The Hand in the Assembly

Maryvonne Pool read a newspaper report about a school in Mkokozi that was in poor condition. She telephoned the journalist and asked to visit.

What she found was a school built of mud and sticks, with five children to a desk. It was far too crowded for anyone to concentrate.

A hand in the assembly

She was invited to the school assembly soon afterwards. Standing among the children, she felt a small hand reach up and take hers. It was Monica.

Her hand in mine meant a lot to me. I saw the potential for a bright future in her eyes and I wanted to help her achieve it.

Monica’s mother had been a teacher at the school. After her mother died, Monica went to live with her grandmother, who became her guardian.

Water at the school

The Foundation learned that Monica was walking a long distance to carry water. ARF drilled a well at her school. It gave her, and the 600 other pupils there, water to drink during the school day.

A well at a school changes more than thirst. It changes whether girls attend at all, how long they stay, and what the school environment is like to learn in.

The people who stayed

Dale Davidson, a friend of the Foundation from Albany, New York, met Monica on a visit and went on to support her secondary school fees.

The Village Heart describes Monica as someone with a drive and a passion that is genuinely striking in a young person — a girl with a great many people determined to see her succeed.