Tanzanian children are one step closer to gaining an education thanks to the efforts of Port Fairy volunteers.
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About 14 Port Fairy and Crossley residents travelled to Mto wa Mbu in March to work on a kindergarten, constructed last year.
The kindergarten, part of the Bandari School Project, is expected to open mid-year.
Founders Seif Sakate and Catherine Ryan said group members spent three weeks living and working in Mr Sakate’s home village.
The group built a toilet block, rendered and painted the kindergarten building and made furniture.
She said they also purchased resources, including a lot of books, and built an enormous chook house.
“We are now at the point that we are hoping to open the kindergarten in July, by welcoming our first 20 students,” Ms Ryan said.
“It is very exciting to see that all the planning and hard work is coming together.”
Ms Ryan said the Port Fairy community had been amazing.
“We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who has helped make this possible,” Ms Ryan said.
“The community of Port Fairy has been incredibly generous in supporting our dream of building a school to provide an education to disadvantaged children in Tanzania.”
In between the volunteers’ busy workload, they visited Tanzanian sights, went on safari and relaxed on the beaches of Zanzibar.
Ms Ryan said two recent fund-raisers helped pay for kindergarten resources and thanked those who donated.
The Books for Bandari fund-raiser, which was held in Port Fairy earlier this year, raised more than $4000.
The money was used to purchase books, games, puzzles and other resources.
“The local children were thrilled at having the chance to look at and play with all of this,” Ms Ryan said.
“It is not something that they would usually have at a local school.”
A long lunch held at Port Fairy’s L’edera restaurant on April 24 raised $2600.
Ms Ryan said the money would help pay for three Tanzanian staff members who were recently hired to work at the kindergarten.
The Bandari School Project will host a trivia night on Friday, June 3, at Port Fairy’s Star of the West Hotel.
Ms Ryan said last year’s event was a sell-out and encouraged people to book early.
Tables of ten, or individual seats are available.
To book go to The Bandari Project facebook page or call Catherine on 0437 213 233.