We believe that every child has the potential to make a difference in the region. We also believe that development of the region must come from within. The value of development is only obvious when the people have built it up themselves. Thirdly, we believe that only yearly donations of consumables and money will not lead to development. We envision a future in which local villagers in the Akumalam village will have the tools and the means to effectively create and facilitate their own (school) needs. This brings us to our strategy.
Strategy
- Building up and supporting education and infrastructure
- Making the Akumalam project self-sustaining
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The young people and villagers are motivated to create their own chances and to help others. However, they need a first helping hand. Our nonprofit organisation collaborates with the Akumalam Vilage and schools around to support the poor kids and orphans with their daily school needs. These include paying school fees and supplying necessary materials, as well as helping both school and village with community projects like water supply. Secondly, in order to enable the communicity itself to invest in the project, we aim at involving local business that generates profits for the project. Ultimately, the Akumalam village community should be able to maintain and extend these developments.
How will we achieve our goals?
Here we present a step-by-step plan that reflects the implementation of our strategy into the single projects that we do in Akumalam.
- Working on project development in close collaboration with the schools as well as the village communities,
- Investing in new schools, materials, more teachers and in getting as many kids as possible to school,
- In-depth planning, development, and evaluation of all projects to ensure results are achieved,
- Creating local business that provides the local community and schools with daily needs at reduced prices compared to the city AND that invests part of the profits in the schools,
- Setting up a tailoring workshop that will sew uniforms for Akumalam and neighbouring schools at a cheaper rate
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The fourth and fifth point perhaps need a little more explanation. Setting up businesses in the village will involve many people in the project and it serves the backbone of the development of their community. This will increase the employment rate as well. As an example, the tailoring shop will provide school uniforms at approximately half the price (€15,- instead of the €20,- in the city, with a €9,- materials costs). Taking into account that €10,- is an overestimated month salary, we clearly can see what impact this can have on the parents. We intend to train 3-4 pupils to become tailor or seamstress after finishing primary school. By starting a village store and equipping it with a corn grinding machine, nobody needs to go to the city anymore to buy goods and grind at expensive rates. The could save some money that they can invest in their schools and community. By employing all the human and economical recourses that the village already bears, we want to build a self-sustaining project.
We are always open for suggestions. Please do not hesitate to contact us!