Sponsor A Girl
In September 2009 we will have the first Bethsaida graduation and our Form IV girls (grade 10) will complete their O-Levels. We are trying to ensure that our top students in Form IV are able to continue and finish the last two years of Secondary school. Without a High School graduation certificate, it is impossible for students to continue on to college or obtain advanced employment in Tanzania.
Bethsaida does not currently have the additional buildings (a second laboratory, a library, more classrooms for different combinations) to offer Forms V and VI on campus - although we are hoping to be able to in the future!
There are different alternatives for the girls after having passed their exams. The very best girls will probably be selected by the government and therefore be able to attend a government school with very low school fees. But even going to a government school means finding a place to live since the Tanzanian government is closing government boarding schools to lower their costs, so that even these girls will be depending on a sponsor.
The bigger amount of girls won’t be selected and as a conclusion to that has to be sent to private schools in the area. Many private schools have a good reputation as they are able to pay their teachers more money, supply the students with learning material and offer additional activities like discussion groups, clubs, etc.
If we can find enough sponsors, we definitely would try to send as many girls to good private schools as possible.
Doing some research on different Dar es Salaam schools showed that it should be possible to find a good school for approximately 750$ per girl and year. Most of the schools are cooperative in lowering their fees for orphans and we are optimistic to agree on a price that seems payable for sponsors abroad.
But apart from the girls who will pass, there definitely will be a certain amount of girls failing the O-Level Exams. There could be a way of repeating form IV in Bethsaida, but the best solution for them probably will be to providew them with soem sort of vocational training. Becoming a tailor, shopkeeper or carpenter is a way that allows the girls to be financially independent and start their own lives. We are not yet aware of the costs for a training or a vocational school, but it definitely won’t be more than the 750$.
It doesn’t matter if you decide to sponsor a girl on your own, share the costs together with friends or just give as much as you can afford and let us combine sponsors for one girl, but one thing is certain: the 27 Form IV girls need your help! The short profiles of each girl and their pictures should help you to get a short overview of the Form IV girls. Please take the time to let our girls and their stories speak to you ...
It will be the job of the long-term volunteers to organize the distribution of the money to the schools. They will also support the girls with some pocket money and make sure that sponsors get regular news and the girls' school reports and that they stay in personal contact with their sponsor.
Please contact us if you have any interest in sponsoring one of our girls. We will keep you updated on our website about which girl found a sponsor and other information concerning the sponsorship programme.