Recently, our International Director, Sigrid Pfaffle, shared the message about key achievements No Barriers have reached at the end of 2022-23. Below paragraphs are from her email:
Dear Fellow Club Members
While in Germany, I prepared a newsletter for No Barriers Education Foundation, which worked with RC Norwood in the implementation of the Water & Sanitation project at the two schools in rural Zimbabwe. In this newsletter, we dedicate a full page (p. 7) to showcase the Water & Sanitation Project. Please see attached or click NoBarriers_Newsletter_June23.
The newsletter also documents other exciting developments and achievements (see summary below), I could witness, when visiting our two partner schools in Zimbabwe in February. In addition, it provides you with stories of real people from the schools such as:
- Deputy Principal & Science Teacher: Nyika Sekai from Hwata Secondary
- Female students: Presiclla M, from Muzarabani High and Cathrine D, from Hwata Secondary
- Male student: Tinotenda M from Muzarabani High
Please take some time and read their stories to learn about the challenges they face, but also how your support has impacted on their lives: Nyika Sekai’s story tells how the Water & Sanitation system changed life at the school.
Key achievements / developments at Schools – Headlines only,
- Significant increase in total student numbers: Over the past 12 months student numbers increased by 10%.
- Girls outnumber boys at school: Girls represent 52% of all students enrolled.
- Improved school attendance: During school year 2022 student attendance rates improved: from 96% in Term 1 to 99% in Term
- Teenage pregnancies reduced
- Bicycles reduce fatigue of long-distance students and free them up for learning.
- Teachers report improved levels of wellbeing and motivation.
- Rotary Club of Norwood’s & Harare’s Water & Sanitation System: work was completed and systems handed over to schools in Feb 2023
- Sustainable Teaching, Learning & Communication Hubs (solar systems, satellite internet connection and IT-equipment), funded through the Australian Embassy in Zimbabwe and implemented by NoBarriers in May 2023
Life is busy and to read a newsletter takes time. So, if time is tight, please take just a minute or two and peruse the many photos we have in the newsletter. I like to think they are worth a 1,000 words.
I trust you share some of the excitement about these developments at the schools. Hopefully, you also feel some sense of achievement, as your support has helped to deliver much needed, life changing water & sanitation infrastructure. Thank you.
With Warm Regards
Sigrid
Further details are provided in NoBarriers_Newsletter_June23, which is now downloadable on our club website here:
