We painted the school last week. It looks nicer and stronger than any school we have built before. The teachers and the students didn't wait for the painting to dry before they moved into their new classrooms. So far, 102 kids are using the classrooms. According to the president of the parent Association, this number is going to double every year as the neighboring villages will start sending their children to the now free government school. The village has already hired two teachers pending the arrival of the government trained and paid teachers.
A look at the completed school with its recently completed painting, in comparison to Tienko's old school.
The Tienko school project has been a very successful one. At first we were concerned about the turnout since Tienko is a relatively small village and the project started in the middle of the harvest season. But it didn't take long for us to realize that there was no cause for concern. An average of 55 people turned out every day at the work site. It took only seven weeks to complete the whole project. And what's more impressive, this is the first BwB village construction site where women decided to do work considered men's work.
Tienko students are very happy to learn inside their new school.
Chief of the Village Seydou Bagayogo, who was himself the president the Project Support Committee, told me that he is the happiest man of the world today. "Not every chief of a village in this area lives to see his grandchildren attend a government school. Having a schoolhouse for my grand children has been my dream for 20 years. We thank BwB for helping realize that dream."
