Shna Kurdi who is originally from Britain and currently living in Kurdistan as lecturer at Soran University. She recently visited the school in Kele Xaware where The WHAM Project have been working for two years now. This was the third visit on behalf of the WHAM project and the aim was to receive a different perspective of the situation at that particular school from a body unaffiliated with the WHAM project. Nadim Ahmed, Shna’s photographer, also attended the school visit. We believe the visit was very beneficial for both the school, staff and the students and also for The WHAM Project. Shna provided us with the following Report:
Report on visit to Kele Xaware school near Koye: ”We were lucky that the day we chose to go to Kele Xaware. turned out to be a lovely crisp sunny day and we were given such a warm welcome by Mamosta Lashkir and his staff. The school is a collection of very old buildings with log and turf roofs with each class room opening out onto a small courtyard, as does the manager’s office. Children needing to go to the toilet have to brave the elements and go out of the school compound through the mud; there is only one toilet which is in a concrete block built shed outside the main yard; it has no running water or wash basin just a cold water tap for staff and children outside the main compound; hygienic it is not! It is the only facility for staff and students alike. The children number about 60 with ages ranging from 6 years old to eleven; there are 10 teachers for them – but that ratio of staff to students, along with the obvious dedication of the teachers and support staff, was one of the very few positives about this school; the children were happy and lively and once the initial shyness wore off were friendly and curious about our visit; in fact it was a joy to meet them! The staff must be so dedicated to work in such conditions; they were all so welcoming and grateful for the small things we brought for the school, some picture books, pens, pencils and crayons etc for which the staff seemed very happy, and also some footballs which seemed to please everyone! A dictionary [Oxford Elementary Learners Dictionary] which was received with great enthusiasm and we will take more on our next visit. Now we are trying to raise some local money for a photocopier! We were lucky to see the school in such lovely weather; we were told how cold it is when the winter sets in and how little protection from the elements is provided by the structure of the buildings; rain constantly comes through the roof and the wind comes through every gap.”
Please help us to continue our work to greatly improve the conditions at Kele Xaware and to give these children the education and the staff the resources they deserve to receive the basic right of a proper and healthy education. You can help by donating to The WHAM Project here: DONATE
Here are some photos from Shna’s visit: