After over a year of construction, the girls’ hostel is finished. The first 58 girls have moved into the dormitory. They can now concentrate fully on their final exams. The time they previously spent walking to school (up to 7 km one way) can now be used for studying. And the solar system provides electricity so that the girls also have light (for studying) in the evening. A total of 40 bunk beds and 20 rooms provide space for 80 girls. Soon all the beds will be occupied.
The hostel also made it in the news. Nicole Schuchter from SALZBURG24 interviewed project manager Dieter Rachbauer and program manager Andrea Rainer about the girls’ hostel. Here is a short excerpt:
Around one million euros flow from Salzburg into development projects abroad every year. This money was recently used to build a girls’ hostel in the East African region of Singida. This means that many girls from the region now have the chance to get an education. […]
The construction of the home cost around 125,000 euros – money that came entirely from Salzburg, around 90 percent from the city and state, and the rest being donated by private individuals, says Rachbauer. Salzburg can achieve a lot with comparatively little money. The home will open up the way to secondary school for 80 girls between the ages of 12 and 18 – for the next 20 to 25 years. […]
However, Rainer is clear that the road to a self-determined life for women in Singida is still a long one. “It won’t work without the men, nor can we impose anything on them from the outside. That’s why we have to be very careful with our projects,” she says. “We want to raise the awareness of the communities that there are opportunities for girls and women to shape their own lives within their traditions, so they can dare to develop their own ideas about life.
You can find the full report here (in German).
Many thanks to the Province of Salzburg and numerous private donors who have helped to finance this project. Asante Sana!
