January 27 — Today we were off to two Vocational Training Centres to register students for whom we had paid fees. Ngaruma VTC is just outside of Marangu so we were able to hop onto a daladala and be dropped off outside. It’s a clean and well laid out school overlooking a valley with the Mtoni River flowing through. We registered Respice and Honest…a new addition to ABCD. Due to Respice’s condition we signed him up for tailoring as he will be able to sit down and work. This year he is the only boy in the class but we were assured that there would be no “disturbance” to Respice in class from the girls!
Honest wanted to learn to be builder so he is signed up for the Masonry program. The Assistant Head Master, Mr. Kitali, was kind enough to show us a ‘shortcut’ down and across the valley, past his home where we met his wife and children and his sister’s house likewise, until we came up to the main road where Samanga VTC is located. Scola is registered there and finishing her tailoring program. All contract were duly signed and witnessed.
On the way back home we stopped in Marangu town to purchase 10 dictionaries for Primary School awards and a box of carvings which we will re-sell in Canada for fundraising purposes.
We had enough energy for a lively game of Scrabble this evening!