By Taffy Geith
The Community Room of Habitat for Humanity, 2180 Iowa Ave., was again the gathering place for the Riverside Branch of AAUW on February 13, 2013 at 9:30 AM.
After time for greetings, goodies and coffee, Barbara Purvis, co-president, had a brief announcement: The Riverside County Sheriff and Safe House are applying for federal grants to help fund the Riverside County Human Trafficking task force. They are asking their partners in the task force to provide letters of support to show unity and need to the task force. Barbara asked the members present for a vote to support sending a letter which will be signed by the co- presidents. Members were in support of this letter.
Ruthann Mlcoch introduced Jane Moore, retired director of the Riverside County Office of Education, to speak on “Pencils and Dreams, an Endless Journey”, the topic of her adventures in Tanzania, Africa.
Jane credits her parents, — father, a biologist, and mother, a philanthropist, for her care about animals and her concerns in helping people. Her interest in Africa began seven years ago when she first visited there. It’s often quoted that “people who come back from Africa, Africa comes back to them.” Africa grows on you. Too, she retired in 2009, and her husband, Dale, gifted her with the book, Shadows of the Sun. Tanzania is south of the equator on the Indian Ocean and became an independent country in 196l when Zanzibar and Tanganyika were combined. Within fifty years it has gone from colonialism and socialism to now being a stable democracy — although with some conflicts. It is called the Switzerland of Africa, home to the great migrations of the Serengeti, Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Maasai Tribe.
While Jane and her husband, Dale, were touring Tanzania, they saw children begging for pencils. They came to realize these children wanted to go to school. She told her husband that they had to build a school. They contacted the Thompson Safari Co. based in Boston and were advised not to try. The Thompson Co, suggested that they add two classrooms to a school in the town of Karatu that had been begun earlier by Stanford. Stanford had laid forms for five classrooms, but two were left unfinished –$50,000.00 would be needed to complete them. It was then their dream was born –- their “Pencil Dream”. Why Tanzania? Tanzania has quality cement and can do quality work. Further, Tanzania has the UN Millennial Goals – free access to primary school. Tanzania is one of the ten poorest countries in the world, — average wage $1.25 a day, life expectancy 45 years, two out of five children unable to attend school, 50% of children under the age of 15, 123 different ethnic groups, a population of 45 million today, (and growing) and they ask citizens to build their own schools. Their society needs a variety of factors whose main foundation is education. H.G. Wells said, “History is a race between education and catastrophe.”
Jane and Dale returned home and began fund raising – pencil sales, note paper sales, book sales, etc. and finally, they had generated $44,200.00. They have just returned from the dedication of two classrooms and felt very pleased. The student performances were high, too, students had drawn maps on the walls of the classrooms – a true application of learning and creativity. (Would that we all could see that.) The students and mothers were invited to a “surprise” gathering where Ginger Martin and Ruthann Mlcoch gave out 160 handmade, unstuffed Teddy bears to the students. Mothers and students sat outdoors on the grass and stuffed them with cotton batting and sewed them shut. The children were ecstatic! One young boy clutched two pink Teddy Bears to his chest – happy to have his own toys. A heart warming moment at Ayalabe School, in Karatu, Africa.
_____Presently, they are breaking ground for a new dormitory for forty-eight secondary school girls. It’s difficult (sometimes impossible) for girls to go to school — hence the need for a dormitory. Some girls have to walk eight to ten miles to and from school, this means less time for homework, further, some have to do chores at home, and, sadly, some girls are raped. They need a dormitory so they can live at school, get an education and pass the graduation exam. There are charges for secondary education, and for living at the dormitory. This is part of the mission for Jane and Dale.
A future project for them is a tiny school in a new village created by the Maasai. The Maasai formed a committee to make a school, the foundation has been laid and Jane and Dale want to build two more classrooms there. They are working with the community to get a plan. The Maasai are very primitive, and have become marginalized — they will disappear without education.
Jane provided ample photos of children and schools plus information on ways that AAUW can help. Donations were made then and there because this dream is ongoing for Jane and her husband.*
Members of the Riverside Branch of AAUW were overwhelmed and awed by the accomplishments of Jane and her husband. They are setting an example of how much good “team players” with a mission can contribute to a society that is far from home. Jane is charismatic, dedicated and tenacious in following her dream — making it possible for children and girls to get a precious gift—an education.
*Pencils and Dreams — Education for Girls in Tanzania,
http://www.pencilsanddreams.com/