French student boosts education with new library in Kilimanjaro

KILIMANJARO: MBOKOMU Secondary School students now have a state-of-the-art library, complete with modern furniture, thanks to the dedicated efforts of French student volunteers from the Kine’Mandjaro organisation.

This new facility in Kilimanjaro is set to significantly boost the school’s educational resources and enrich the learning experience for years to come.

Speaking at the library inauguration, Moshi District Council (MDC)’s Education Officer (Secondary) in Kilimanjaro Region, Mr Benedict Sandi, expressed profound gratitude to the Kine’Mandjaro students who volunteered their time and resources to build the library after learning about the critical need for such infrastructure in the education sector.

“This library that we are launching today is a wonderful achievement born from the spirit of collaboration and direct engagement between communities,” Mr Sandi stated.

“We have been deeply impressed by the dedication of our French colleagues, who were moved by the need here and committed themselves to building this vital facility.”

He emphasised that beyond providing students with enhanced learning opportunities, the project has also instilled a crucial lesson in volunteerism among teachers, students, parents and council leadership.

“We have learned from these colleagues that the concept of volunteerism is a powerful spirit that can build our nation. Their commitment to establishing this library is clear evidence of the importance of engaging fully in volunteerism for the benefits of our nation,” he added.

Mr Sandi also commended the Education and Development for Kilimanjaro (EDK) organisation for their continued significant contributions to the education sector.

For her part, the Headmistress of Mbokomu Secondary School, Aziza Abbas Mshana, warmly thanked the leadership of Kine’Mandjaro for their support.

She reiterated that education is the most valuable inheritance parents and guardians can leave to their children.

“We often hear of children being robbed of their properties, especially when it comes to inheritance issues. Let me assure you, the reliable inheritance that children cannot be robbed or deprived of in any way is the education that they have been given by their parents or guardians,” she said.

Ms Mshana pledged that the school leadership would ensure the library is utilized effectively and maintained diligently for the benefit of current and future generations of students.

Earlier, presenting the Kine’Mandjaro Organisation Group’s report, its President, Mr Julien Tribouillard, stated that the organisation, which comprises students from the Physiotherapy School of Rouen in France, was inspired to build the library after making direct contact with the management of the EDK organisation based in France.

He further detailed that the library project was entirely financed by the Kine’Mandjaro Group, amounting to 5,814 Euros (more than 16.86m/-).

The funds covered the construction of the library building and its furniture, with the entire project implemented under the diligent supervision of the EDK office in Tanzania.

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“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the President of EDK, Madam Sarah Marchand, EDK Member Mr Gabriel Marchand, as well as the EDK Country Director Mr Godfrey Kaisi, for their exceptional cooperation. Their support was instrumental in helping us fulfill our dream of serving the students of Mbokomu Secondary School through this project,” he said.