Today and tomorrow
The school day starts at 7:30 am and ends at 5 pm including daily periods of tutoring for academically weaker students. Since most children come to school on an empty stomach they are all given a drink and a sandwich before starting lessons. During the one hour break, the children also receive a full, balanced meal. Many children are insufficiently fed or malnourished and thanks to our help, receive at least one full meal a day.
In the autumn of 2009, we were able to acquire a second school bus, thanks to a generous private donation. This makes the picking up and driving home of the children more efficient and a lot safer. Thanks to another generous contribution from a Swiss charity we were able to acquire an additional, badly needed school bus for the autumn of 2010. This allows us to pick up the school children living in scattered villages and hamlets, bring them to school safely and on time and to drive them back in the evenings.
Throughout the last school year, the school has contributed to its self-financing through farming and cultivation of produce. Thus, the children's daily meals are supplemented with home-grown fruit and vegetables. This greatly relieves the Swiss budget and permits the older children of receiving an education in farming and chicken-raising. Thanks to this, we hope that one day they will be able to supply for themselves.
The Current School Year
The 15 teachers have taken part in additional teacher's trainings. The aim was to promote self discipline and to encourage teambuilding as well as to get the teachers acquainted with new methods of teaching. As a result, the prerequisites of the Cameroonian authorities have been met.
Happily, we have been able to offer new courses this year: Agriculture, computers, music, art and wood work, sport, cooking as well as support and stimulation classes for children with special needs.
Since the owner of the currently hired school building does not want to sell, we saw ourselves forced to build our own new schooling facilities. Two new, entirely Cameroon-financed school rooms were erected in 2009, and by February 2010 we could take three further school rooms into use. Thanks to the support of a Swiss foundation, additional school rooms will be available by the beginning of May 2011, depending on building progress due to the rainy season. This will further ease the dramatic capacity bottle-neck on the present premises. Currently, all primary school classes (1st to 6th form) are taught at the new, school-owned location. The two kinder garden classes as well as all administration currently remain at the former, rented location. We are planning a third building which should accommodate the additionally needed rooms. We are looking for sponsors who could contribute to the realisation of this project.
Aims for the next School Year
We will maintain the school fees at the current level so as not to overtax the parents financially.
Visions of the Future
Both the Swiss and the Cameroonian side agree that the "Searchlight School" (the first to sixth grade) should be self sufficient by the beginning of the school year 2011/2012. This means that in the future, Swiss donations will mainly be streamlined toward sponsoring a certain number of socially disadvantaged primary school girls and their further academic or practical education from the 6th grade onwards. It is our fundamental aim to support talented children until they earn a school degree or learn a certain trade.
This would fulfill the main aim of our school: providing a better future to as many disadvantaged children as possible, keeping them off the streets and offering them prospects other than prostitution, crime, drug-addiction or the supposed glory in Europe.