PRAfrica
Poverty Relief
日本は春3月！ 桜の便りはまだ？…としても、日に日に暖かくなっているのでしょうね。こちらは、乾季と雨季がせめぎあっていて、カーッと晴れメチャ暑いかと思うと、一転黒雲が沸き上がり激しい雷風雨が、という毎日、至る所に自然勝手に？生い茂るマンゴーの木々は、近寄ってよく見ると、もうたわわに実をつけています。March marks the start of spring in Japan, and even if the cherry blossoms are not in bloom yet, it must be getting warmer by the day. Meanwhile here the dry season and rainy season are clashing. The skies may be clear and it may be very hot when suddenly dark clouds appear and there are violent thunderstorms. Mango trees seem to be sprouting up everywhere. When you get up close you can see that they are already loaded with fruit.
支援を継続する子供、今年度から支援を始める子供たちが毎週㈯午前のミーティングに参集。月～金は毎日放課後、土曜は朝から夕方まで学校で行われる補習（必修！）に参加する高学年（大体P.5～P.6と最終学年生の全員が対象です！）の５名、他県など遠方の学校に通う５名、体調不良や家庭の事情で今日は欠席、という子たちも含めて、今年度は総勢２２名を支援していきます。Children who continue to receive support from the library and those who will receive support starting this school year attend the weekly Saturday morning meeting. Five are among those who attend supplementary lessons after school on weekdays and Saturdays. (Generally, these lessons are required for upper-graders: fifth and sixth graders and those in their final year of school.) Five attend schools in distant areas, such as other districts. Some students could not attend the meeting on account of illness or for family reasons. This year the library is supporting a total of 22 children.
補習は、本とは朝から夕方までなのですが、今日は学校の都合で、午前だけ、といって高学年（P.６）の Canwat BrianチャンワットとAketowanga Sarahアケトワンガ が、午前組が散会した後、駆けつけてきました。 Supplementary lessons are usually conducted all day on Saturdays, but this day they were held in the morning only. Still, sixth-graders Canwat Brian and Aketowanga Sarah hurried to the library after their morning lssons.
今年は、普通のガバメント学校に併設の“特別学級”に、多くの図書館寺子屋の子供たちも引き受けてもらえることになりました！ヨーロッパ系NGO の資金によるプログラムとのことです。ノート、筆記具などは個人で用意しなければなりませんが、『高額な校納金や制服は不要、かばん・靴・体操着などは小学生らしければほぼ何でも良いetc』
というので、私どもばかりでなく、「普通の学校ではお金がかかりすぎてムリ！」という多くの貧しい家庭の子供たちが曲がりなりにも学校に通える!!のです。早速、寺子屋組9名を送り込んだ2校を訪問しました。
This year many children who attended lessons at the library have been accepted to “special classes” at government schools. This program is funded by a European NGO.
Students must provide their own notebooks, pens and pencils, but there are no high tuition fees nor are uniforms required. Any bags, shoes or gym clothes are acceptable if they are appropriate
for elementary school students. This means that not only students from the library but many children from poor families who cannot afford to send their children to ordinary schools can somehow go
to school. We set off to visit two schools that are being attended by nine students from the library classes.
Public p/sの特設学級。この中の7名が、図書館寺子屋からのシフト組です。この写真では、誰が誰やら、良く分かりませんが、全員、元気いっぱい、ニッコニコでした！ Seven of the children in this special class at Public primary school studied at the library before entering this school. We’re not sure who everyone is in this picture, but they are all full of energy and have big smiles on their faces.
そのPandwong P/Sへは数日前からAringo Prossy ( 左端Ｐ．３)が通い始めています。Aringo が、緊張が解けないLacwec（右端P.2）を他のクラスメートたちと一緒に歓迎！
A few days before that, Aringo Prossy (far left, 3rd grade) began attending Pandwong Primary School. Aringo and a nervous Lacwec (far right, 2nd grade) were
welcomed along with their classmates.
Pandwong p/s への面接を受けるLakaraber Flavia Lacwec ラカラベー ラチウェチとお母さん。Lacwecの通学歴などを聞かれています。
Lakaraber Flavia Lacwec and her mother are interviewed at Pandwong Primary School. Lacwec was asked about her educational background.
昨年1年間Kitgum Boys‘（Boys といっても共学です！）p/s に通学支援したLakica Babraラキチャが、奥地の村の家族の元に戻ることになりました。出発直前の記念撮影です。
Lakica Babra, who attended Kitgum Boys Primary School (despite its name, it is coeducational) last year, will return to her family in an inland village. She posed
for a photo before departing.
Babraとは逆に、コロナ禍を数年過ごした他県の村から、一緒に暮らせるようになった家族のもとに戻ってきたAdong Rose（P.5）。タウンから約10～５km位西郊のOryang Ojumaオリャング地区の学校への初日。Ogen So （左端マスク着用）が緊張を解こうとふざけています。
In contrast to Babra, Adong Rose (5th grade), who spent several years in a village in another district on account of the pandemic, has returned to live with
her family. She will attend a school in Oryang Ojuma, 10-15 km west of town. So, Baba Ogen clowned around in an effort to get over her nervousness.
PLE（義務教育修了認定テスト）を合格、希望の美容師学校に入ったAweko Babra（後列右端）。今日は初めての実習、緊張！！ Aweko Babra (back row, far right) has passed the PLE (compulsory completion exam) and entered the cosmetology school of her choice. Today is her first training, she looks nerves!
千葉市在住の支援者Y.Tさまが、メチャ高いEMS代を払って送って下さったXmas/New Year‘sのプレゼントを手に、一同ニッコリ!! ようやくお披露目できました‼ パチパチ～!!
3022744 Children are all smiles as they hold Christmas/New Year’s gifts sent by a supporter, Ms Y.T in Chiba prefecture via the very expensive international express
mail. The children were finally able to show off these gifts! --clapping !!--