Hi,

One way to make the school self-sustainable is through a library - not sure if the school has one, but if there is a small space that can be used as a library there are ways to generate income. In one successful project I have seen, people are charged a small monthly subscriptions fee (determined by the community to be acceptable and affordable but still enough to generate some income) for use of the library. The library would need to have copies of text books and other materials of interest to people in the community. The subscription fee would be far less than parents having to purchase books for their children and would provide them access to the books for studying purposes. In addition, the librarian or a teacher could offer evening or weekend/out of school tutoring. This would help the children learn more and generate some income. The fee charged again would have to be acceptable in the community but still enough to pay the tutor/librarian and generate some income. Also, out of school time, the classes can be used for adult literacy. In a project in Kenya, many mothers were willing to pay a fee to learn to read and write English. The school allowed the women to pay as a group so that they could take turns. For example if there was 3 women but then couldn't all attend at once, they would pay for 1 women and they could alternate evenings that they came. The woman that attended the class would then teach the other two women what was covered during the class they missed. This makes it more affordable for the women, but also generates income.

Also, in off school times the space can be rented out for community activities.

In addition, if you think of a library space as a business, there are many opportunities for generating income. In the project mentioned above, the librarian/teacher had an incentive to come up with viable income generating ideas, as 50% of the income generated went to her as her wages - if there was no income coming in to the school/library, then there would be no income for her as well. Some of the ideas that they came up with included the rental of soccer balls, the rental of newspapers each day, the rental of cameras, and the selling of small goods made by the students or other community members.

Barb

Hi people

This is wonderful! Many people including some librarians think of libraries as free services. Why? They think of UN's freedom of information. but people forget that for these services to continue to run they need finances. People value what they have paid for and for a long time many people have benefited from the library but have contributed very little. I would support that idea where a school run library will generate a few dollars for the school. The person who runs the library needs to eat so that the following day he/she will be back to work. Also we need to add value to our services and the monies people pay well be used for that.

David

Teach A Man To Fish - http://www.teachamantofish.org.uk - provide advice to schools who wish to become self-suffient by running school-based businesses.

I have just come across a new manual on their site which may be of interest

School In A Box - A Guide to Creating Your Own Self Sufficient School
http://www.teachamantofish.org.uk/resources/schoolinabox.php

QUOTE

Making Sustainable Education Simpler

We've now proven beyond a doubt that a school can offer students a transformative high quality education and cover their own costs through school-run businesses.

Nonetheless people often ask us, 'If financially self-sufficient schools are such a good idea , why aren't there more schools following this model?'.

The short answer is that starting a financially self-sufficient school has always been too hard and too full of risks for most institutions to contemplate.

The SCHOOL IN A BOX Guide Series aims to make starting such a school easy, and reduce the risks involved to a mangeable level.

This series draws together the collective experiences of TeachAManToFish, our sister organization Fundacion Paraguaya, and the many school partners we work with across the developing world into nine easy-to-read self-help manuals.

END QUOTE

I have not read the whole thing in detail, but the ideas may be relevant to you so thought I would pass it on! It comes is several parts, each of which are quite large, so don't know whether you will be able to download or not. I don't know whether it is possible to get a printed copy, although it may be worth asking them.

As I said, they assist schools in becoming self-sufficient by running school-based businesses. http://www.teachamantofish.org.uk/aboutus.php gives more information on what they do.

The initial focus was on schools that provide agricultural education, but it now covers any schools that wish to become self sufficient.

Schools can join their network http://www.teachamantofish.org.uk/members/register.php

"The TeachAManToFish Members' Network is an international network of more schools, education organizations and individuals working in education committed to sustainable approaches to tackling rural poverty.

We want to provide a forum for practitioners and organisations to share ideas and innovations, and to foster South-South relations in this field.

Membership is free and offers members the chance to take part in online forums, attend international conferences, and receive a quarterly newsletter."

They don't provide funding, but could be a great source of advice and give an opportunity to share information with other schools who have similar interests.

So, if you have a real interest in making the school more self-sufficient, I would encourage you to join and see what you can learn from them.

Mary

I can help the village farmers double their yields and reduce their labor by 50% if they are willing to change the way they farm. I have DVDs I can mail.

See attachment about a high school that is self supporting.

For transportation of the children to school, use bicycles and trailers for 4-6 students. I have made them and have plans.

The village must depend on themselves for improve their lives; not government or outsiders.

TAMTF Paraguay Ag High School.pdf

Sulaiman, could you please let us know what sort of income-generating activities are already being performed by the school and by the community? Has anything been tried out yet? Have the teachers given any ideas? Is there a committee for this?

For self-sustenance, a human needs food, air and water. Once these requirements are met, further requirements arise which are beyond the levels of sustenance.

There are no issues with availability of air.

In case there are issues with water, these can be specifically mentioned here, to enable neighbours to provide specific solutions.

Issues with food can be best addressed through farming, where basic household needs of food can be met for sustenance.

In case farming is not possible, other means of livelihood can be explored, through which money can be earned to buy the food either directly from the people who grow the food, or from the chain of traders who interface with the people who grow the food.

It is important to emphasize that, for sustenance, the link is with the food. Hence the focus of all activity must be on ensuring that basic requirements of food are met. Once thee requirements are met, it can safely be declared that levels of self-sustenance have been achieved.

After self-sustenance has been achieved, further generation of income can be explored, and in this case, the focus obviously is not on food.

Hence, before the community embarks in any particular direction, they must first prioritize their needs - if it is self-sustenance, then they need to focus only on food. If self-sustenance has been achieved, they can focus on other means of income generation. Without a proper focus, their efforts will simply go waste, and even their basic needs of food will not be fulfilled, in case such a need does exist.

Vijai

Many thanks for the contributions made.
Among the income generating activities being largely done by the community members is organic farming
and we encourage food security as well as targeting excess for market to realise sustainable
incomes. Also, the school encourages craft making using locally available raw materials.
We can talk of mats,curvings,art works and various crafts,drum making the list is long.
But the major challenge for our products is reliable market and ofcourse reasonable profits for the products made for sale.
At the moment, we temporary suspended the school formal programme pending for the attainment of
basic infrastrucures,facilities and supplies and so all your contributions and ideas are
most welcome to realise the intended objectives.
We intend to mobilise the students back by the end of Novemeber,2009 and we hope to begin
in a big way by January 2010.
Then, we shall make sure that we institute a Committe for self-sustainabilty of Bukoggolwa
Secondary School.

Once again, I bring you greetings from the community members and they are very grateful
for all your support for our project.

The school can generate income from well-wishers from different sites,parents, and the central government, and from fundraising activities.the school leaders can move along the village door-to-door introducing themselves and explaing the problem they face,among the 100 families they reach at,atleast 40 will will give support
let the school also begin some projects like poultry farming

The school can generate income from well-wishers from different sites,parents, and the central government, and from fundraising activities.the school leaders can move along the village door-to-door introducing themselves and explaing the problem they face,among the 100 families they reach at,atleast 40 will will give support
let the school also begin some projects like poultry farming

Another area is considering the staffing: there are many qualified graduates who are willing to volunteer for a certain period as they gather teaching experience Voluntarily - tap them tap the knwoldge not as a free labour but as a volunteer ready to serve.

Other organizations mostly institutions in the developed world are sending their students to start twinning programmes that has alot of benefit either directly or indirectly - make use of them i have aatatched a list for your perusal.

Thanks and Regards

Barlet Jaji

fv_host_institution_list_en.pdf

Hullo Barlet Jaji,

This is great and very kind of you.
We are indeed grateful and I hope to start
approaching some of the ones to be selected
and willing to offer voluntary service to
Bukoggolwa Secondary School.

Sulaiman Gumila Mbuga
FOR BUKOGGOLWA VILLAGE.
TEL:+256-712-976679 OR +256-751-434743.
E-mail:bukoggolwa@gmail.com

Hullo Mr Sulaiman,

I would like to set up an organisation {cbo} in our village but i dont know how to start can u plz give me the procedure.

your friend

frank