Clergy Fernando Gomes wrote the following report to Association ACD , Graz-Austria:
ASSOCIATION – TO SOW ON FERTIL SOIL “SBC”
Subject:
Reporting the activities of ACD-Austria -funded projects.
Fernando Gomes, executive secretary of SBC, sends the most heartly respects to the leaders of ACD-Association-Austria.
Enclosed we send the report of the projects worked out by SBC-Africa , with donations of ACD-Austria.
We are very grateful to You, helping us to work for a better life for our inhabitants, and remain at Your disposal.
SCHOOLPROJECT
The main purpose of this project is to give oportunity for attending school to the poor children of our comunity, independent of race, color or religion.
1.) From 2015 to 2016 we had 182 children from kindergarden to 3rd class. Thanks to this project, children who could not have had lessons otherwise because of lack of money for fee. Here they need not to pay and had not only lessons to learn write, read and math, but also got instructions in good caracter, behaving and words of our Lord. We are happy to see the smile on their faces.
2.) We also could help the children to live healthier, offering lunch to them.
3.) 2016-2017 we began with 248 children taught in 7 rooms during morning and 3 during afternoon – from kindergarden to 4th class. This year we have great problems to offer lunch ( shortage of money ) but the quality of education is high, the children are able to read, write and calculate.
3.) Because of the great poverty in this region, parents often force their kids to leave school , helping in harvesting cashewnuts to have more money for the family. This problem each one of the schools in the region has. At the moment we have 197 pupils, 130 of them are boys, 67 girls. Another phenomenon why there are few girls going to school is that parents fear, educated children would not so easy accept the forced marriage usually practiced.
TAILORING – CUTTING and SEWING
During the visit of clergy Irani Marbler in Guine Bissau came up the inquiry of work for the very poor African women. The project of tailoring would be able to help. Therefore the idea was carried out and donations for the project required. During the course, the women, mostly unmarried with children, could earn money to feed their kids. We could buy 5 sewing-machines (3 manual e 3 electrical).
1.) The first course began in October, predicted for 3 months, but finally lasted 6 months because of the low apprenticeship – the women have no previous knowledge – finally 7 of the 10 could finish the course with success, 3 dropped out (illness, move, timetable incompatibility).
2.) We provided the graduation to be realized on 25th of Mai, because some had to travel after finishing the course and for the authorities we had invited this day was a sutable one. We invited radio, television and a representantive of the country. During the feast we will raffle 2 sewing-machines among the graduated – they can begin a new professional life. The others will be allowed to come to the classes and use equipments during the hours when there is no teaching.
3.) We begin a new course with 8 pupils for tailoring, we hope they will be able to make the most of it, as the graduated ones.
COMMUNITY- OVEN
This project wants to provide capacity in bakery, making also lunch for the pupils.
1.) The construction of the oven is already done, but covering and final touch are still missing.
2.) In this project women are taught to make cakes, bread, biscuits etc … to sell and earn money for their families. Priority is manufactoring lunch for the pupils and lessons for the bigger pupils in bakery to become professionals and may pay for studies.
FORESEEN PROJECTS
1.) Construction of an EDUCATIONAL CENTER
2.) Promotion of medical assistance to mother and child, also fight against the high child-mortality.