The Rehabilitated Classrooms Have Renewed Hope in Education 

Fatuma Abdullahi, is 11 years old, class five student at Belet Xaawo Primary school in Belet Xaawo District. Her school’s classrooms were previously roofless with small rusted iron sheets on some parts to cover them from the scorching sun.

According to Fatuma, she and her fellow students used to skip some classes due to the severe heat from the sun. “Our hands used to sweat a lot making writing difficult,” she continues, “sometimes the wind was very strong thereby blowing the old iron sheet from the roof. Sitting on the dusty floors made us look very bad and we felt very embarrassed, especially us girls. Apart from facing such challenges, there was persistent noise from nearby classrooms resulting from the wind shaking the iron sheet on some parts; we preferred going to collect firewood or studying under trees which felt more comfortable than going to the poor learning facilities we had.”

Fatuma She adds that today she and her classmates are grateful to ASEP/ARCHENOVA for the renovation of seven classrooms, making them suitable learning facilities.  Now there is renewed hope to pursue an education at Belet Xaawo primary school. “The classrooms are so nice and cool. Thanks to God first and to donors, for we can now realize our dream” Says Fatuma.

Belet Xaawo primary school headteacher Abdifatah says the students have more space now since the one old classroom that was without iron sheets was renovated and is currently being used by the pupils during the corona pandemic where social distancing is a key aspect for the protection from COVID-19. Abdifatah continues that since the rehabilitation of the classrooms school enrollment has shot up from 280 pupils in 2019 to 497 during the recent opening of the school after COVID-19, with 194 Boys and 303 Girls.  “Some school transfers and dropouts have been noticed to comeback due to availability of good learning conditions brought about by the rehabilitation of the classrooms, tremendous improvement in sanitation and hygiene within the school as a result of hygiene promotion and the 25m³ rainwater harvesting tank which provides running water for drinking purpose, hand washing, cooking and cleaning the classroom,” said the headteacher.