Iyombo SEND Classroom

Iyombo is a village between Mwanhala and Nzega. The Primary School there provides specialist classes for children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities from the village as well as from the surrounding area. But its SEND facilities are poor so it was suggested that FUM might be able to build a classroom with facilities dedicated to the needs of these children.

At the time we did not have the £12,000 needed for the project but fate intervened. A FUM committee member Ralph Burgess, who some years ago had taught in Mwanhala, decided to run a fund-raising marathon in Copenhagen for Iyombo.

Secondly we had had a long association with another charity ‘The Friends of Nzega’ (FON) with whom we had shared several projects in the past, for example the training of Nzega nurses and the building of a nurses’ house for Mwanhala clinic. Sadly FON had to cease operations in 2023 but they generously donated their remaining funds to FUM to go towards a suitable project. Iyombo was in the FON patch so they readily agreed.

For nearly 40 years Cranbrook School has had a Tanzania Project and part of their students’ annual Lenten Appeal fundraising has been donated to FUM every year. The educational link made the Iyombo project a natural beneficiary for the school’s donation this year.

Thus the money for the building was raised. Ralph then generously donated the funds from his recent wedding and these will be used for specialist equipment in the classroom.

The photos show the building work at the time of writing. The project is being supervised by our good and trusted friend Venance Gomegwa who lives in Nzega and has for 30 years helped FUM with many such projects. The walls and roof have been completed in good time before the arrival of the rainy season in late November. Still to come are the ceilings, windows, doors, plastering and painting inside and outside. Finally the floors will be laid and the ground outside tidied up. We expect it to be completed by Christmas this year in time for the new school year in January and provide a long lasting benefit for local children.