In response to your good questions on exactly how donated funds to Schools for Africa projects may be used, here are the best answers!
As the Schools for Africa informational brochure has spelled out, Schools for Africa, (SFA,) is committed, at this time, to four main projects on three target reserve in Nigeria:
1. Village health care for Fulani families,
2. Primary schools for all children on the reserves,
3. The 8-Village school for 1,621 children in Gombe State and
4. The establishment on the reserves of planned rotational grazing with sustainable systems for water and grass.
REGARDING VILLAGE HEALTH CARE:
The work will entail connecting the reserve health needs with federal health care systems in Nigeria, convincing those at the federal level of the need to establish clinics that will serve all of these families. We are not certain at this point, until we get back to those areas, of the response or contributions that the federal government will make to this huge need. We are hoping they will build clinics or at least commit to regular visits to reserve communities by health care providers and that they will supply medicine and vaccines and pay the staff at each location. But at this point, we do not know for sure.
Besides building clinics on the reserves, teaching must be made available to Fulani families, especially to the elders and family heads, towards full acceptance of medical care, medicines and vaccines by their women. Women and babies are dying in their camps because of a lack of trust in established health care. Teaching is desperately needed, to change this mentality and save lives. This will involve extended time on each reserve, teachers and staff.
Funds donated to health care will support logistics: travel between federal offices and reserves to establish village health care, curriculum for health care acceptance, pay to support staff – interpreter, driver, security and teachers.
REGARDING PRIMARY SCHOOLS ON RESERVES AND THE 8-VILLAGES SCHOOL:
SFA will collaborate with the National Commission for Nomadic Education, (NCNE,) on these projects. NCNE has committed to raising the buildings and paying teaching and non-teaching staff. NCNE has asked SFA to contribute all needed school supplies, assist in screening and hiring teachers and overseeing these school projects.
Funds donated to SFA will purchase desks, tables, chairs, textbooks and all school supplies for each of these schools. Funds cover travel between school projects and pay to support staff – interpreter, driver and security.
REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PLANNED, ROTATIONAL GRAZING ON THE THREE, TARGET RESERVES, WITH SUSTAINABLE WATER SYSTEMS AND GRASS:
SFA will collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, (FMARD,) and Clear Blue Water Project, (CBWP,) to ensure that planned grazing is done correctly so as to ensure grass supplies for the cattle. Water systems must be provided for the thousands of cows.
This work will involve extended work and stays on the reserves, and follow-up visits and teaching by Mr. Usiel Kandjii, certified trainer under the Savory Institute, also visits and consultation from water system professionals. FMARD will cover some of the expenses and CBWP has already donated funds for twelve boreholes but there will be many, many related expenses in this work that will need to be covered.
Funds donated to SFA will take up the slack by covering these additional expenses, as well as travel, logistics and pay to support staff.
THANKS FOR YOUR GOOD QUESTIONS – PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING! THE OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS OF SCHOOLS FOR AFRICA ARE COMMITTED TO THIS WORK IN NIGERIA, AND TO EXECUTING IT FAITHFULLY!