Elementary School Gougaram
Education is the Key to Development!
The reason that all Nomad schools in theTalak area in the North of Niger had been closed more than three years ago was due to an intolerable security situation. In order to at least provide education to some of the pupils in the local schools, we had established the „Home for Children“.
This summer the political situation has been defused to such an extent that this very autumn 22 children will be able to return to their local schools.
Since October 2010 the Gougaram/Talak elementary school is again opened up. Unfortunately the school is in a bad state given that the armed forces felt at home in the classroom during rebellion times.
In order to grant regular schooling we have to invest in the improvement of the neglected infrastructure. In some buildings windows and doors are missing, the plaster needs to be renewed and missing school material, such as benches, have to be provided.
The children should get an opportunity to successfully complete elementary school near their families and homes. For children coming from distant nomad camps, the principle of boarding school will be applied.
All pupils will be served three meals daily and by doing so we will prevent malnutrition and improve children‘s health.
This food supply also serves as an incentive for the parents to send their children to school.
Gougaram elementary school is utterly important for the region, since it provides basic education also for the poorest of the poor. Education is the only way to break the cycle of poverty and ignorance and thus creating a better foundation for life as well as a more promising future.
The various renovation work of the elementary school is estimated with about CHF 35'000 and a further CHF 7'000 is required for school benches and material.
We will tackle these tasks step by step!