On November 23 the newly renovated Lotima primary school was handed back to the local community after over a year of hard work by both the Eaga volunteers and community members.

A gala farewell was held for outgoing Eaga PLC group with the re-opening of the school marking the completion of the handover.

In the past month and a half, Childreach International and four groups of Eaga Futurebuilders have constructed two new classrooms, a new kitchen and store facility and a toilet. The group also renovated six classrooms and set up a playground for kindergarten pupils during this period.

Billy Snowdon, one of the Eaga volunteers said of the project: “This has been a fantastic and humbling project to be involved in. I have been able to see first hand how the efforts of all those involved really make a difference to the children at Lotima School; these are things that we too often take for granted. I do not see our time in Lotima as the end of a project but only the beginning of what we have done to help bring together a community in producing a better future for their children.”

A warm thank you to Eaga volunteers

Moshi District Commissioner (DC), Mr. Musa Samizi, was the guest of honour at the hand over and offered a
speech to the assembly of local communities and Eaga volunteers. In it he urged the school leadership, pupils, and Lotima community at large to take good care of all the buildings that had been constructed to ensure the project is truly sustainable.

Finally he thanked Childreach International and Eaga for all the support given to Lotima School and said “our friendship will be a lasting one.”

Eaga’s team leader, Chris, impressed the crowd as he followed with a speech in Swahili. He said the team had a therapeutic experience working at the school.

As an end to the day, pupils from Uwa, Mawanda and Mriti primary schools performed traditional Tanzanian dance and song.

Winners of Best Overseas project

Futurebuilding is an innovative Childreach International programme that gives participants the opportunity to play an active part in a valuable community project in a developing country. Earlier this year Childreach International and Eaga PLC won an award for Best Overseas Project for this initiative at the  Business Charity Awards.

Our school improvement programme is reaching schools in several districts and is introducing a higher standard of education across Tanzania year by year.

A final word from Firoz Patel, CEO of Childreach International:

“Our partnership with Eaga has been a genuine one, which has seen them support Childreach International projects in numerous ways, not only financially. Their technical and professional assistance reflects their staunch commitment to corporate social responsibility and international development, which has dramatically improved the lives of thousands of children who are now able to enjoy an education.”

More from Futurebuilding

Check out Eaga's slideshow from Lotima and their blog.

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