Finally visiting the schools!

My first taste of the porridge served at primary schools in Roche...tastes like cream of wheat!

So after four weeks of waiting, I finally get to visit the primary schools that host the uji project!  The first three weeks I was here, they were on summer holiday, and last week they were busy getting students back into school mode.  So here I am, spending the day meeting with administrators at Migeko, Ratia, and Roche primary schools, the three msingi of Roche village.  Quick background on the project: in 2008, VLOP began supplying these schools with flour and sugar to make uji, the previously mentioned porridge, to be served for lunch.  The cooks are to be volunteers from the community, so that there is no added cost to the school or students.  Public schools in TZ do not provide lunch to students and so they must walk home for lunch every day.  Some of the distances are so far that many never return for afternoon session; others stay at school with nothing to eat.  The idea is to provide students with a meal to keep them attentive so they can learn throughout the day but also keep them at school for the entire day.  My task for the schools is to develop a monitoring system so that VLOP can keep track of important outcomes and indicators of success/failure with the project.  I’m also evaluating the current issues and needs of the program at each school.  I begin at Ratia PS, then Roche PS, and end at Migeko PS.  At Roche Primary, we arrived as the Standard 2 (second grade) students were taking their uji – they don’t begin school until 11, so they take their uji later than the rest of the school.  I asked if there was enough for me to try the uji just so I could relate to them and the project.  Cecilia, the Standard 2 teacher, says “of course!” and is surprised but excited that I would be willing to eat it.  And….it’s really good!  It’s basically cream of wheat in the US (Things to do in TZ: try uji. Check!  Now I just have to get to ugali).  The teachers were so welcoming and helpful at all three schools, and I greatly look forward to spending the next month working with them.  I didn’t get any time with the kids, but that will come next week.  They need to be focusing on their school work.

The students of Roche Primary School getting their cup of uji for the morning break