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Amelia and Elisa, both age 5, with Save the Children staff. |
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Fabiao Sitoe, rose at dawn one March day to sharpen his tools. It is a routine he has carried out over the years as a carpenter. But this day was special: Fabiao was donating his time to help build a classroom for preschool children in the remote Mozambican village of Mahuntsane, where he is the village chief.
To Fabiao, age 70, this classroom of wood, straw and a pressed tin roof is more than a building. It holds the promise of education and a better future for the children of his village.
Just a few months later in May, Fabiao's dreams had become a reality. More than 90 children, boys and girls ages 3 to 5, began attending the preschool, including Fabiao's own grandchild.
"I didn't have the opportunity to go beyond grade 3," said Fabio. "My children went much further than me. As for my grandchildren, I hope they will attend the university."
The challenges faced by Fabiao's grandchildren, and most other children living in rural and remote villages in Mozambique, are daunting. Most speak a variety of local languages. But upon entering first grade, they find themselves being taught in Portuguese, the national language. Many children fall behind or drop out as they struggle to understand.
But with the new preschool, children in this village will learn Portuguese and basic reading and writing. And they will also have a safe place to play.
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Fabiao Sitoe, community leader of Mahuntsane Village of Manjacaze District in Mozambique. |
A surge in new preschools-- 96 schools in 42 communities--is being funded through a grant from the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund from donations raised through Idol Gives Back. Funds raised from the 2007 American Idol television special have supported Save the Children's programs in Mozambique and six other African countries. Read the press release.
In addition to supporting the construction of new classrooms, funds raised through Idol Gives Back are covering teacher training; the purchase of school materials like floor mats, blackboards and pencils; and collaboration between local carpenters and artists to build toys and full playgrounds from environmentally sustainable and locally available materials.
Learn more about Save the Children's preschool programs in Mozambique and other African countries on The One Blog.
