We catch up with Jackie and David Morgan in Redditch’s twin town Mtwara in Tanzania.
“AS our warmly welcomed stay in Mtwara continues, we were pleased to visit Mangamba Secondary School. Here we were introduced to seven students whose education is sponsored by Redditch One World Link. Though Primary education is now free, fees are still charged for Secondary schooling.
This means that children who are orphans, or from very poor families, cannot take up their secondary school place. For many years, ROWL has raised funds to support the payment of secondary school fees, which is managed by the local committee of Mtwara One World Link.
At nearby Mtawanya Folk Development Centre we were introduced by the principal, Edwin Wandeha, vice-chair of MOWL, to post-primary boarding students.
They receive vocational training in practical skills such as electrics, masonry, carpentry, tailoring and motor vehicle maintenance.
On visiting the kitchens, we observed the cooking of rice and beans for the next meal and learnt that meat or fish was served once a month.
One of the newer schools is King David’s School, an English medium private school. Head teacher, Edwin Peter gladly received information and pupil posters from Holyoaks Field First School, Redditch, and welcomed the setting up of a twinning link between the two schools.
It was a joy to us to be invited into several homes for meals, one of which was that of Edward and Eva Ngonyani. Edward still recalls with enthusiasm to his visit to Redditch in 2013. We were able to present him with a laptop that will be of great benefit to him as principal laboratory technician of Mtwara.
This was a gift from a work colleague at Worcester Hospital, where he had a work placement while staying in Redditch, and also by Tesco.
