When we first visited Namuncha back in 2006, there was no electricity or running water. We had been introduced to the community by a person who had helped build the community’s first primary school. In the school, four small class rooms often took up to 100 children. For the younger children, the split between boys and girls was almost even. But from fourth grade, the number of girls significantly dropped. 

We know from Word Health Organization (WHO) that disease and death is reduced greatly in poorer communities if girls are educated for more than six years. This is not just about the girls’ own health but her family – and the community.

The charity has been working with community leaders in Namuncha to help identify how they can develop better circumstances for their girls’ education. 

Our first project was to finish the primary school, for children up to eighth grade. The goal was to make room for all the children of Namuncha. The second project was that all children should be able to continue their education in Namuncha, to make education more accessible. This meant building a new school. 

In 2018, all eighth grade pupils were able to attend the new secondary school in Namuncha. Even though the cost of education their children at secondary level has been reduced significantly with the local school, there are still many families in Namuncha who cannot afford to educate their children. In periods of draught, they can’t even afford to buy food. 

Since we established the charity, we have worked with the community to sponsor the education of the very poorest children in Namuncha. There are currently 15 secondary school students sponsored through Friends of Namuncha. Read more about how to sponsor a child’s secondary school education. 

With the help of Anglia Ruskin University, a UK university in 2015, we were able to install a wind pump which now delivers running water to the school. This means that the children can now wash their hands before they eat their lunch. The wind pump also provides water for the irrigation of the new school garden. In 2018, the primary school in Namuncha got electricity for the first time.

The secondary school in Namuncha does not have electricity. While the school buildings are being used every day, there is a lot of work to do before they can function like schools as we know them in higher income countries. Books, learning materials, furniture and toilets are just a few of the things we’re raising money for. 

Despite their extreme poverty, the people of Namuncha never give up. They are resilient, adaptable and calm – perhaps because they know that they are in the hands of nature’s will. By supporting this charity, you are helping people who are working extremely hard themselves for a better future for their community.