Anna’s School – Engilang'et Primary School
Anna Mollel, a courageous, ingenious Masai woman, was dedicated from an
early age to make changes in educational opportunities for girls and
children whose parents struggled to send them to school. Her personal
experience as a 7 year old child, watching her friend with cerebral palsy
being told she could never attend school created a spark that would ignite
into what is today Engilang'et Primary School. Anna received the
World Children's Prize in 2012 for her work in advocating for differently abled
children and for protecting the most vulnerable children in Tanzania.
Anna was dedicated to providing an inclusive education for children with
special needs which is why she began Engilang'et Primary School. Not only
does she have more than 250 children attending school there, but 20 of those children lived with her in her home until June of 2017 after which she had a dormitory built by Caritas International. All 37 children currently living there have a variety of special needs ranging from HIV to cerebral palsy to hydrocephelis. These children require special care, including costly doctor visits and sometimes surgery. Lengai, Ohini and Leah needed to be seen by a doctor because of their special needs. On a recent trip we brought them to see Dr. Maya at NSK . They each had x rays and a diagnosis. Leah and Ohini needed surgery to correct limb deformities. Leah’s surgery cost $275 and Ohini’s surgery and prosthesis was approximately $500. Because of the special medical needs of these children we have worked with Anna to get medical insurance for each child. Medical insurance is $35 a year for a child. The total for all 28 children staying in the dormitory would be approximately $900 yearly.
We worked with Anna so the school could become fully self sustaining, but with Anna's untimely death due to COVID in August 2021, some of the projects are now on hold. We successfully helped begin a beekeeping project to produce and sell honey and a chicken project to use the eggs for the children living in the dormitory and selling off the extra eggs and chickens. Anna built a "factory" where she produced beautiful textiles to help support her school. In the "factory" she hand looms tablecloths and scarves. We sold more than 150 of her tablecloths here in the states last year and brought in over $3000 in funding. We hope to find a venue so that we can sell more of her cloths to help continue her legacy and find a way to sustain the school and her incredible work with differently abled children. We send funds monthly ($450) to support the needs and medical care of the most vulnerable children at the school. On our past volunteer trips we have provided Engilang'et Primary School with school supplies and science books for the 6th and 7th graders, thanks to Eastport Elementary School students and teachers. Eastport Fire Dept. donated 3 IPads for the school's use which will afford children access to technology. Clothing and uniforms were provided by students at Our Lady Queen of Apostles here in New York. Mary Rodriguez and CHS donated a basketball hoop and basketballs for the new basketball court we built at the school. Thank you to everyone who has given support to help Anna’s mission.
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Winah sponsored by Claudia sponsored by Noeli sponsored by
the Mulligan Family the Mulligan Family the Mulligan Family
Raphael sponsored by Godson sponsored by
Pat Lazazzaro Charlie McGuire
We helped Agatha attend Teacher's College after she finished Form 4. She is pictured here with her child, who needed heart surgery shortly after his birth. Seeds of Hope paid for his surgery.
6th grade girls accepting our gift of science books from Eastport Elementary. Without the education provided by Engilang'et, some of these girls would have been forced into early marriage by age 14.
Education
St. Rose of Lima Academy has a student population of over 30 students with 3 teachers, James, Clara and Rose at the helm. Our "kindergarten" program consisting of 3 levels- Baby 1, Pre-K, and Kindergarten. After the program is completed children move on to Standard 1 (which is equivalent to our Grade 1) at Mother Kevin Primary School. School fees for Mother Kevin Primary School is $500 per year, per student. The children who attend St. Rose receive 2 meals during the day. We are grateful to our sponsors who send monthly donations to support the students. The children get a good education and get to fill their bellies- it could be the only food they get that day.
Anita sponsored by the Ciampi Family.
Leticia sponsored by Kathleen Lewis in honor of Mary Lewis
Anesta sponsored by
the McCall Family
The students attending first grade at Mother Kevin Primary school are Raphael, Israel, Daniel, Godfrey, Dainess and Furaha.
This is Obedy who has been one of the children we have supported since 2010. He recently graduated (November "22) from secondary school and is now attending university in Mwanza to become an accountant.We are so very proud of him!
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Yohanna sponsored by Mike and Susan Berdinka
The old school...
Lengai, a recent graduate, from Engilang'et, playing basketball on the new court we provided. He lives and goes to school at Engilang'et. He had tuberculosis as a baby and it settled in his spine. He can no longer walk.
STUDENT SUCCESSES TO CELEBRATE!
Neilejileji sponsored by Debbie Martins
More of Our students in Tanzania- Past and Present
Agape sponsored by Liz Taggart
Anna's son Boniface who now helps run the school.
Our volunteers and teachers from Engilang'et Primary School one of our mission trips
ROSIE'S SCHOOL in the village of Olkokola:
St. Rose of Lima Academy
An education can change a life! These children ages 4- 7 will have an opportunity to attend our kindergarten program at St. Rose Academy, which is a 3 year early childhood education program. Become a sponsor for just $16 a month! Click the donate button and make note of the name of the child you would like to sponsor. Please send an email to debimazura@seedsofhopetanzania.org let me know you have made your donation and what child you have chosen to sponsor.You will receive a note of thanks and a photo of your child. Thank you for making a difference in the life of a child!
Godfrey sponsored by Terry Bennet and friends of Lighthouse Yoga
Lengai, a student we have supported at Engilanget Primary school since 2015, went home to visit his family recently. He proudly shared his diploma with his family. He is now attending Patandi Secondary School . We are so proud of Lengai! He suffers from Potts Disease from tuberculosis that went undiagnosed when he was just 3 years old. We are so proud of Lengai and will continue to pray for his success in school.
Moving on to primary school: a collaboration with the Little Sisters of St. Francis
The new school was was officially opened in 2018.
Hosea sponsored by Lynn and Carl Turnquist
Anna in her "factory" where she made tablecloths to sell in order to support her school.
Teachers Flora and Rose teaching the children.
This chicken project at the school which was provided by The Women's Group from Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in East Moriches.
Angel sponsored by
Liz Taggart
Denis Pius Jenipha PrayGod
Israel sponsored by
Mike and Susan Berdinka
Anna Mollel with the head teacher.
Francis sponsored by Petro sponsored by PrayGod sponsored by
Tom Reilly Carol Carter Joanie Archbold
New and ongoing projects and needs for Engilang'et Primary School and Dormitory:
Medical insurance for ALL the children living at the dormitory $900 per year
Support for the medical care and education of Maria, Leah, Ohini, Lengai, Fanuel, Nanuri, Merinyo, Duadi and Obedi
Our goal is to continue Anna's legacy and make sure Engilang'et Primary School continues to educate the most vulnerable children. We have made arrangements to sell Anna's table cloths and scarves here in the US for $25 and $30 each year during the months of November and December each year.
100% of all the funds raised will go to support the children and programs at Engilang'et.
Furaha sponsored by Dainess sponsored by Josephine sponsored by
The Rodriguez Family The Dallesander family Lisa and Francis Brogan
These children all have sponsors who support their education at St. Rose Academy and Mother Kevin English Medium Primary School.
Riziki sponsored by
Lynn and Carl Turnquist
There are the children still waiting for sponsors...
"I slept and dreamed that life was joy
I awoke and saw that life was service
I acted and, behold: service was joy."
Poet Rabindranath Tagore
Ohini is one of the children who attends school and lives in the dormitory at Engilang'et. He would not have an opportunity to go to school had he not met Anna. Ohini was born with no arms and only one leg.
14 of our students graduated from our kindergarten program at St. Rose since December 2021. They are now being sponsored to go to Mother Kevin Boarding School which is run by the Little Sisters of St. Francis. We are so grateful for our collaboration with these sisters. Special thanks go to The Dallesander Family, the Berdinka Family, The Rodriquez Family, Patricia Lazazzaro and Catherine Lapenna and many others for making this possible. Here are photos taken of some of our sponsored children when our liaison Furaha Mangwangi took them to school in the beginning of January 2023 to Mother Kevin English Medium Primary School
Daniel supposed by Catherine Lapenna
Debi with 6th grader Fanuel, a boy with hydrocephalus who also lives at Engilang'et.