Building a school
In 1999, Marksteen Adamson went back to Tanzania where he grew up and spent time with his childhood friend Fortunatus Mabondo who had, since they last met, started a youth outreach ministry in the remotest, rural parts of Tanzania. Together, they discussed the issues facing rural children who were unable to attend school due to lack of income, resources or even a school near enough to walk to.
“It’s so amazing to reflect back when we had that first conversation and the school is now built. We have lots of students, 60% being girls, graduating and getting jobs in different industries and sectors. It’s a big dream and an answer to a prayer that came true.”
Dr. Fortunatus Mabondo
Directior General – New Life Secondary School
Marksteen had a vision to build a youth centre where training and education could take place in a safe and inspiring environment and so together, they started planning. On January 20th 2000, Marksteen bought 19 acres of land on the plains at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro to get the project off the ground.
Since then, with donations from around the world, a co-ed school has been built housing over 200 boarding students.
The school will take 60% girls, 40% boys
The school and Vocational Training Center is built on 23 acres of land in Kisongo ward, Engorora village in Arusha, Tanzania and started with six classrooms and teachers’ offices. More classrooms and dormitories for girls and boys will be constructed as funds become available.
The plan is to have 480 students when phase one of this much needed institution is finished, with the aim to take up to 1000 students when it is fully built in phase two.
60% of the students will be girls and 40% boys. For decades in African tradition girls have often been denied the opportunity to go to school. Traditionally, they just stay at home, get married, have babies and take care of the family. This school will take a majority of female students with the knowledge that if you educate a girl, the benefit will be felt more widely in the community as a whole.
