The SOS primary school in Guinea-Bissau is a place full of aspirations, dreams and imagination. “Our school may not be the prettiest, but it is full of love and character,” says Ms. Maria, the school librarian. The school is currently 29 years old and has approximately 718 students, including 373 girls and 345 boys. It has around 26 teachers, most of whom are men. Students are constantly involved in new activities and events that maintain their curiosity and sense of adventure. From the inauguration of the new library to the receipt of new school supplies, including interclass championships, the students of SOS primary school continue to progress. Following last year's alignment, the school continues to go strong thanks to the support and generosity of local foundations and the Parents and Guardians Association. “The only thing I don’t like is when it’s time to leave,” says Binta, a third-year aspiring veterinarian.
Earlier this year, SOS primary schools received 1,000 books from a Brazilian publisher. This act of kindness aimed to give students new dreams and aspirations through fairy tales and novels. The students are extremely enthusiastic and grateful. After class, you will often find several students sitting in the back of the library reading and sharing their favorite stories with their classmates. “I like that we have new books, we read the other ones over and over again,” says Braima, a sophomore and aspiring chef. Thanks to a partnership between SOS Children's Villages in Guinea-Bissau and the Orange Foundation, the primary school was able to launch the first calculation school in Guinea-Bissau. This digital inclusion project aimed to encourage the use of information technology as a tool to improve the knowledge acquired in the beneficiary schools of Bissau, Gabu, Cacheu and Canchungo. The students were enthusiastic about this initiative and received new tablets, headphones and USB sticks from the Orange Foundation which they can use to deepen their knowledge and experience with technology. The Orange Foundation also donated solar panels and batteries for the panels to the school.
Perhaps the most memorable act of kindness the school received was from the Parents’ Association. SOS Elementary School parents are just as committed to their students' education and futures as the teachers and staff. Their interest and investment in the quality of education provided at school are proof of this. SOS Elementary School has always had a computer class in its curriculum, but over the years the computers in the lab have been damaged or not working properly. The parents' association decided to get together to buy new computers and equipment for the computer room. Each member of the association donated 3000 CFA francs per month for approximately 2.5 years. The first year they managed to buy 12 new computers, the second year 15, and this year they bought 16 new computers. With the 43 new computers, air conditioners, voltage stabilizers and extension cables donated by the parents' association, the school was able to continue giving computer lessons to its students.
Asked about the intention behind this generous act, the president of the parents' association, Franceliano Comba, said: "The fact that technology advances every day and around the world makes it urgent that our children follow suit, or at least keep pace with the rest of the world." Another parent from the association added: “If our children are well prepared, our future will be well planned and executed.” Students are happy with the continuation of computer classes, especially the older ones, because they have the opportunity to learn how to use applications such as Microsoft Word and Outlook, which will be useful to them when they reach secondary school . “I’m learning to type and I’m becoming very good at it, I type very quickly.” -explains Cadi, a future sixth-grade flight attendant.
Despite its difficulties, such as the rehabilitation of its infrastructure, the SOS primary school is a large school with immense potential and the desire to continue to develop. “Our school is a home of intellectual awakening and humanization of hearts,” says Agostinho Bolamu, the school’s director. With the collaboration and support of local foundations like Orange, SOS teachers and staff and the SOS Primary School Parents Association, there are no limits to the progress our school can make. achieve and the impact it can have not only on the children and young people of SOS, but also on the whole of Guinea-Bissau.
*Text and photos by Jessica Mendes da Silva