Kambi ya Maziwa

The name refers to a Milk Camp or presumably where a milk market was held.

This was an area of contrast. Kambi ya Maziwa the next village to Mateves and did not seem to be a village at all - just an old school. The kids came from somewhere but we never actually worked in the village, though some of them were from Mateves and others from Kisongo and we did work within those villages.

I had seen the school from the main road though it was quite some distance from the road and when some further funding became available, we went to see the school.
Kambi ya Maziwa primary school bounders on to St. George's School and here's the contrast. St. George's is named after the founder and presumably he thought himself important enough to to add the 'St.' bit.
His was a school for those who could afford the fees and so the school had the modern facilities that a well-funded school anywhere has. Around the grounds was a 2m high fence, presumably to keep the feral kids from Kambi ya Maziwa out.

The kids at Kambi ya Maziwa were just village kids - not at all feral but unable to pay the fees at a private school. The school was in bad shape. The weatherboards were rotting and springing loose in the hot sun. They were short of everything including teachers and teacher accommodation. They did have a water tap and that encouraged us to supply trees to plant around the school. This had a good measure of success.
Because this was an extra school in our schedule, we were not able to help in the way they really needed it but they recieved full curriculum textbooks & teachers' copies, cupboards, new blackboards, and teachers tables.

Through some fortune 'big noises' from NZHC came with us when we delivered the materials and they took with them knowledge of the plight of poor schools in Tanzania.
We continued our environment programme there for another year, which saw a number of trees established. Later, in another project we donated trees through Green Arusha Society.
I see now a Safari Lodge has set up business nearby and hopefully they are a good corporate citizen and are prepared to assist.

Footnote:
All this happened circa 1996 and then primary schools [and secondary for that matter] struggled financially, with resources and teachers.
Since then the Danish government donated massively towards education and friends of Tanzanian Schools, Compassion and people like Jane have contributed to assist schools. Much more is needed but it is pleasing that there is a movement to improving the lot of rural & urban students.
Perhaps I will give my take on what I saw in the education sector, but think that one of the problems faced by most students is there is no electricity in the home and it is dark at 7:00pm. Homework is given, but after household duties, how can homework be completed in the dark - the affortdability of candles and kerosine for light is a problem.