PROJECT OVERVIEW
Our proof-of-concept project seeks to rebuild and expand Shepherds Junior, a small primary school in Arusha, Tanzania at which Monk and Patel volunteered in during their 2007 trip to Africa.
Mama Lucy Kamptoni, a savvy and passionate local woman, founded the school in 2003 on land she rented land next door to her home using the income from her poultry business. The school nearly closed in 2007 when a developer bought the rented land, and Kamptoni had no access to the capital required to relocate.
The school is entirely English medium, but includes courses in Swahili, the country’s primary language, and has clubs that celebrate the vibrant culture and history of Tanzania. In addition, the school focuses lessons on local social and cultural issues, including poverty, HIV/AIDS, gender equality, child labor, and more.
The primary goal of the school is to ensure that all children in the Kimandolu area are provided access to a high quality education at an affordable price. The school charges tuition to most students, and uses its income to subsidize the costs of orphans and lower income children who attend the school.
Expansion plans for the school include a computer lab, library, cafeteria, playground, classrooms to accommodate grades 1 through 7, restrooms with flushable toilets and the installation of solar panels for power. It’s estimated that the new school will cost $175,000 to build, and will take 3-5 years for construction and loan payback.
Progress to Date
Epic Change made its initial loan of $35,000 in December 2007. Using these funds, the school was able to purchase new land and complete construction of 4 new classrooms within 100 days. Students started classes at the new site on March 3, 2008. Check out this blog post about our visit to the new school.
In late 2008, Epic Change made additional loans of over $30,000. These funds were used toward the construction of an additional classroom and the purchase of a refurbished school bus that provides safe, reliable transportation.
In November 2008, Epic Change launched a line of cards and gifts including candles by West Hollywood designer Timothy Jay as well as stationery and holiday greeting cards by GreenerPrinter that feature artwork by the children at the school and photos by award-winning photographer Tim Llewellyn. Each product shares the story of the child(ren) that inspired or assisted in the creation of the design. Through the sales of these products, the school has been able to repay over 15% of our initial $35,000 loan in just over a year.
Since our initial investment, the student body has more than doubled in size, from ~115 students to over 300. There are currently 154 boys and 156 girls attending Shepherds Junior.
In November 2008, Shepherds Junior participated in national exams for the first time. The school ranked #1 out of 117 participating schools in the Arusha district.
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