CHILDREN’S HOME and SCHOOL
Busega District, Mwanza Region, Tanzania, E. Africa
We are a small team of Christians working together to help the most
vulnerable children and people in a rural area of Tanzania. East Africa.
We are involved in providing financial support and volunteers to visit both
long and short term to share in the work both here and in Tanzania.
As of Sept.2023 caring for more than 140+ children at our Children’s home,
and over 370+ children in our Primary School.
Contact: Graham Pountain
email: graham@pountain.net Tel 01254 879694
Topics of Interest:
Past news updates etc.
Oct-Nov-Dec 2023
July-Sept 2023
April-June 2023
Jan-March 2023
Oct - Dec 2022
July - Sept 2022
April - June 2022
Jan-March 2022
Oct-Dec 2021
June-Sept 2021
April - June 2021
January- March 2021
October - December 2020
August - October 2020
June- August 2020
May to July 2020
March to May 2020
Jan-March 2020
Oct - Dec 2019
April - May 2019
Jan - March 2019
Oct - Dec - 2018
July - Oct 2018
May - August 2018
Jan - April -2018
Oct-Dec 2017
Aug - Sept 2017
June-July 2017
April-May 2017
Jan-March 2017
Oct- Dec 2016
June-July 2016
Jan to March 2016
Nov. to Dec 2015
May to October 2015
March - April 2015
Jan-Feb 2015
Nov-Dec news 2014
Sept-Oct news 2014
July-August news 2014
April - June 2014 news
Jan-Feb 2014 news
Monthly meetings
Gifts Policy
Past news
Sponsoring children
Past Visitors
The Bethany Project (often referred to as the Bethany Family) is registered in Tanzania as an NGO no. 8059. It is administered by the The Bethany Project (Tanzania) UK
(Reg. Charity no 517995), Reg. Address: 11 Ash Street, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington, Lancashire. BB5 3LN. Tel 01254 879694. email: graham@pountain.net
Trustees: Graham Pountain, David Borland OBE, Heather Jeffrey, Isabel Jones, Paul Pountain
TESTIMONY
We have asked all our Bethany girls and
boys to write a testimony about their life,
before Bethany, at Bethany and after so
that you can hear from the children
themselves.
Here is a sample written by our
Headmistress
As an Atheist
by Mathew Parris Full article click here
To view our last update
Oct-Nov-Dec-2023 Click here
NEW - Bethany as viewed from above
The Children’s home
Click on image to enlarge
The School
Click on image to enlarge
November 2022 Video - Update - Aspects of Bethany
New Fund Raising Platform Donorsee
Short videos asking for help with various projects
For a full list and more information Click here
This video is about the
people who run Bethany.
They tell their stories
about how they came to
Bethany, their education
and their responsibilities
at Bethany.
BIMONTHLY MEETINGS Next meeting -
Sunday April 7th (2024) 2pm
Ernest Street Chapel, Ernest Street, Church,
Oswaldtwistle, Accrington. BB5 4PH
(location: what3words: rival.cross.votes )
Below: Past Videos
Click here for Facts about Bethany and Tanzania
New Donorsee page for Bethany (click here)
Bethany School came 2nd out of 592 schools in their Region
I
We are happy to report that in the std 4 national exams the Bethany pre and
Primary School came 2nd out of the Region’s 592 primary schools. What can
we say as this would seem an impossible result. We are a small rural (English
medium) school which provides free education plus breakfast and lunch for our
children who come from our children’s home and the surrounding villages. We
accept more girls than boys (in the ratio 2 girls to 1 boy) as we believe girls are
more vulnerable. Of the 22 students 15 were girls and 7 boys. The average
grade was A and all the children achieved this in English. Perhaps the reason is
that we have wonderfully qualified teachers who are motivated by supper
salaries and special bonuses for each successful result. No this is not the
reason. So in conclusion we believe the result was due to the commitment of
both our students and teachers. Perhaps more than anything else our Christian
values which make both teaching and learning something special. Bethany is
the happiest school you may ever have visited. Our school motto is: ‘we strive
for knowledge but delight in wisdom’. Congratulations to pupils, staff and most
importantly people like you who through regular sacrificial giving made all this
possible. If you can help click here. Click here for full results
In 2015 he became an unpaid volunteer teaching assistant at the Bethany
Primary School and received on the job training from Emmakulatha (head
teacher) and also from Jesca Paulo (then academic teacher – now project
coordinator). Both Emmakultha and Jesca were educated in the UK.
Emmakulatha believed he was making good progress so offered to support
him (via a loan- since repaid) to do a one year teacher training course which
he completed some time ago. Mr Mayala says his success is due first to his
Christian faith, which reflects his commitment and work ethic and the initial
training from Emmakulatha and Jesca. Emmakulatha mentions that Mr.
Mayala’s great success did not come easily as during his 9 years at Bethany
she had to suspend him on two occasions for using Swahili in his lessons
instead of English. When asked if he would consider moving schools to one
which offered more money he said he enjoyed everything about Bethany
and didn’t think other schools would have the same Christian commitment
and so would rather stay at Bethany.
The Mr. Mayala Story
Mr. Mayala, is our std 4 class teacher who
with the help of others teachers achieved
the results you see on the left. Mr
Mayala (not married) is 28 years old and
went to a local government primary
school followed by the local government
secondary school (Sogeska). He left form
4 secondary school with a division 4 pass
(very poor score)
Left to right: Theleza, Kabula, Mgosi, Anna and Neema
Results just in: Theleza Div 1, Kabula, Neema and Mgosi Div 2 and Anna Div 3
Of the 239 children in form 4 only 5 got Dvision 1 (3 boys and 2 girls) Theleza
and another boy (from the village) shared the top score.
Click here to see how the marks are scored.
Now the sad news is that Bethany has not enough funds to be able to help
them with further education either high school or training courses.
Theleza and Kabula want to go to high School. Whilst there are no school fees
they require uniforms and a comprehenive list of resources totaling about
£400. Theleza wants to be a secondary school teacher and Kabula a nurse.
Neema and Anna would both like to do a two year teacher training course. The
course for the first year including fees, accommodation and food is approx
£1,000. Mgosi would like to be an electrician and for the first year the cost
including fees, accommodation and food is again approx £1,000.
We have put the request to donorsee for each one of them. So far Kabula has
been fully funded but the other 4 are struggling to find donors. If you think
you may be able to help either click here to see the donorsee projects or make
a donation directly and inform our Treasurer what the money is to be used for
(click here)
Last years form 4 (2023) Leavers
Last years std7 now ready for form1 Secondary school
You may remember that our last year’s std7 children had 32 children in
the class - all qualified to go to secondary. 16 of the children were from
Bethany so here they are with their new uniforms and resouces. They
each need to take a bucket with lid, a broom, a hoe plus excercise books,
reams of A4 paper, text books, small rucksack and just about everything
else you can think of. We wish them well in their new secondary school.
Here we have Sarah John who will finish her
2nd year at High school this May- she is
doing really well and still coming top in
almost every subject (ambition to be a
doctor)
Here we have Esther Cosmas who is just
about to finish her first year at High school -
she is hoping to do as well as Sarah above
and she hopes Sarah will continue to be a
great help to her (ambition to be a doctor).
Jesca and Nick to be married
Saturday 24th Feb 2024
Below - Dance song ‘ God is able’
Below -5 students need support
Invitation for a visit to Bethany
We are organising a 2 week trip to Bethany in May this year. If you
feel you would lke to go and both see the work we are doing and
help where possible we invite you to the selection process. Our
guide is here and our application form is here. If accepted you will
have to pay for your airfares (approx £1,000) and also contribute
£3 per day for your food and accommodation.
Email: graham@pountain.net
Congratulations to Jesca and Nick on their
Wedding Day Saturday 24th February 2024