Kariba Tiger Skills Primary School, Zimbabwe

Hello, my name is Stephanie, and I am here to fundraise for a small community in Charara, Kariba.

Like many other small villages in Zimbabwe, Charara is blessed with an abundance of hard-working people who look after one another.

I have seen firsthand how dynamic and forward-thinking all the people here are and their determination to provide for their families despite a 99% unemployment rate in Zimbabwe. This being said, their number one priority is their children's education.

Charara has a primary school in front of the National Angling Union, where we stayed on my trip home. John Siasayi has been the headmaster of Kariba Tiger Skills Primary School (previously known as NAU School) since the beginning of inception twelve years ago.

NAU School was created as children in this community walked 3 miles to the school on the banana farm, known as Charara Primary School. The crossing over the charara river is dangerous as it is elephant and lion territory, and the parents in this community did not want their children to make this crossing twice a day. In 2010, a girl was trampled by an elephant, sustained severe injuries, and was admitted to Harare hospital, where she stayed for three months to recover. Then, the Ministry of Education and Mr. Stevenson, the chairman of NAU at the time, discussed opening the school, and NAU offered the ministry an interim building that was not being used. The school started with three teachers and forty-five children, and as time went on, the school expanded. A grant was secured from the government, and thirteen sheds were built. These each consisted of 1 base building, a store room, and two chalkboards hung on the walls. See below

In 2015 the school was still expanding. A man named Mr. Davy saw a teacher teaching under the shed in terrible weather conditions, and he then set out to change this. He flew to America and found a foundation called "The Heart of Africa," which donated money to construct the two buildings the school uses today and the teachers' housing.

Renamed to Kariba Tiger Skills Primary School

Teachers Housing

State land was sought out and given to the school. The land was cleared of bushes and made good by the children's parents. Heart of Africa employed local contractors to build the school alongside the parents.

The school fees are paid directly to the school, and the government is not involved; this is purely a community lead educational system other than the government paying for five of the six teachers.

The parents pull money together and pay for the sixth teacher.

The parents also put in additional money when required for textbooks and all other materials used in the school.

Here are the children from Kariba Tiger Skills Primary School from ages four to eleven

What we will use your donations for;

Each student will have a year's supply of textbooks, exercise books, stationery, and all other school supplies.

Sports equipment will be provided, footballs and netballs.

School uniforms will be supplied for each student should they need them. This includes backpacks, hats and shoes.

Construction projects

With the help of local suppliers and the community, we would like to use your donations for the following;

Siting, drilling and equipping a borehole to supply the school with water, to be powered by solar as there is no access to electricity.

Refresh the existing buildings and spaces provided, painting and decorating works.

Erect a fence around the school grounds to keep out the wildlife to ensure children's safety.

Build a new playground for the children to enjoy.

Current playground.

Construct netball and football fields and possibly remodel them to include rugby posts for community fundraising.

Complete transparency on fund distribution

My mom, Sharline, will be overseeing all fund distribution. She lives within the community and has been a massive help in getting this all set up.

She will be the main point of contact here in Kariba. This will include buying all school supplies, uniforms and food, working alongside Headmaster John, and distributing when needed.

She will work with local contractors and oversee all works at the school; she has built a vast network here in Kariba and will get things done.

If we reach our goal target or exceed it, we will be able to determine if we can assist the community for a further year, but our goal at the moment is to help where we can for a full year.

With my mom on the ground, she will send me all updates; if a donation is made, you will be placed on a newsletter that will come out monthly to see the progress made.

This project means the world to me; thank you for changing the lives of this small community.