News
- Mar 17 -
Friends of the Choir Update #61
Posted on 17th March, 2007Dear All
Firstly my apologies for the silence since the last update. I commenced a new position in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last September and it has been a hectic time since then. The purpose of this email is to let you know the status of the Trust's bank account and the school.
Thankfully the Trustees have been managing the project in my absence. Below is a summary of events:
The construction of the Secondary School has been completed. It has been named the Hamza Aziz Memorial Secondary School. The late Hamza Aziz was a close friend an colleauge who was the inspiration behind building a secondary school and also the father of Trustee Rose Aziz.
Plan International was a major donor to the construction fund. Some Plan Officials visited the school to inspect the premises. The feedback obtained was that of praise for job well done on all fronts.
The construction contractor has been fully paid. The balance of the Trust account as of yesterday is US$29,774.28 so there is a healthy balance to keep the school running.
There are 360 students enrolled this academic year. This is an increase of 80 percent on last years enrollment. In order to support the enrollment program, the Trust Fund has allocated TZS 3,500,000/= towards the purchase of desks and chairs for the additional students. This was done after village residents and government made a written commitment to contribute TZS 2,500,000/= towards the tables and chairs.
There are currently 5 teachers at the school and the ratio of students to classes is 45 students per class.
In late November 2006, the Trust Fund provided financial assistance to the school by paying a half monthly salary to three teachers at the school for a 3 month period. It was brought to the attention of Trustees that teachers were in a financial crisis. They had not received their salaries from the Ministry of Education for more than three months.
The Trust has provided monetary support for purchasing 2,667 trees seedlings. These trees were planted around the school perimeter serving as fence.
A date has yet to be confirmed for the official opening of the school. The Trustees are working on having First Lady of Tanzania open the school. She is a teacher by profession.
The Trustees have hired a consultant to develop a strategic plan for the school. This strategic plan will serve as a guide for futire financial and educational programs for the school.
It is the intention of the Trustees to establish an Entrepreneur Program in the school. This program will be taught from primary level onwards. It will compliment the existing curriculum of the school.
The program will offer a series of business classes in modules. These business modules will give the students basic business skills.
It is also intended that the business school will create a revolving fund facility that will provided small loans to graduates, as initial investment and working capital.
This concept has reached the ears of an international organization and a mechanism is under way to earmark the School as a pilot project in Tanzania.
Lastly Trust Funds accounts are being audited by an external auditing firm as part of good governance.
And what of the choir? We are waiting to see what opportunities might present themselves this year.
As always have a good weekend.
Kind regards Grant
- Oct 13 - Friends of the Choir Update #60 Posted on 13th October, 2006
- Sep 25 - Friends of the Choir Update #56 Posted on 25th September, 2006
- Sep 25 - Golden Pride wins two website awards. Posted on 25th September, 2006
- Aug 1 - Friends of the Choir Update #52 Posted on 1st August, 2006
- Aug 1 - Friends of the Choir Update #53 Posted on 1st August, 2006
- Jul 31 - Friends of the Choir Update #51 Posted on 31st July, 2006
- Jul 3 - Friends of the Choir Update #49 Posted on 3rd July, 2006
- Jun 16 - Friends of the Choir Update #48 Posted on 16th June, 2006
- Jun 7 - Friends of the Choir Update #47 Posted on 7th June, 2006
- May 29 - Friends of the Choir Update #46 Posted on 29th May, 2006
- May 19 - Friends of the Choir Update #45 Posted on 19th May, 2006
- May 11 - Friends of the Choir Update #44 Posted on 11th May, 2006
- May 9 - Friends of the Choir Update #43 Posted on 9th May, 2006
- May 8 - Friends of the Choir Update #42 Posted on 8th May, 2006
- Apr 26 - Friends of the Choir Update #41 Posted on 26th April, 2006
- Apr 21 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #40 Posted on 21st April, 2006
- Apr 18 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #39 Posted on 18th April, 2006
- Apr 13 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #38 Posted on 13th April, 2006
- Apr 10 - Golden Pride's Second CD due for release in May 2006 Posted on 10th April, 2006
- Apr 8 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #37 Posted on 8th April, 2006
- Mar 28 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #36 Posted on 28th March, 2006
- Mar 26 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #35 Posted on 26th March, 2006
- Mar 24 - Choir Invited to Perform in Switzerland Posted on 24th March, 2006
- Mar 23 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #34 Posted on 23rd March, 2006
- Mar 18 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #33 Posted on 18th March, 2006
- Mar 17 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #32 Posted on 17th March, 2006
- Mar 12 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #30 Posted on 12th March, 2006
- Mar 10 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #29 Posted on 10th March, 2006
- Mar 6 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #28 Posted on 6th March, 2006
- Mar 5 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #27 Posted on 5th March, 2006
- Mar 4 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #26 Posted on 4th March, 2006
- Feb 27 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #25 Posted on 27th February, 2006
- Feb 21 - Golden Pride's CD features in 'The Age'. Posted on 21st February, 2006
- Feb 21 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #24 Posted on 21st February, 2006
- Feb 10 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #22 Posted on 10th February, 2006
- Feb 6 - Sounds of the Planet CD - Now Available Posted on 6th February, 2006
- Feb 3 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #21 Posted on 3rd February, 2006
- Feb 1 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #19 Posted on 1st February, 2006
- Jan 26 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #17 Posted on 26th January, 2006
- Jan 19 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #16 Posted on 19th January, 2006
- Jan 12 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #15 Posted on 12th January, 2006
- Jan 6 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #14 Posted on 6th January, 2006
- Dec 30 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #12 Posted on 30th December, 2005
- Dec 22 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #11 Posted on 22nd December, 2005
- Dec 16 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #10 Posted on 16th December, 2005
- Dec 14 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #9 Posted on 14th December, 2005
- Nov 28 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #8 Posted on 28th November, 2005
- Nov 12 - Choir invited to perform in Spain Posted on 12th November, 2005
- Nov 12 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #7 Posted on 12th November, 2005
- Nov 4 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #6 Posted on 4th November, 2005
- Oct 23 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #5 Posted on 23rd October, 2005
- Sep 28 - Documentary entered into film festivals Posted on 28th September, 2005
- Sep 17 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #2 Posted on 17th September, 2005
- Sep 14 - Golden Pride Newsletter Update #1 Posted on 14th September, 2005
- Aug 30 - Choir features on Channel 7's True Stories Posted on 30th August, 2005
- Jun 15 - Channel 7 aquires Australian rights to documentary Posted on 15th June, 2005
- Apr 18 - Choir to perform at Commonwealth Games 2006 Posted on 18th April, 2005
- Apr 18 - Choir receives invitation to Womadelaide 2006 Posted on 18th April, 2005
- Jan 1 - Posted on 1st January, 1970
- Jan 1 - Posted on 1st January, 1970
