Springboard Schools Newsletter- Fall 2011

SPRINGBOARD Girls' Schools Newsletter
Season‟s Greetings – The Springboard Team
Dear Donors and Supporters,
We want to thank those of you that provided support over the past year. We faced many
challenges, but your commitment and generosity made 2011 a success. The girls in our schools are
steadily progressing and provided opportunities that were not possible without your support. Your
contribution helps provide a future for many young girls in Egypt.
The Springboard School Team and the 5,000 girls in the Springboard schools wish you a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year!
MBIS Involvement – Mrs. Barbara Flynn „Bursar‟
Maadi British International School (MBIS) has been
a sponsor of the Sakkara One Room School for
Girls since 2006. MBIS has donated many
resources to the school and in addition has paid
for a mentor for the teachers to ensure quality
teaching for the girls. Over the last five years,
many of the MBIS pupils have had the
opportunity to visit the school and participate in
a number of activities including lessons together
with the girls lead by our teachers, painting the
exterior garden walls and decorating pots. The
Sakkara girls also have the opportunity to visit
MBIS to share our facilities; this is normally during
Ramadan when we have an Iftar followed by lots
of fun and games – in these situations it doesn‟t
matter that neither group of students can speak
the same language they are all young people
having fun.
Girls‟ Schools – December 2011
Each year MBIS does a collection for Eid El Adha
(Kurban Bairam) – for this particular festival we
ask the children to decorate a shoe box and to
fill it with small gifts and sweets, most of the
children do this and we have hundreds of
beautifully decorated shoes boxes for children
from babies to teenagers, depending on the
selection of items in the box. We donate these
boxes to the many charities we work with,
including the girls school.
Below are some comments from our students
about delivering Eid El Adha boxes to the girls‟
school earlier this year.
Page 1 of 4
“We had a great time when we went to the
Sakkara girls‟ school. Once we got there they
sang us their welcome song and we sang
songs for them too. We gave them snacks and
the gift boxes which had lovingly been
donated by the parents and children of MBIS.
Everyone had been offered the chance to
spend 50 LE on one of these boxes that would
be given to children in need. The girls had
made a lovely display that said „Thanks MBIS‟. It
was really nice to go there.”
“Around 3 weeks ago the year 8‟s went to the
Sakkara girl‟s school. MBIS students had been
asked to make Eid Al Adha boxes by
decorating shoe boxes they were then asked
to fill them with little things like colored pencils
and notepads etc. All of the items that were
bought were put in Eid boxes, which were
painted by the year 8‟s. We all took one or two
boxes and set off to the Sakkara girl‟s school.
When we got there we were greeted by the
girls singing to us, they sang “If you‟re happy
and you know it”. After they finished singing for
us we sang to them, we sang “The Exercise
Song” and “Build Up” although we had
forgotten the last part of “Build Up” the girls still
looked like they had enjoyed it. They all
seemed very excited to receive their Eid boxes.
We also gave them biscuits and chocolate
milk.
We were asked to try and talk to the girls, for
some of us it was quite hard because some of
`the girls at the school couldn‟t really speak
English that well. Seeing briefly how other less
wealthy children get educated and probably
how they live was quite sad. But the girls at the
Sakkara girls school get educated, some other
children won‟t get any education at all.”
Girls‟ Schools – December 2011
Sakkara School Girls enjoying their
decorated Shoes Boxes that are filled
with gifts and sweets
MBIS students hold cards drawn by
the girls of Sakkara school saying
“Thank You” as a token of
appreciation
“When we went to Sakkara Girls school, it was
full of girls of all different ages all in one class. It
was weird, some were 12 years old or over,
there were some that were 8 or 9 and others
that were 11 or 12. It was a one room school,
with a few windows, and a toilet. They all lived
around the school. They all probably wore the
same clothes over and over because they
were too poor to afford it. When we were
there and we gave them their present, it‟s like
they have never seen anything in their whole
world. It was really sad. Some children were
quite shy actually and didn't talk much. It was
really good fun. I enjoyed it.”
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A Message from Nihal „MBIS Mentor‟
“Being responsible for carrying out clear, well
defined tasks may not seem difficult but it
becomes
more
challenging
when the
responsibilities you have at hand are openended and non-specific. This is how it feels to
be the Technical Supervisor of the Girls‟
Education Initiative. My job taught me to
always be available to help overcome
obstacles the schools might face.
The girl-friendly schools have a great
environment, one that yields priceless treasures.
They embrace not any girls but the girls of
Egypt. They are girls who their rights to
education were infringed upon. They may be
seen as fragile but the schools empower them
so as time passes by they become strong willed
and highly disciplined. They may even become
decision-makers. But unfortunately the majority
still fears the future. They cannot predict what
may happen in the coming year, whether
they‟ll keep pursuing their dream of holding the
lowest educational qualifications or whether
they would have a wedding ring on their finger.
However, one of the most important assets of
the schools is improving the girls‟ awareness of
self-education through activities (which would
motivate them into continuing their education
even after leaving the schools). Inside the
schools, the girls are exposed to all types of
educational practices that include selfeducation along with learning from peers,
cooperative learning, and learning through
projects and educational toys.
Nihal doing Arts and Crafts with the
girls of G04 – El Kebira
The implementation of active learning gave
the girl-friendly schools an edge to public
schools. This is done through transforming the
public school curriculum into attractive
educational activities which provide good
quality education and appeal to the poor
particularly females living in the most
disadvantaged areas. The active learning
curriculum certainly contributed to the success
of establishing the girl-friendly schools. The
more I hear of the endless numbers of schools
being built every year, the more I believe this
initiative is a dream come true.”
“Nihal El Sherif”
School Maintenance Update
The majority of schools are in good shape. They only need minimal repairs, changing some items
due to the wear & tear, painting, plumbing clearance, electric bulbs, etc… While other schools
have special conditions, requiring more work because they are built in areas with high ground
water table and the soil settlement. We have completed about 75% of the schools with the
standard maintenance and hope to complete the remainder within the next twelve months.
We will continue visiting all the schools on a routine basis to insure they are all operating as needed
to provide educational opportunities for the girls in Egypt. “
Girls‟ Schools – December 2011
Page 3 of 4
Before
After
Floors cracked due to ground settlement
Before
After
Village drainage and ground water problems filled
garden with drainage water
Dear Donor and Supporter,
The girls would like to thank you for giving them the opportunity to go
to schools and receive an education. Though education is a right that
most of us usually take for granted, it was merely a dream for these
girls. Now this dream is coming true and their lives are changing for the
better, thanks to people like you.
“Education is a companion
which no future can depress”
Ropo Oguntimehin
Your initial contributions to build the schools have made a huge
difference but the key now is to ensure the sustainability of these
schools. They are in constant need for building maintenance,
educational supplies, achievement awards, fences, water wells,
educational trips, minor medical needs (hearing aids, glasses, etc.).
In order for our schools to continue operating efficiently, the
maintenance works need to be funded to avoid any logistical
problems like flooring issues, septic system blockages, issue with walls
and electric repairs. These issues, if not handled properly, negatively
affect the schools‟ educational environment. Unfortunately due to our
budget (or lack thereof), we were forced to scale down our
maintenance plan and cancel some of the work items that were
needed in the schools. Through this letter, we are asking you to renew
your confidence by continuing to support this initiative and help us
create a better atmosphere for the girls to learn.
Your contribution, no matter how large or small, can and does make a
difference in the lives of these young girls!
Tax deductible contributions can be made to Springboard
You can send a check to
Springboard – Educating the Future
2000, Post Oak Blvd, Suite 100
Houston, Texas 77056. USA.
The underprivileged girls of Egypt thank you for your support and for
enabling their dreams to become reality.
Our Contacts:
E-Mail:
springboardschools@apachecor
p.com
Web Site:
www.springboarded.org
“Check our new Website
1/1/2012”
“Thank You”
The Girls‟ Schools Team
Girls‟ Schools – December 2011
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