Return to Katumba (Let there be Light)

Luci Lights in Action



This was our last night in Sumbawanga and I think one of our best.  As you may remember we dropped off 120 Luci Lights at Katumba secondary earlier in the week.  Also on that visit the Matron of the boarding halls made it a point to show us the conditions, no power, one spigot for water, and all 120 girls sleep on the concrete floor on small mats.  The floor is wet, cold, has mice, snakes, etc...  Basically impossible for these girls to study after 5 pm, let alone get a nights sleep.  We were struggling how to handle the matron's request when we ran across the two teachers from the Trade school (same guys Pat & Gavin were shopping with in an earlier post), they told us their shop class could make 120 bunk beds for the girls as a class project.  We saw this as a way to support the Trade School and get the girls at Katumba Secondary up off the ground.  Susi made the deal Saturday afternoon and I am happy to report 120 beds are in production and on their way to the girls in these pictures.




Hard to describe how much this meant to these girls
Gabriel suggested we go visit the girls that night, see how the Luci Lights were working , and let them know about the bed order.  I have had some great family vacations in my life, but nothing quite tops spending an evening with Tanzanian school girls who are getting light for the first time in their educational careers, plus a visit from Julia and Emma in the middle of the night, plus new bunk beds!  It was like a teenage slumber party mixed with an Oprah Winfrey "you get a car..." episode.  Pictures do not do it justice.




Typical Boarding Room at Katumba.  2-6 girls sleep here


We purchased 60 of these for $113 each.  Gets all 120 girls off the damp floor






Yeah, we can study







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