“In our school, our girls are facing a lot of challenges,” says Ephel, a teacher at Nelson Mandela Secondary school in Chalice’s Mbinga site, Tanzania.
They have to walk long distances to reach the school, causing exhaustion, hunger, and distraction in the classroom. But girls face extra hazards. They frequently receive unwanted attention on their walks, which can be dangerous.
To help the students, the Tanzanian government constructed a hostel at Nelson Mandela. However, the school was responsible for providing the necessities inside the building for a restful night’s sleep, specifically mattresses and beds.
“Our wish is to have the girls stay at school in the hostel, where we would reduce these risks. So that they can live productively in a pleasant environment, to make them great women of Tanzania.”
When Canadian students heard Ephel’s appeal, they joyfully replied. The Canadian children raised money through Chalice’s School Connections program for beds and mattresses. More significantly, they prayed for one another and became friends across the ocean with the Nelson Mandela school.
Now that they don’t have to make a long and dangerous walk to school, students who live far away can stay at the residence and concentrate on their studies. The Canadian schools’ donations were “directly injected to improve the sleep quality of students.” The Nelson Mandela staff bought ten beds and twenty mattresses.
“Chalice, through School Connections, brings a light to all children who live on the margins,” write the Mbinga site staff.
The school management and students send Chalice and their Canadian friends a message of gratitude:
“They are very happy and pray for all the donors who are thinking of them always,” say the staff.