Excursion to LUSAKA NATIONAL PARK 2 March 2023
Twitti School Bus for transport
CHONGOLOLO CONSERVATION CLUB
One of the clubs that the school has is the Chongololo Conservation Club where pupils learn about wildlife conservation and the different habitats in Zambia. Yesterday there was a field trip to Lusaka National Park. They had a nature walk identifying different trees, insects and birds, they learned about the lifestyles of wild animals, and had a lesson on elephants while viewing them. They were also given different classroom activities on animals and were quizzed on what they had seen throughout the day.
The reactions of the pupils
The pupils loved the national park! Most of the reactions were from the things that they learned. Sante enjoyed running after butterflies and Tsungai was mostly amazed at the fact that a cheetah runs at 120km/h. Most of them enjoyed watching the baby elephants. Asaph was fascinated at how the elephants were a lot bigger than him at just a few months old and Ntiusha couldn't believe elephants stay pregnant for 22 months. Ethan's favourite part was the nshima and chicken that the chef cooked because he was allowed to go back for food three more times.
School Partners of TPS In Canada
George Street Middle School, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
George Street Middle School, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
George Street Middle School, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Schools in New Brunswick, Canada, are open in the new year of 2022-2023 although masks are still being worn and school activities are limited.
There was no Twitti Book Sale in May 2021 and we are unsure if one will be held in 2022. Past Sales have brought in thousands of dollars that have been used for the direct benefit of the Twitti Primary children, in their classrooms.
Marketplace, a sale of products produced by the Grade 8 students, has also raised funds for TPS, money to build the Play Park, for example.
We thank George Street from the bottom of our hearts and wish them all the best!
We also recognize the contribution of GSMS former Principal Pierre Plourde. Mr. Plourde is now Principal of a brand new school, still under construction.
Congratulations Mr. Plourde!
Simonds High School, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
George Street Middle School, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
George Street Middle School, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Simonds High School has been sponsoring TPS pupils for many years. Their generosity has helped several children complete their basic education and be ready to go on to the next levels of their learning. One of their former sponsored pupils, Sarah, completed her Nursing program at Chikankata in November 2021. When she is licensed she will begin her Nursing career.
Elizabeth, another Twitti pupil sponsored by Simonds, completed Grade 7 and is now attending Parklands High School.
Mrs Phillips, the teacher coordinator who organized the contributions of Simonds High for many years, and who visited TPS in 2018, has passed on the responsibility to Mrs Santori. She and the Simonds students are now assisting Twitti pupil Joseph to achieve his goals.
Thank you, Simonds!
École internationale du village, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
George Street Middle School, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
École internationale du village, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
After 8 years of helping Twitti Primary School, L'École internationale du village, an international school in the Canadian Province of Québec, has made the decision to move on to other charitable efforts.
TPS staff and students, as well as Friends For Zambia, offer sincere gratitude to the pupils and teachers for their hard work in raising funds to assist vulnerable children in Zambia.
We are particularly grateful to Mr. Steve Wadlow who has now retired from his years at L'École internationale du village.
Zikomo! Zikomo! Zikomo!
The Twitti School Story
Granny (Mrs. Maonde) tells the story of Twitti
Beginnings
When Lydia and Simon Maonde retired from their long careers in education, they took up a new life as farmers in the Lilayi community near Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. The need for a school for the children of the farm workers was apparent and so, in 1994, Mrs. Maonde began to teach 5 pre-schoolers in the Maonde home. Word spread in the community of how well these children were being taught, and parents soon brought others to learn. Since the Maonde sons and daughter had grown and moved away, their 3 small bedrooms became the school classrooms.
By 2005 there were about 200 children coming, in morning and afternoon shifts, to be pupils at this new Twitti School. The name Twitti was chosen since the word ‘twitti’ means the smallest twig, a symbol for these tiny children who were becoming part of the powerful tree of education.When this ‘school in the house’ was reaching its physical limits, an amazing re-connection occurred. Mr. and Mrs. Maonde, by means of the Internet, began to correspond with three Canadians who had worked with them at Namwala Secondary School more than thirty-five years earlier. Mr. Maonde requested their help in financing the construction of a ‘real’ school.
Former CUSO volunteer teachers, Patrick and Shelley O' Callaghan in British Columbia, and Patricia (Brown) Ellsworth in New Brunswick, committed to their former Headmaster and his wife to help them build a school, an enduring legacy for the Lilayi community. In 2006, Friends for Zambia Society was established and fund raising began. In 2009, the first 4 classrooms were constructed and each year more facilities were added until 2012 when Twitti Primary School was completed.
School Campus
When Twitti School was Officially Opened in July 2012, there were on the campus 3 classroom buildings containing 11 classrooms, 3 washroom buildings, a water well and storage tank, a sports field, a basketball court, a playground for the little ones, and an administration building containing offices, a staff room and a library.
Since then, attractive security fencing and well-maintained landscaping have been added. A netball court is enjoyed, as well as a sheltered stand for bicycles. Stone walkways constructed between buildings reduce the amount of mud that comes into the classrooms in the rainy season. There are benches near the playing field for the children during break times. In 2018 the cholera outbreak necessitated the addition of water points for hand washing. A new Play Park was built in 2019 to replace the old metal playground equipment that was rusting and dangerous. With cement donated by Lafarge Cement Zambia and a financial contribution from Friends For Zambia, a new security wall was completed at the rear of the school property. This wall provides a secure environment for the children and protects the property, including the new Play Park from vandalism. A wall formerly on site was demolished in 2016 as a result of a property dispute.
Current Needs
Would you be willing to help Twitti Primary School?
Consider how you might contribute:
- The Literacy Project which began several years ago has made it possible for many, many children to improve their reading skills. New levels of the program are needed.
- More Solar panels would make the school more self-reliant. 2 panels have been installed with help from FFZ donors. Your donation could increase the capacity for energy from Zambia's natural energy source - the sun.
- The addition of a school kitchen/lunch hall is a Twitti dream, especially on the rainy and muddy days.
These are the current needs, and the next steps that will be taken in order to optimize Twitti's success.
Want to help? To see how to financially contribute to these projects, go to the How to Help Page.