FAITH LEARNING CENTER - MAY 2014 UPDATE

A multi-grade class at FLC

FLC re-opened on March 17, 2014 after ten months of closure necessitated by an armed conflict between rebels and government forces for the control of Boma. The school reopened amid much excitement and enrollment peaked at 168 within 2 weeks. However, severe hunger in the region has caused a significant decrease in school attendance. The resources flown into Boma earlier this week for the  launch of a school feeding program beginning on Monday, May 5 is expected to reverse this trend. With limited staff and under difficult circumstances, we are teaching combined grades and will be able to keep the students moving forward until further resources are available.

A few positive developments have taken place since the re-opening of the school:

Part of supplies for feeding program

• Being the only school functioning in the whole of Boma Sub-County, FLC received and will continue to receive teaching and learning resources from UNICEF
• The children received a gift of T-shirts donated by Coram Deo Academy in Flower Mound, TX
• SEAP staff in Boma recovered 40 school desks and an old plastic table from the soldiers in the nearby barracks
• Ken repaired the roof of Grade 1-2 Classroom block after strong wind damaged it recently.

Boxes of supplies from UNICEF

The school, however, continues to face some challenges:

• Both school and staff water wells are not functioning; their immediate repair is essential
• Additional desks are needed
• Ken says that the recently repaired roof is unlikely to survive the strong winds during the current rainy season because the wood has been damaged by ants and weevils; further repair is needed
• Wooden pillars supporting veranda roofs need replacement
• School's latrine doors need replacement
• As the expected growth of school attendance takes place, there will be need for additional teaching staff and associated resources.

Further needs of the school will continually be evaluated and determined according to unfolding circumstances such as more families re-locating to Boma, availability of food and security.

HENRY OKUMU
African Director
SEA Parners

Students wearing Coram Deo T-Shirts

Roof being repaired