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On Wednesday, October 17, the medical outreach came to a close and the group traveled back to the Kaduna area. After a night of rest, Bishop Markus Dogo arrived to transport the Chagnons to Kafanchan. After a three-hour trip, the group arrived at the Bishop’s compound.
Kafanchan diocese supports seven schools – two secondary schools and five nursery/primary schools. The needs are great as can be evidenced in the photos below. After meeting with Bishop Dogo and the school board, the construction and renovation projects were prioritized. Top of the list was the rural Kagon River School, the existing building is in desperate need of renovation and an additional classroom block is needed.
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At the end of April, 2017, 10 students from Grace International School’s graduating class sat for their West Africa Education Council (WAEC) exams. These are the equivalent of our SAT College Board exams and are used to gain entrance into a university for further study. All of the students passed, some with distinction!  By Peter Dewberry On Friday November 9, 2018 two Africa Education Partnership board members, Elaine Chagnon and Peter Dewberry travelled from Connecticut to St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church in the Bronx, New York City in Ms. Chagnon’s SUV, which was loaded down with books and education materials destined for our schools in Nigeria, this was the second consignment of books we have sent  Gidan Waya Nursery/Primary School Giday Waya Secondary School We traveled from Kafanchan for about 20 minutes in order to reach Gidan Waya, home to Gidan Waya Nursery/Primary School and Gidan Waya Secondary School. This campus is the newest in the diocese; it was built in 2011 after violence in Kafanchan sent people scurrying for safety. When the violence passed, people were anxious about sending their children back to the Kafanchan schools, even though they were not in harm’s way. At that time, a new school site was established far enough away to allay fears. This site is the most impressive- all of the construction is in good shape. This is also the home of a newly constructed hospital on the other side of the site. The hospital was dedicated in April of 2018 and is open to patients year round. The only immediate project needed for this site is the completion of an exam hall for students to sit for their WAEC exams, similar to our college board (SAT) exams here. Bishop was able to secure a grant that covered half of the construction- the walls and roof are up- but the interior needs completion. The hall is massive and will hold up to 500 students- refer to the photo. It will take about $15,000 US to complete the build.  Kafanchan Nursery/Primary School; Kafanchan Secondary School We arrived at this first location- Kafanchan, the original school location in the diocese. Many of the buildings here were built in the 1930’s by missionaries. The fact that they are still in use today as a secondary school is a testament to their sturdy construction. That being said, the buildings are all in need of renovations of varying degree. The need is great and Bishop Markus and his team work hard to prioritize the most urgent requests with limited funds- there is simply not enough to go around to repair everything, especially when trying to manage seven schools. The first building on our tour of Kafanchan was the original chapel, alsoconstructed in the 1930’s. The building is currently used for an examination hall on the secondary level campus; however, the interior ceiling is on the verge of collapse, making the space currently unusable. Note the sag in the photo. The building is in need of an entirely new roof.  By Elaine Chagnon After a week of medical outreach, and participating in the dedication of the Graceland International School (GIS), Multi use/Exam hall. This was a momentous event and a milestone in the history of Africa Education Partnership (AEP) and GIS. Our time in Gusau ended abruptly at 2:00 p.m., as the first free clinic at Graceland Hospital, Gusau, came to an end. After a quick lunch, we piled into the bus for the 4 ½ hour drive to Kaduna, our midway resting place on the way to Kafanchan. Our “mission” in Kafanchan was to investigate schools in the discese to determine needs. We also wanted to assess the planning and organization within the diocese to see if there was a possibility of a new partnership with Africa Education Partnership (AEP).  By Elaine Chagnon I was able to sneak away from the hospital to photograph our students in classes. It was wonderful to peek in and I always forget how much they all love to be “snapped”! The eagerness that these young people show for learning is inspirational and encouraging.  There was a buzz of excitement as we got dressed for the dedication of the hospital and the hall. Festivities started at 10:00 and lasted until noon. The grounds were filled with dignitaries and clergy, including the representative of the Emir of Zamfara State. We gathered within the school walls and then set off to the hospital, a football field length away. By Elaine Chagnon After a good night’s rest, Bob and I awoke refreshed and ready to travel. Bishop Markus arrived with his driver promptly at 7:00 a.m. We loaded our bags into the trunk and headed out on a beautiful morning. It was a long ride - about 3 hours - on pretty rough roads, but the scenery was beautiful - far more lush and green than in the north. We passed groves of trees with strange berry-like clusters- teak trees. Sources for lumber are abundant here.  I was able to meet with a small group of teachers and the administrative team to discuss the progress made at the school. In addition, we discussed the formation of a maintenance budget, which would allow us to make necessary repairs from normal wear and tear. We discussed items such as replacement of computers and furniture, bus maintenance, supply requisitions, and physical plant repair including painting, plastering, plumbing, and other miscellaneous expenditures. This budget will be discussed with members of the building committee, as well as with administration, and forwarded to AEP for review.  |
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