In 2019, it was Stelly香蕉视频直播檚 Secondary School student Carlos Quintero香蕉视频直播檚 first time being in a third world country.
Halfway around the globe in Katesh, Tanzania, the 18-year-old got a quick sense of how differently the students, who were sleeping in dorms there, were living.
香蕉视频直播淭he beds and the metal was all rusty and it was really in bad condition. There wasn香蕉视频直播檛 a lot of light. It felt like when you go into a warehouse and there香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of old stuff that hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been cleaned 香蕉视频直播� mold 香蕉视频直播� very tight spaces. So to be honest, it was really hard to see.香蕉视频直播�
Twenty-six grade 12 students from Stelly香蕉视频直播檚 were there through Canadian Harambe Education Society (CHES), an organization with headquarters in Surrey which aims to improve the quality of life of impoverished women in Kenya and Tanzania through education. The group was there to help construct a dormitory for 150 girls at the remote Mwahu Secondary School, directed by Chris Harker from North Saanich.
Since that trip, Harker now is on a new mission: to build a dorm for 150 boys.
Harker, a past Stelly香蕉视频直播檚 teacher and coordinator, is the volunteer director of CHES, which coordinated and oversaw the construction of the girl香蕉视频直播檚 dorm from 2019-22. He has strong ties to Tanzania, having lived there with his wife between 1970-1972 when he was contracted with the Canadian International Development Agency. The couple香蕉视频直播檚 first child was born there.
Having been back to Mwahu Secondary School twice since the girls dorm was finished, Harker described the success of the first project.
香蕉视频直播淭hey are so proud of it. They have 24 rooms, and they have three double bunks in each room. They just love it.香蕉视频直播�
But for him, seeing its success has further pushed the motivation to now build the dorms for the boys, who are living in the dismal conditions due to poverty in the community.
香蕉视频直播淚t was just so sad to see the grim comparison between the way that the girls are [now] supported at that school and the fact that the boys have to live in basically a tin shack,香蕉视频直播� he said.
The temporary dorm was put up almost 20 years ago and Harker said nothing has been done to it since.
香蕉视频直播淭he boys are now sleeping on very, very thin, and I香蕉视频直播檓 talking about less than an inch, foam mattresses that no longer have any foam in them on the cement floor,香蕉视频直播� said Harker. 香蕉视频直播淭here are cockroaches, there are spiders, there are mosquitoes 香蕉视频直播� They香蕉视频直播檙e all piled in together. It香蕉视频直播檚 just unhealthy and just sickening to look at them.香蕉视频直播�
He added that despite their circumstances, the boys don香蕉视频直播檛 complain.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 just amazing that these kids have nothing and they香蕉视频直播檙e so happy and joyous and friendly and warm,香蕉视频直播� Harker added.
Harker asked four boys to write a letter at the school. Titled 香蕉视频直播業mportance of Having New Boys Hostel at Mwahu Secondary School香蕉视频直播�, the students go into detail about what they are going through.
香蕉视频直播淢any of us are coming far away from school premises which make us to agree to stay at the old hostel which is not conducive for us 香蕉视频直播� Since it is build by using iron sheets (walls and roofs), they are now rotten and have holes and rust everywhere, the lumber used to make beds and divide the rooms, they are also rotten. This makes us to sleep on floor as there are no beds. Bats and rats are our friends as it is like we sleep outside. The hostel doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have light. Our toilets and washing are very bad.香蕉视频直播�
The boys go on to outline several 香蕉视频直播渁dvantages of living in a nice clean environment香蕉视频直播� including building self confidence, having enough light to study, and improved health and hygiene.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e ambitious. They香蕉视频直播檙e survivors,香蕉视频直播� said Harker, when describing the group.
Since the mandate of CHES is limited to support girls, Harker is pioneering the project outside of the organization.
The amount needed to build and furnish the dorm with beds is estimated to be around $90,000 or about $600 a student.
As the project is just kicking off, Harker said so far they have $38,000 in the bank and approximately $10,000 香蕉视频直播減ledged香蕉视频直播�.
Contacts in Tanzania have elicited a commitment from the local community into providing the foundation for the school, and the local District office has committed to providing the metal sheeting for the roof.
Harker is currently fundraising and is in talks with the school to bring Stelly香蕉视频直播檚 students on board for the humanitarian trip in 2025 but he said the project will happen regardless if that can be coordinated.
Quintero, now 23, said that he felt grateful that he got to help build the girl香蕉视频直播檚 dorm, which is named Stelly香蕉视频直播檚 after the school. Students who opt to take the global perspectives class at Stelly香蕉视频直播檚 get to go on the school香蕉视频直播檚 annual humanitarian trip.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 made me more conscientious and just willing to be more open-minded, especially when you hear things on the news,香蕉视频直播� said Quintero. 香蕉视频直播淵ou meet people from different parts of the world. So yeah, I would say it made me grateful, a bit more open minded and just more self-aware of what we have.香蕉视频直播�
Harker said interested donors can make their contributions through the Royal Commonwealth Society; Vancouver Island (RCS VI), a registered Canadian Charity by indicating 香蕉视频直播� Mwahu Project香蕉视频直播� with the donation. Donations can be made via e-transfer to rcsv.i.19@gmail.com; by mailing a cheque to RCS VI #1110-6880 Wallace Drive, Brentwood Bay, V8M 1N8, B.C.; or through Canada Helps.
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