse work in high school and entrance into university. Makumbi has taken a quiet and serious turn. @ 06 in AM you will find students lined up in front of the groto in prayer. I again spent my morning with the preschoolers. The teacher is amazing 43 kids today...we sent one back to the home because of suspected measles...that will make the next weeks here interesting.
In the afternoon a grounds keeper was so happy to find me, on my first day at Makumbi i had asked if there were local people making baskets and carvings. He brought a women from a not so close village. I have two beautiful baskets, she asked $3.00 for each. I had to run back to my room to get cash so I folded up 10 and placed it in her hand.
Jeffery a retired professor from U of Wis Maddison brought me down to the womens cooperative to meet Paula. WOW! The women have literally built a training center for in the begining just women to learn skills from carpentry ( check out the hand made coffins), peanut butter, micro fiance, organizing, basic buissness management, batik. They had immpressive flow charts on the wall regading projects. One project is combatting gender violence. As the women earn their own income they begin to even the playing field and become less dependent. They have also included men in the trainings to decrease the risk of violence..All on $20,000 a year.
No comments:
Post a Comment