OFFICIAL OPENING OF AUSTRALIAN PROGRESSIVE ACADEMY, MALAWI

(THE AUSTRALIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL AT NOGWE)

LOCATION - NOGWE VILLAGE, T/A NKANDA  IN  MULANJE DISTRICT

27 APRIL 2009

Despite the cool, blustery weather, crowds flocked to the remote, rural  site for the opening ceremonies. They included Village and community  leaders, civil servants, business people, parents/guardians and wards of students,Village Development Committees[VDC],and religious leaders ...all determined to be part and parcel of the celebrations.

	PRESENT:- Guest of Honor –Mr. Store ( representing Education Ministry) Group village Headman Nogwe Village Headman Shuga Village Headman Totholo Village Headman Makanda Village Headman Mbunumbu Village Headman Shaibu Village Headman Gambe Village Headman Simakweri Village Headman Eferemu Village Headman January Religious leaders Villagers from all villages Prospective students and Guardians Business people Civil servants from Education,Health etc.

GROUP VILLAGE HEADMAN NOGWE

Exactly at 11:00 AM the ceremony got underway  with the  village Headman Nogwe’s representative welcoming officials of the  Tithandize organisation.

He further thanked Tithandize and the Australian AIDS Fund  for gifting the secondary school to the community  which, as he put it... is really a need of the community, "ever since the creation of the universe".

"We thank you so much for considering children from our villages to bring quality education within their close reach and for arranging that orphans and the vulnerable will be educated without charge.

"‘We are thankful for the birth of this secondary school, and we are hopeful that in near future it will be a complete institution, fully furnished with boarding facilities,science laboratory, computers, an entertainment hall and all necessary facilities’ ,said Village Headman Nogwe.

Pastor Rabson Chilewa (far right) photographed with the school's already selected football team and coach/teacher

RABSON CHILEWA

Pastor Rabson Chilewa

Pastor Rabson, a key member of the Tithandize organisation, thanked the local community for its participatory voluntary works, during the building of the Australian Progressive Academy, and pleaded with them to continue their support  in the further construction  works as they would be the sole beneficiaries of all the projects.

He urged the community to pray and work hard in the hope that such efforts might lead to the completion of the secondary school, but also to other projects covering  health,environmental,irrigation/agro-processing works,and even community economic empowerment programs.

Rabson formally thanked The Australian AIDS  Fund  for its  financial and material assistance aas well as its additional help in the areas of school fees,advisory and its ongoing psychosocial support  to the vulnerable communities,through Tithandize.

GUEST OF HONOR [MR STOREY -EDUCATION MINISTRY]

Addressing the gathering, Mr Storey  made the point  that the ‘Lack of education is the root of several problems in many developing countries. While the developed world has entered the 21st century, many Third world nations have yet to enter the 20th century. Education is the key to unlocking human potential Education enables people to come out of oppression and to take control of their lives. Education empowers communities and gives nations the confidence to shape their own future Government cannot solve all the problems alone.Voluntary sector can also play an important role in providing Education, the lack of which is the root cause of many problems.

Mr Storey  (Guest of Honor)

"We are very convinced and overwhelmed with joy today,as we witness the official opening of the school secondary school built by [TITHANDIZE] voluntary sector,a community based charity organization ,registered as Australian Progressive Academy.’’,said the Guest of Honor.

‘The Mulanje District has but a few secondary schools,and Chambe TDC Zone has only 3 community day secondary schools,which are not enough and also very farther distanced from Nogwe areas.On behalf of the Education Department, I am very glad,thankful for this miracle,and I HEREBY;OFFICIALLY DECLARE THE AUSTRALIAN PROGRESSIVE ACADEMY solemnly and legally open" ..

Mr Story noted that the Education Minister or MPs would have been present had it not been for their involvement in the upcoming national elections on May 19th.  However, they have pmomised they will visit this school.

He said that for the nation to to progress and develop it needed its people to be educated and he invitedTithandize and the Australian Donors to continue their joint development of  the areas.

The school buildings presently consist of 2 classroom blocks, each containing 2 classrooms; another block containing a computer studies room and a library area; a further block containing teachers' room and the Principal's office; and 3 sets of toilets...for teachers, boys, and girls. The funding for the toilets was provided by the Australian government through its Ausaid overseas development agency and which (in May) also provided the funding to build two onsite houses...one for the school Principal and the other for a woman teacher.These houses should be built within the next month. Later,hopefully....boarding facilities...hostels and a school hall will be added...

 SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The chairperson for Australian Progressive Academy School committee,Mr.F.Mwavo thanked the Tithandize authorities and donors for building the Secondary School in the Nogwe area He promised that his committee, the VDC,and the  villagers remained committed to provide voluntary work  for future projects  TITHANDIZE planned for the area.