Big Tree Preschool, Liyemo Preschool, Siandunda Primary

Big Tree Preschool

Siamate Village is 4km downriver from Tukongote School, just too far for their little ones to walk. Teachers Hilda and Steven identified the need for a preschool there. They started Big Tree Preschool in 2014 with 35 children under a shelter used by a local church.

We began our support by supplying books and resources, and later roofing sheets and cement for the floor of a mud and pole building built by the community.

The name "Big Tree" was chosen in honour of a big Baobab tree close to the school. The village headman tells stories of how, as a young boy, he used to climb that tree and hide instead of going to school.

Thanks to a generous donation by Texel Foundation, we were able to build a brick building with canteen and ablutions … with our signature paint work and bright colours of course. It opened in September 2019. The green of their uniforms was chosen to represent the trees.

Liyemo Preschool

We first met Anna Samba, who started Liyemo Preschool, in Kamatanda Village on the main road to Kazungula, in 2011. She was in a thatched mud church, using the back of a door for a blackboard!

Anna's strength and determination quickly warmed our hearts. Over the years we supported her as she and her mother built the first mud structure and the school grew under her guidance.

In 2017, in partnership with Building Botswana (now called Do Good Global), we constructed a bright new preschool. The community named it Liyemo, meaning “place where we stay”. Guest funding allows for a feeding program at mid-morning break. Mural artist, Ali Williams, donated her time and a beautiful mural.

Sadly, Anna passed away in January 2019. She was the kindest, most selfless person, caring for several orphans from her community. We dedicated the school to her memory and the children made butterflies which they flew for her. She is greatly missed but her legacy lives on.

The community also use the space in the afternoons for adult literacy and sewing classes.

Siandunda Primary

In January 2013 the UK charity, Comic Relief, ran the Red Nose Hell and High Water Challenge with celebrities paddling down our portion of the Zambezi to raise money for the charity. They stopped at Siandunda, our closest village, and subsequently funding was allocated to build a primary school there.

Previously the children had to walk 8-12 km to the nearest school. The school opened in June 2014 with Grades 1 – 4 in 2 classrooms. Now up to Grade 7, with 300 pupils, they have both morning and afternoon sessions. Comic Relief funding only provided the building, and the Zambian Ministry of Education only provide 2 paid teachers. The school is managed by a local community committee, supported by Tukongote. We pay 7 full time community teachers a stipend and support with supplies and repairs like fixing their water pump.

In 2016 we completed a third classroom. In 2018 they successfully registered as a Grade 7 exam centre, meaning in October 2019 the first government exams took place in the village.

The Siandunda pupils and teachers make use of the Tukongote Library and Study Centre.