The first round of construction is complete at the
Christopher P. Halloran Primary School!
Catherine Halloran Cook
and William Elias
In the fall of 2022, the Board of Directors of FOTZC traveled to Tanzania to review all our current projects, including the CPH School.
These are the projects at the Christoper P. Halloran School that are complete as of October 2022:
The Lisa and Scott Stuart Pavilion
Up until now, students in Orkuyene ate meals cooked on a single stove under a small makeshift roof, and had no clean, comfortable space for eating with friends. Now that the pavilion is complete, students have a healthy environment in which to eat their meals, as well as new toilet facilities to maintain hygiene. In addition, this state of the art dining hall also serves as a meeting place for the community and an event center for celebrations and gatherings. This multi-purpose building is clean, well maintained, and heavily utilized.
New Kitchen
At the end of 2019, ground broke on the foundation for the Christopher P. Halloran School's new kitchen. After a myriad of rain and Covid related delays, it is now complete! The kitchen features two large areas for cooking and preparing meals, under a roof and ventilation for safety measures. Healthy, nutritious food in a sanitary environment is now the norm at the CPH School.
Borehole and water supply
With a new borehole and a 100,000 L water tank, the students and staff now have round the clock access to clean, healthy water. Gutters are installed on the dining hall building, and the water that comes during the heavy rainy season is captured and utilized as well. Clean drinking water from the borehole is stored in a tank (as pictured below) and is easily accessible to teachers and students.
What’s next for 2023
Funding has already been secured and plans underway for the following projects in 2023:
Tower tank to provide a flush toilet for the staff at the school. They are currently using squat style latrines.
Fencing around the perimeter of the school to keep out both wild animals as well as livestock. When cows come onto the property there is a risk of them breaking windows in the buildings. Once the fencing is up, the community will plant 500 trees, supplied by the government. In addition, once the area is secure, the students can plant a vegetable garden that will help to feed the students.
Teacher’s housing. There are currently only eleven teachers at the school. Because the area is so remote, the government will not send more teachers unless adequate housing is provided. Teachers are currently living in the storage rooms in the Dining Hall - not ideal. The new housing will accommodate 4 single or 2 married teachers and their families. In addition to inconsistent student attendance due to lack of student housing, Tanzanian schools have struggled with providing teachers to remote areas of the country. With new teachers’ houses on the campus, teachers will be able to provide the highest level of instruction to our students, without the challenges of transportation and living arrangements.
And then what?
Fundraising for the next set of projects has already begun. These are the projects!
Four new classrooms to accommodate the growing number of students attending the school. Fundraising goal at current prices: $55,000.
Two new dormitories, one for the boys and one for the girls. Fundraising goal at current prices: $268,000
