Thirteen construction students from West Suffolk College – part of Eastern Education Group – recently journeyed to Tanzania to help re-decorate a rural school.
Over two weeks, the students repainted and decorated the small school’s classrooms, staff room, and even got stuck into a bit of landscaping.
Kilinga School – on Mount Meru above Arusha in Tanzania – is a rural state school. Built in 1939, the school has no electricity, very limited resources, and relies on four full-time teachers and three volunteers to help educate the hundreds of local children, all eager to learn.
Due to the remote location of the school, very few volunteer groups reach it, despite the significant need for work both within the school and the wider community.
The afternoons were spent working alongside the students and staff from the school, refreshing the learning environment. Together, the school’s three classrooms were transformed into bright learning spaces; the small staff office refreshed, and educational murals – using illustrations from the school’s only English textbook – added to the walls, creating permanent learning resources that will benefit children for years to come.
Inbetween their decorating duties, the local teachers and volunteers requested our students deliver STEAM and English lessons.
Lily Hawes, 18, from Hockwold, said: “Seeing the environment of the original classrooms makes you feel upset and hurt that these are normal conditions for kids to learn in. The kids and teachers really appreciated our hard work; I hope to continue improving schools all over the world.”
Jessica Power, 18, from Ipswich, said: “When we first arrived at the school it was in very rough shape and needed a lot of work. We’ve managed to make it bright and colourful again turning into a nice visual learning environment for the kids.”
Averil Young, Teaching Advanced Practitioner at Eastern Education Group, said: “What made this trip so special was seeing our students grow in confidence, independence and resilience. They embraced every challenge, supported one another and made genuine connections with the people they met. I am incredibly proud of them.”
The life-changing trip was made possible by the generous support of the Eastern Builders Federation Committee, Tamdown Group Ltd, and Sizewell C.
This experience was not a one-off project for staff and students at West Suffolk College – it was the beginning of a special friendship. There are still five more classrooms needing the same care, and staff are hoping to send much-needed resources (including pens, exercise books, and textbooks) to continue to support the school.
