Tyneside Teams Up With Tanzania in School Twinning Programme

14 September 2010

A Tyneside primary school has linked up with pupils in Tanzania to experience new cultures and different ways of learning.

The twinning arrangement has been inspired by a school re-building programme in Africa developed by green services provider Eaga and leading charity Childreach International.

It will see pupils from Balliol Primary School in North Tyneside exchange blogs, videos and songs with their counterparts at Lotima Primary School near Kilimanjaro.

The schools intend to create a long term relationship by maintaining pen pal communications to share cultures and integrate learning within the curriculum. A mural designed by pupils from both schools will be produced to represent their local environment displaying the best areas in a colourful interpretation.

During October and November staff from Eaga and some of its business partners will work with the local community in Lotima to re-build their school which is in desperate need of repair. As part of Eaga’s  Futurebuilding project it will provide much needed facilities for 400 children and their teachers in one of the poorest parts of Africa.

Linking up with Africa: Balliol pupils left to right are Marley Wood, Aidan Matthieson, Lauren Barnett and Declan Robertson with Eaga partners Paul Williams, Julie Wilson, Louise Downes, Zoe Muirhead and Ben Walsh, along with Anouk Galle from Childreach.

To help with the effort pupils from Balliol are also holding their own fund-raising events to pay for a new playground in Lotima. Pupils from Balliol will participate in activities to assist design of the new playground.

Fiona Downes, Head Teacher at Balliol said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for the pupils, staff and families of Balliol Primary to develop their interest and understanding of Tanzania and learn about the lives and experiences of the children and families of Lotima School.  The link with Eaga is brilliant because it enables the children to meet people who have been to Lotima and share first hand accounts of life in their community.  We are working closely with Eaga to ensure that this is a meaningful and long term partnership which supports children’s developing understanding of the positive aspects of similarity and difference between races, cultures and communities.”

Sam Robinson, Regional Network Manager for Eaga, added, “The way this programme has grown rapidly into a legacy for the local school communities we support in Tanzania is testament to the fruitful Partnership between Eaga, Eaga Partnership Trust, Childreach International and now our stakeholders. This year is particularly exciting for the children at Balliol Primary School in North Tyneside and the 400 children who will attend the school we are rebuilding in Lotima, as the school twinning programme will give them all access to particularly rich and unique cultural experiences and learning opportunities. At Eaga we take so much pride in making that happen.”

The five-year Futurebuilding programme was set up by Newcastle-based Eaga and Childreach in 2008 as an international development programme. Between October and November up to 50 staff from Eaga will get the chance to visit Tanzania and help the local community re-build Lotima School.

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For more information please contact:
Rik Kendall
PR Executive
Tel: 0191 245 8342
e:mail: Rik.Kendall@eaga.com

Notes to Editors
               
Eaga is a green support services and outsourcing company and a leader in the provision of outsourced services, products and solutions that address the environmental and social objectives of Government and the private sector. Eaga’s key market drivers are centred on climate change and social inclusion.

Eaga is the UK’s largest residential energy efficiency provider. Working in partnership with central and local Government, utility companies and other commercial organisations, Eaga operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada, employing around 5,000 people.

Eaga was established in Newcastle in 1990 as a private limited company to lead Government-funded efforts to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people living in cold, damp and energy efficient homes across England. In 2000, the company was restructured to become a 100% employee owned business.