Gitarama, now called Muhanga, with 74,000 inhabitants, is the third largest town in Rwanda; it is 48 kilometres from the capital, Kigali. The current school infrastructure in the town is unable to guarantee a good standard of education for the entire population. In addition, the difficulties following the tragedy of the 1994 genocide are still considerable and add to the problem of providing a good education for the nation's children.

 

The local residents named the school AHAZAZA, meaning "the future". That is because it sees its pupils as representing the future of Rwanda, a future based on the country’s primary element of wealth - its human resources.

 

The founders of Ahazaza want to enable intelligent, capable and motivated children to benefit from a high standard of teaching across all levels of education, at an affordable price. At present, the fees are set at FRW 180,000 per year, an amount considered realistic and affordable. Additionally, to ensure that the school is not identified as being reserved for the rich, scholarships/financial assistance is provided for children coming from poor families. It is expected that 25 percent of the children will be in the latter category. 

 

The teacher/pupil ratio is 25/1, compared to the norm of 50-80/1. Teaching is in English and French across the curriculum from kindergarten upwards. The Kinyarwanda language is taught as a subject in the primary years. Classes follow a child-centred approach with the extra-curricular drama, music and art based on the Rwandan culture.

 

A small farm attached to the school allows children to pass on the knowledge acquired to better their parents’ agricultural techniques and so improve the standard of living to an impoverished community. The philosophy behind the farm school is to teach smallholders how to make the most of their plot of land by teaching them about agriculture, organic farming methods and breeding animals, as well as basic financial and economic principle.

 

To find out more about Ahazaza's amazing work, and on information on how to contribute towards the scholarships, please click here

Teach a Man to Fish (TAMTF) believes self-sufficiency is vital to providing a quality vocational education that opens up prospects for graduates to earn a decent living, and create jobs for others. Another valuable benefit of maintaining self-sufficiency as a goal is institutional fitness.

 

Self-sufficient schools are denied the complacency of institutions which can rely on regular funding irrespective of performance. Like regular businesses they must adapt, innovate, and constantly renew themselves just to stand still.

 

The discipline this requires serves as an inspiration to students, and ensures of necessity that the education they receive is focussed on skills from which they can earn a livelihood.

 

To find out more about TAMTF's amazing work please click here