Sun, May 3, 2020 at 9:59 pm GMT
Dear TSF sponsors,
This is Tunu, the Communications and Development Manager at Orkeeswa School.
I hope you are doing well and staying safe in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.
In case you didn't get our newsletter, Orkeeswa School has taken the following steps in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
* Closed the school on Monday, March 16 in anticipation that cases would soon be confirmed in Tanzania
* Ahead of that, we educated students and staff about the virus, social distancing, and other preventative measures they could start taking immediately
* Created and distributed Swahili informational materials to share with families and community members.
If you have any questions about Orkeeswa during this time, please let us know.
While this is a unique time globally, we are working hard to make sure we keep things on track with Orkeeswa School, and that includes keeping our Scholarship Program updated and in full operation.
Jennifer has been preparing for her National Examinations this year, but also really applying herself as a scholar, leader, and role model in her school and in her community.
We sat down with her to hear her thoughts about her final year of high school, and this is what she had to say, “Every time I remember that this is my last year of secondary school, I feel so proud of myself that I am close to the finish line and almost to a new stage of life! My family feels very happy for me because they have always been encouraging me to work hard, so being in 12th Grade makes them understand that my hard work is paying off. I am the first one in my family to make it this far in my education, and that makes me feel like I have to succeed so that my young brothers and sisters can see me as their role model. This is a little scary, but I am sure I can do it!”
Regarding her favorite subject in class, Jennifer said “ Socialism has been a very interesting topic in my History class. I really enjoyed this topic as we discussed how socialism affects the Tanzania we live today. I was also fascinated to learn about European history which at first was difficult to understand, but our teacher came up with really interesting activities to help us understand.”
Jennifer has also been involved in some really enriching extracurricular activities and she had this to say about them; “I’m a member of the Pan-African Leaders Club, and we have been learning about the African leaders who brought positive changes in their home countries. Now I consider myself one of the Pan-African leaders of the near future, because I have learned the strategies used to bring changes in my own country! I'm also participating in a Yoga activity, where every Friday we do gentle yoga to relax and clear our minds. I love it because it makes me feel calm before going home for the weekend!”
As you can see, Jennifer is all grown up, having an interesting final year of high school and very excited of her future. We are sure she will perform well in her National Exams and go ahead to university. We look forward to keeping you updated on her progress.
Attached is a photo of Jennifer during a practical project.
Thank you for supporting Jennifer's education at Orkeeswa School!
With Gratitude,
Tunu and Orkeeswa School
