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start what
ACE is
what
ACE does
what
ACE has done
where
ACE works
schools
we support
what
you can do
student
sponsorship
fundraising
upcoming
events
desk
appeal
honey
project
easyfundraising
ACE
200 Club
annual
reports
Eden
Quayle
Uganda
visit 2006
links
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Click
here to see the new classroom block ACE has built
at Rurembwe
Click
here to see ACE's new sponsored students
New
Trustee
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We
are pleased to announce that Janet Pye has agreed to become an ACE
Trustee.
Janet
is ACE's Sponsorship Secretary and
was a member of the group who visited the ACE schools in February
2010.
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Magazine
Article
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There
is an article about ACE in the current issue of Yours magazine.
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Visitors
from Uganda
ACE decided
to bring two Ugandan educationalists here to look at school practice
in the UK. They will be exploring various administrative areas
as well as teaching. These will include school management and
classroom management, as well as storage of materials and use
of resources.
They will
select from what they see and, with the help of teachers here,
they will put together a workshop to take back to Uganda in order
to train other heads and teachers in ACE schools . This should
lead to better use and care of resources, better classroom organisation
and teaching, happier teachers and children, and a higher standard
of education.
Whilst they
are In Cornwall, some of the schools and other organisations which
have supported ACE will meet them and get feedback as to how their
hard work has helped our schools in Uganda. Hopefully this will
encourage more fundraising.
They will
arrive in England on Monday 27th September and be here for three
weeks.
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William
Balibutsa is a School Inspector for the Kisoro region of Uganda
and part of his remit is to oversee the primary schools which ACE
supports in the area.
We
consult with him regularly about the projects we undertake and have
always benefited from his advice and assistance.
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Augustine
Mbonigaba was headteacher of the primary school we support
at Mukibugu for many years.
Since he retired from that position he has become a director of
St. Allen's School in Kisoro.
He is very
experienced and dependable and, as he is no longer teaching, he
will be able to organise the seminars for teachers at the ACE
schools on his return to Uganda.
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They
are not as severe as they look in their visa photographs!
This
is a better picture of William ......
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......
and here is one of Augustine.
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The programme
for their visit is still being put together. They will be based
at St. Hilary School for the first half of their visit and will
also visit Humphry Davy, Cape Cornwall, Alverton, Nancledra, and
St. Ives Schools.
With Angela,
they will attend meetings of Penzance Rotary Club, Mount's Bay
Rotary Club, Praze WI and Mount's Bay Missions. They will be having
a meeting with the ACE trustees and will be assisting at the collections
for ACE at Morrisons supermarket on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th
October.
Several organisations
and individuals have given financial support and sponsorshop to
enable this visit to take place. We are particularly grateful
to Cornwall Branch of the National Union of Teachers, Penzance
Rotary Club, Mount's Bay Rotary Club, Penzance Lions Club and
Truro College Student Association, and also to Andy Nineham, Thomas
Gunkel and Roger Drew.
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We are arranging
for everyone to have a chance to meet them at a cream
tea in Newmill. It will also give them a chance to see how
ACE supporters raise funds for their schools and how hard we work
for them.
The cream
tea will be at The Old Post Office, Newmill, on Sunday 3rd October
between 2pm and 5pm.
There will
also be cakes, books, plants and wooden garden items for sale.
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David's
July Report
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ACE's representative
in Uganda, David Epidu, has just completed a tour of the primary
schools and also visited the sponsored students at Kisoro Vision
Secondary School. He makes two visits each term and sends a report
to the ACE trustees.
He particularly
mentioned how clean and tidy the classrooms were at the primary
schools. This was something that we had asked the headteachers
to address and they had really improved things. School inspector,
William, had also been following this up.
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David
found that the new 3-classroom block at Rurembwe
Primary School, which was officially opened in February, was
looking very smart.
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Cupboards
for storing books in the classrooms of all the schools are currently
under construction in Paul Ndahiriwe's workshop in Kisoro. David
and William were loaned the education authority's pick up, and
Mandela the driver, and they delivered six cupboards to Nyarusunzu
Primary School. As it is the furthest away, Nyarusunzu got
the first ones whilst the transport was available.
The other
schools will get their cupboards as they are made and Paul is
hoping to complete the whole order by the end of August.
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David visited
the ACE sponsored students at Kisoro Vision Secondary School and
delivered some gifts which had been given by sponsors.
He reported
that all the students need new shoes and school uniforms. Currently
they only have one school uniform each and, as they wash them
every day, the uniforms are getting very worn.
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David also checked
up on the ACE Honey Project. The trustees
had authorised him to purchase some more hives.
He wrote -
At the time
I was there, there were no beehives readily available, and those
people were charging me more, so I decided to talk to Paul to see
if he could make them for me. He told me it was easy for him, so
by now the beehives must be ready for delivery, coz the last time
I talked to him last week, he had already made ten of them.
This is a good
example of how David gets us good value for the money.
This picture
shows the site at Gitenderi School,
prepared for its beehives.
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Schools
Raising Money for ACE
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On
1st July we received a cheque for £1,170 from St.
Hilary School.
This
brings the total raised for ACE by St. Hilary to £5,370 and
we are very grateful to them for their continued support.
Their
donation of £4,200 in 2008 was used to pay for a new classroom
at Nyarusunzu School.
This
donation will be put towards the new classroom block at Gitenderi
School. (See below)
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We have also
recently received a donation of £210 from St. Erth Primary
School. This picture shows Angela Peake receiving the cheque at
the school.
We have also
been given £268 by Longwood School & Nursery, Bushey,
Hertfordshire.
Thank you all
for your efforts on behalf of the primary school children in the
ACE schools in Uganda. Your gifts will also go towards the cost
of the new classrooms at Gitenderi.
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From
the Trustees
The ACE trustees
met on 27th June and some important decisions were made.
The next building
project will be a 4-classroom block at Gitenderi
School. The school is in desperate need of new classrooms
and the block will cost about £16,000. We are putting the
proceeds of our Open Gardens Day towards it and, with money already
raised, we have about half of the cost. We will need to raise
about £8,000 more before we can start.
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Golders
Hill School
in London have formed a link with the ACE-supported school
at Rukongi.
They
have already raised £700 for Rukongi and some of the
money is being spent on new cupboards for classrooms. This
will enable books to be safely stored at their point of
use, rather than having to be collected from a store.
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We
contacted Victoria Nyiragwiza, the headmistress of Rukongi
School to ask her what she would like the rest of the money
spent on. When the ACE party visited Rukongi in February
they made a list of the school's needs, so Victoria could
choose anything from the list.
After
a meeting of the school management committee, she has requested
that the money be spent of a new floor in the P5 classroom
and the repair of a wall. These had both been noted previously
as being in a very bad state so will be a big improvement.
David Epidu will get estimates for the cost of the work
from our builders.
We are
very grateful to Golders Hill School for their support.
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The Bower
Trust have given ACE a grant of £600 for textbooks and the
trustees decided the books should be given to Bukazi
School. This is the second grant ACE has received from The
Bower Trust and we are very grateful to them.
We are hoping
that two representatives from our schools will visit Cornwall
during September. One is
William Balibutsa, the local school inspector, and the other is
Augustine Mbonigaba, the former headmaster of Mukibugu School.
They will
be based at St. Hilary Primary School, looking at school management
and organisation, as well as general school practice. With the
help of UK teachers, they will put together a workshop to implement
with the rest of ACE heads and teachers when they return home.
They will
also visit clubs and schools who have supported us in the past
to tell them what ACE money has done.
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Newmill
Open Gardens 2010
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The
treasurer has reported that the provisional figure for the profit
at the Garden Day on Sunday 20th June is £3,311.
The
quilt, made and donated by Janet Pye, was won by Edris Stratford.
You
can read more, and see pictures, by clicking here
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ACE
Awarded Grant for Honey Project
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Following
the feasability study carried out by Toby Martin, the first beehives
were placed at Kabami school.
ACE
has now been awarded a grant of £1,331 from The
Waterloo Foundation to enable us to continue to place hives
at other schools and to provide beekeepers' equipment.
We
are very grateful to The Waterloo Foundation for their support.
Click
on the bee for more information.
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easyfundraising
News
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The
total raised by ACE supporters using easyfundraising
now exceeds £1,000.
Click
here for more information.
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ACE
Honey Project
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Following
Toby Martin's feasability study, and preparation work, the ACE
Honey Project has now begun.
We hope this
will enable some of our schools to start to raise their own funds.
Click here
for information and pictures.
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Never
Too Young
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You
are never too young to be an ACE supporter!
The
Futerman family from London have become interested in ACE and their
two older boys, Alfie and Gideon, decided to raise some money.
They
decorated the family car with homemade ACE posters and went to a
carboot sale. The result of their efforts was a donation of £303
for ACE.
They
are trying to get their school interested in ACE and hope to raise
even more in the future.
Well
done, boys, and thank you.
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London
Marathon 2010
For
London Marathon news, click here
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Fundraising
and Donations
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We have
recently received a donation of £1,500 from Penwith College.
Also
we have received £375 from the Barn Club. The management
agreed to donate £1 each time a Penwith College student
attends a Barn Club party. Fortunately for ACE, they attend
pretty regularly!
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We are grateful
to Liz Eliot from Goldsithney for a generous donation of £500.
On Friday
16th and Saturday 17th October our collectors at Morrison's supermarket
collected £700.66. This is the highest amount raised since
we started these collections.
Our entrants
in the Penzance Rotary Ramble on 20th September raised a total
of £1,528. £1,146 has gone to ACE and £382 to the
Rotary Club charities. Click here
for more details.
Charlotte
Nicholls (former Mounts Bay & Penwith College student) raised
£53 from a car boot sale of her unwanted items.
Following
talks given by Angela, ACE received a donation of £70 from Germoe
& District W I, £60 from Coffee Mates of Crowlas and £31 from
University of the Third Age.
The final
Rosudgeon car boot sale collection for 2009 raised £31. During
the year our collectors have raised £287.
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Novelty
Dog Show
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A Novelty Dog
Show, in aid of ACE, took place on Sunday, 28th February 2010, at
Marazion Community Hall.
For details
and pictures click here
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2010
Visit to Uganda
A 6-strong
party from ACE has just returned from a visit to Uganda. They
flew to Entebbe where they were met by ACE representative, David
Epidu. They also meet up with Will and Angie Laarakker from our
Dutch partner charity, You4Uganda,
and they travelled to Kisoro together. The trip represented the
tenth anniversary of the two charities working in the area during
which time they have contributed over £0.5 million of aid.
During the
visit the various members of the party initially made some visits
together and then each had individual projects -
Angela
and Vic Peake visited all of the ACE-supported primary schools
in the area. At each school they spent time with the headteacher
and staff and met the pupils. They checked that the work carried
out by ACE since their last visit in 2008 had been satisfactorily
completed and is being well maintained. They also carried out
an assessment of each school's needs for the future.
They visited
Kisoro Vision Secondary School and met with the pupils there who
are being sponsored through ACE.
They have obtained personal details about each pupil in the scheme
and taken photographs. This will enable us to give each sponsor
an information pack about 'their' child. We will distribute these
in March.
The highlight
of the tour was the official opening of the new three-classroom
block built by ACE at Rurembwe (see below).
Toby Martin
has volunteered to work for ACE in Uganda for three months. He
spent the first two weeks visiting the schools with Angela and
Vic and making himself known to the headteachers. His other task
during their visit was to take video footage so that Angela will
have a new and up-to-date presentation to give to ACE supporters
and friends on her return. During his remaining time there he
is investigating new ways in which ACE can make progress in the
future. One project he is looking into is the possibility of setting
up beehives at the schools so that they can make money by selling
honey.
Janet Pye
has recently volunteered to coordinate the Student
Sponsorship Scheme. She visited the students who are in the
scheme and also visited the primary schools. There she undertook
some teaching, particularly concentrating on reading and telling
the time.
Luke Pye
is Janet's son and the brother of George, who previously visited
the schools with the party from Mounts Bay in 2006. During this
trip Luke carried out repairs on the playground equipment which
ACE has provided. He also taught some lessons - English and games.
Judith
Nicholls is the mother of Charlotte and Chloe, who both also
took part in the 2006 visit. Judith visited the schools and did
some teaching of reading to small groups of children. She was
also checking on provision for pupils with special needs.
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Student
Sponsorship News
January each
year is a critical period for our Student
Sponsorship Scheme. This
was especially so in 2010 as we made changes to the way we operate.
When we started
the scheme the pupils were at different schools, some boarders
and some day-pupils. There was no doubt that the boarders were
doing better. The day-pupils had to walk such long distances each
day, and carry out household tasks when they got home. This made
it impossible to keep up with their homework. So the trustees
decided that all our sponsored pupils should board at school.
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We
have also been able to assess the different schools. We have
decided that the best school in Kisoro for our pupils is Kisoro
Vision Secondary School and this term we are moving our sponsored
pupils who were at other schools to this school. Although
the school buildings at Kisoro Vision are not as good as some
other schools, the academic standard is the highest in the
area. ACE representatives who have visited the school said
that the pupils are very happy there and particularly commented
that there is no bullying at the school. |
In mid-January
wereceived the primary school examination results which told us
which of the pupils at the ACE schools achieved Grade 1 or a high
Grade 2, making them eligible for secondary school sponsorship.
We also liased
with David Epidu, ACE's Ugandan representative, and Mr. William,
the local school inspector. They helped us to decide which of
the high-scoring pupils had the greatest need and would benefit
most from support from our sponsors.
On Sunday
24th January the ACE trustees, together with Sponsorship Coordinator,
Janet Pye, met and discussed the allocation of sponsorship. It
was decided to offer ACE sponsorship to 10 pupils this year. At
the time we had 8 sponsors waiting to be allocated a child. We
will support the other two, using a grant of £500 which
we received from the Cumber Family Charitable Trust. We will allocate
personal sponsors to these two pupils as soon as we have them.
The 10 pupils
chosen for sponsorship have come from a good spread of ACE schools.
There are 3 from Bukazi, 2 from
Rurembwe, 2 from Nyarusunzu,
and 1 each from Rukongi, Mukibugu
and Kabami. Unfortunately, they
were not so evenly distributed between the sexes - there are 8
boys and 2 girls.
David then
had about a week to get all the shopping required for our pupils
to begin at the school when term commenced in the last week of
January. You may be interested to see what a pupil requires. If
so click here. You
can use the currency converter on this page to work out how much
things cost in British pounds.
David then
met up with the new intake of pupils joining the ACE Sponsorship
Scheme and did their shopping with them. He sent us these pictures
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Here are 16
of ACE sponsored students at Kisoro Vision School in their new uniforms.
Whilst the ACE
party was in Uganda in February they enrolled another student into
the scheme, so we are now supporting 18 students.
The latest addition
is Rosemary who was educated at Bukazi
Primary School and got a Grade 1 in her leaving examinations.
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We are currently
assembling an information pack for each student which will be
sent to their sponsors soon. It will contain a brief resumé and
photographs and a letter from the student.
If you would
like to sponsor a pupil please get in touch as soon as possible.
Also, please send this information on to anyone else who you think
might help.
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Cape Cornwall School
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At
the end of November 2009, Angela attended Cape Cornwall School,
St. Just, to receive a cheque for ACE.
The
school had spent a year fundraising with various activities, including
a sponsored walk carrying water.
The
total raised was £1,772 and ACE is very grateful to the pupils
for all their efforts.
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Three
New Classrooms for Rurembwe
In November
2009 ACE agreed to replace a very delapidated and unsafe block
of three classrooms at Rurembwe
School. Despite their dangerous state, the classrooms were still
in use.
The main school
holiday period in Uganda begins at the end of November and classes
recommence at the end of January 2010. For that reason it was
important that the building work started at the beginning of December
and the new rooms built, ready for use next term.
So the ACE
trustees took an unusual step and one they had never taken before.
They gave the go-ahead for the building work, despite not having
the whole of the estimated £13,000 cost in the ACE bank
account.
This picture,
taken by David Epidu, shows some of the parents beginning the
demolition of the old classrooms so that Paul, our builder, could
commence work as soon as possible.
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Paul sent us
these pictures of the work in progress on 16th December. It looks
like the whole village is helping.
David Epidu
went to check on progress and sent us this report -
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Construction
is in progress and the contractor is very busy as he wants to
finish the block in as soon as possible. He wants that by the
time Angela comes to Uganda in February they will be opening the
new ACE classrooms at Rurembwe and Gitenderi officially.
The classroom
block at Rurembwe was costed at about Uganda Shs 38,000,000/=.
About Shs 29,450,000/=, has been paid to the contractor and the
balance is now needed for buying iron sheet and windows and the
finishing materials, ALSO MONEY FOR WINDOW BURGLAR PROOF is needed.
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Each
window burglar is costed at Shs 35,000/= (about £12) including
transport to the site and there are about 21 windows in a three classroom
block, That means that we need 735,000/= more for the burglar proof.
You asked me if the contingency money would be used for the same,
but it is not possible as the contractor forgot to include the quote
for the RIDGES in the Bill of Quantities so the contingency will not
cover such shortages. |
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Otherwise
ACE has done a lot of construction in Kisoro Schools and all those
who have benefited are so happy with what the charity has done in
there schools. Most of the latrine work has been done this year,
and latrine is not such a big problem at the moment though we could
have some few which need attention. To say the truth ACE has made
a big impact in Kisoro as a district and many people now know about
the charity's work. I wish to thank Angela Peake and all those who
have contributed to ACE activities in Uganda.
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| Everybody
in Kisoro now is waiting for the coming of the ACE group in February,
Please you will be very welcome to Uganda, by all those who have heard
about you. Hope this report is fine for you and in case of any thing
you need to know from me please don't hesitate to ask. |
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On
8th January 2010 David sent the following pictures and message -
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Dear Angela
and all the trustees -
Greeting
to you all and wishing you luck in the new year. Please I really
feel great when I see whatever I am doing going well.
Just see
the pictures. It has made a good beginning of my year and needs
no words.
Great people
always do great things, that is why Paul becomes one of the greatest
people for ACE project.
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Just look
at the picture. It is good to deal with trusted people, because
they always make others happy.
I thank Paul
for the the great job he does for ACE, and I thank those who have
contributed funds for this project.
Hope this
will make every one happy please.
David
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When the visiting
ACE team arrived in February the finishing touches were being put
to the classroom block.
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This
picture clearly shows the new window system we have adopted to add
security and prevent breakage of glass in the windows by footballs. |
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The
ACE team were given a warm welcome at the handing over ceremony.
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Angela
addressed the crowd and there was singing and dancing.
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There
was an official ribbon-cutting ceremony ....
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....
and the handover was complete.
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You can click
here
to see a short video of part of the celebrations at the opening
of the new block.
This is a
project that ACE can be very proud of. The trustees would like
to thank all our supporters who made donations so that we had
enough money to complete it.
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2009
- The Year of the Latrine
The ACE trustees
designated 2009 as 'The Year of the Latrine'. It doesn't sound
as exciting as classroom building but is just as important.
Because ACE
has improved the schools so much, more pupils are attending. So
the latrines become filled more quickly. A bigger school roll
requires new latrines to be built and old ones to be emptied and
repaired.
Tha approximate
cost of a 5-stance long drop latrine is £2,000 and a 5-stance
Ecosan latrine costs about £3,000.
David Epidu
has sent us these pictures of work carried out recently.
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Renovated
Latrines at Bukazi School
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New
Ecosan Latrines at Kabami School
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However,
there is always more work to do.
At
Kabami school there is a partly-constructed
latrine block. It was started by the parents but they have run out
of money. David estimates it will cost about £550 to complete
it and we have now sent the money to pay for it..
At
Nyakabaya school the curtain
wall round a latrine block is partially collapsed. We are currently
getting an estimate from Paul, our local builder, for its repair
or replacement.
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Kabami
Latrine Needs Finishing
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Curtain
Wall at Nyakabaya Needs Rebuilding
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To
give an idea of the size of the excavations required for a new latrine
block, this picture shows the pit being dug for a new set of latrines
at Nyarusunzu school in 2008.
The
work cost about £5,400.
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It is also
possible for the existing latrines to be emptied. This picture
shows this unpleasant task going on at Bukazi
school in 2008.
The wall at
the back of the latrine block was excavated and broken through.
The contents were dug out by hand and the wall then rebuilt.
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Sponsored
Walk
ACE's team
of walkers completed the course in the Penzance Rotary Club Sponsored
Ramble on 20th September.
Click here
for more information.
You can see
how our fundraising went by clicking here.
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Cream
Tea
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Angela
and Vic Peake hosted a cream tea, in aid of ACE, at their home,
Chynoey, Newmill, on Sunday 6th September 2009.
Click
here to see how it went.
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Click
here to read a recent
report from David Epidu about the schools ACE supports. |
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To
read News from Previous Years click here
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