School project

January 13, 2010, 3:43 pm
Filed under: Cameroon

Hey all,

I need help to build an elementary school for Ketcheble, a hard working self starting village in need in Northern Cameroon. The current elementary school for 300 students is made up of two woefully inadequate one room buildings each smaller than most American living rooms. The youngest students’ building has a roof of sticks that provide shade but no weather protection. It can’t be used during the 3 to 4 month rainy season. It also lacks floors, doors or windows and furniture except a black board and a plastic chair for the teacher. The older students have a tin roof, a door and sit on rocks or on planks between rocks on the ground. The Cameroon government provides two teachers and the villagers pay for a third. The current situation is clearly not conducive to learning and continued education.

This project would build a new cement building with large, clear blackboards and desks. Also, we will be constructing a male and female latrine.

$11,500 more must be donated by the end of February for the project to happen. This added to the $8500 I have received to date from the local villagers and the first weeks US donations will totally fund the project. The construction must start the first of March to insure it will be completed in the final 7 months of my 2 year Peace Corps service.

You can use this link

https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projD
etail&projdesc=694-154

to see the official Peace Corps project description and to make a credit card donation for this project. If you know of a group/corporation that can make a significant donation, the Peace Corps can
provide documentation thanking them for their support and describing the project in more detail.

100% of your donation will go directly to me for use in paying for materials and labor to build the school. There is no money spent on overhead costs. I will do all the planning, coordination and administration for this project at no charge. The Peace Corps gets your $ donation changed to local currency and delivers it with no reduction.

As soon as the Peace Corps notifies me that the total has been received, myself and Hamidou (a local commercant who owns/runs one of the few stores in the village where I live) will go to Maroua, the provincial capital, and buy all the materials needed. We have the material lists prepared and agreements in place with the suppliers. The villagers from Ketcheble will provide their community owned “market” truck to transport the material to the building site.

The next week, Halidou, the best local mason/building contractor will direct the Ketcheble volunteer workmen to find, prepare and move local sand and gravel to the site. Halidou will provide and supervise the skilled craftsman at customary prices to build the school. The school will be complete by June this year before the rainy season stops all construction till October. Both Hamidou and Halidou have proven experience in the local community and I know them both well.

I have attached pictures of the current school buildings and the town of Ketcheble.