Hoja Update!

It's been a little while since I updated you all on Hoja goings-on, but sifting through my emails there has been a raft of activity.

Our Sponsored Secondary School Students took their Mock National Exams in May 2010, in which all schools participate. The students who attend the Non-Formal Education at our VTC all passed with an average of C grade, the only school out of 176 in Ruvuma region to achieve this.

12 of our students at the local Lupunga Secondary School, where we send many of our students, failed their practice exams, and we'll be working closely with Lupunga to help improve the standard of education they provide.

They'll be taking their real National Exams in November.

Oswin has also been updating us about our Income Generation Projects, based on data from the local government:

"Three years ago, the average income per family per day in Tanga ward and Gumbiro (the next ward) was 300Tshs (15 pence), now the situation is the same in Gumbiro ward and things are different in Tanga ward.  Now the average income is 41 pence (810Tshs).

Many people are saying that this difference is because of

1. COCO IGP - Many people of Tanga ward have increased their daily income because of IGP.
2. Presence of COCO/Hoja Project in Tanga ward.  Hoja are spending money in different things in Tanga ward.  People of Tanga ward will definitely benefit from that money in one way or another.  Also COCO/Hoja is educating people about self reliance.
3. The main road is passing through Tanga ward.  This makes simpler for the people of Tanga ward to send their things to town and sell to make money."

After focusing on our secondary students last year, this year's Tutoring Programme returned to the primary schools, with the help of UK volunteers provided by COCO:

"We had two centres: Kituro primary school and Masigira primary school.  The students enjoyed their learning in both centres.


Students are well prepared to seat for their national examinations and become good students when they start form one 2011.


We held the tutoring 2010 closing ceremonies on 4th July.  The Volunteers from UK got the chance to attend one of these ceremonies.  It was good day.  Much good feedback from the community, government and the students.


One of the students at Masigira cenre died while at the centre, this was bad news and everybody was unhappy with this.  This was Athuman Said, 14 years.  Was very bright in the class.  He died with malaria.


Good number of other people suffered from malaria during the training,they were treated and they are all recovered now."

The volunteers also helped:

• start work on building a laboratory for the Non-Formal Secondary students at the Vocational Training Centre; 
• paint VTC buildings;
• talk to our secondary students to help them practise their English;
• conduct a nutritional survey to VTC students and pupils at Mpandangindo Primary School; and
• organise a health day event.

That's all I have time for right now, there are a couple of other bits of news I'll try to distribute soon...