Sometimes things come together. Far from home, coincidence or not, with a nice cooperation as a result. For example, we were recently approached by the Izigane Happy Foundation (www.izingane.nl). If we are interested to have a look at the school Bonolo in Makushane. Izigane wanted to invest in a new school anyway. But maybe we could work together to improve the structural conditions there?
In Makushane we already support a number of schools, so this might be a logical extension. Especially since we do not believe in building just a new school, but offer help in the long run. A new building is a nice start, but rather integration into the Bambanani organization opens onto a sustainable self-reliant future.
Once we arrived at the scene, it is clear that we already know this school! The principal took an ECD-1 training at Bambanani and we support their Food program for years. In fact; there were plans already for a new building in order to be able to achieve a Grant from Social Development. Such cooperation is crucial for structural funding (a grant) to qualify. But first the school had to have an official NGO status. That process was initiated only by the name as we knew the school, ‘Bonolo’.
What transpired? When the NGO status for Bonolo school was once an administrative circular, someone else picked up the paper. To date a mystery, because what good is a NPO status that is registered at a different address? The application is resubmitted, now called ‘Bonolong ELC’.
Anyway, what’s in a name … Bonolong urgently needed new housing, the Izigane Foundation wants to help and Bambanani Friends would like as a sustainable self-sufficient school. So we put our heads together and going to the new school come.
With the network and the expertise of Bambanani the drawings are almost finished and construction can start soon. The children of Bonolong ELC start the new year in a brand new school building with two classrooms, a kitchen with storage and office / sickbay. There will also be toilets and food tunnel.
This new building meets all government requirements for structural Grant. Usually it takes two to three years before the grant is put into place. That principal Patricia gives her time to ECD 4 degree gain and as a result will be able educate the children of the school Bonolong better. What a beautiful prospect!
