buildOn Schools Constructed in Partnership with Raising Malawi

buildOn partnered with Raising Malawi have released this statement to respond to quotes in the press from Malawi Education Minister Eunice Kazembe who argued that Madonna's charity didn't play such a big part in the project. She says: 'The schools Raising Malawi claims to have constructed were already in existence. Raising Malawi only built 10 classroom blocks and not schools. People should know the difference between the two and Malawi government officials were keen to clarify any misconceptions that may arise.'

Here is buildOn's response from http://buildonfromthefield.org:

In January of 2012, buildOn partnered with Raising Malawi to build ten two-classroom schools for rural villages of the Kasungu District of Malawi. Each school was built with a corrugated metal roof and poured concrete floor.
The locations for each school were chosen in partnership with the District Education Manager’s Office in the Kasungu District. Each village that was selected had no adequate school structure; priority was given to villages with no school infrastructure at all. Prior to buildOn and Raising Malawi, children in these villages attended classes in either a temporary structure or outside under a tree. Each classroom is built to hold 50 children at any given time.
Each school was constructed in partnership with the communities who will benefit from the structures. buildOn and Raising Malawi provided the construction materials, transportation, skilled labor, project management, and construction plans. Each partnering community provides a gender-balanced leadership team, volunteer labor, land, local building materials, and authorization from the government to have a school. Each community also agrees that boys and girls will attend schools in equal numbers.
The District of Education Manager’s Office in Kasungu has provided 44 educators for the schools who are now teaching the Ministry’s approved curriculum. Once completed each community and school leadership team manages the use of each structure.
buildOn has constructed 72 two-classroom schools Malawi since 1993. In 2013, we plan to build 23 additional two-classroom schools in the Kasungu and Neno District of Malawi in partnership with each region’s District Education Manager’s office.

Comments

[whatnow]

People need to be aware that Huffington Post's Entertainment page is INSANELY anti-Madonna, because Kia Makarechi is a really sad Gaga fan who, unfortunately, makes HuffPost's entertainment coverage a platform for a sort of "Madonna is evil, Gaga is a saint," campaign. Note that Gaga has gotten NO negative coverage there over the last year, when basically all she's DONE is court bad publicity. He's even been known to get into Twitter flame wars with fans. It's shocking he's employed, really, but so long as he is, Huff is basically working for Gaga's PR team, which, sadly, means badmouthing Madonna. I'm surprised he hasn't gotten pushback on this.

[Kelly]

I had reservations about Madonna's involvement in building those schools. But now, reading Xavier's account and POV about this, does shed some light on local officials and their fake condemnation of Madonna's efforts. The charity has taken some hits of late, but I think this one is unfounded. Raising Malawi either had a hand in this effort or it didn't. Even if they weren't solely responsible for the buildings, they still had offered assistance where their own government might not have. But they only complain. Sad when your motives are trying to help.

[Xavier]

I am a South African and this is typical African attitude. They are generally ungrateful and they always expect everything for nothing and are quick to complain and criticise, yet always require outstide help. A little gratitude goes a long way and instead of the complaining, look at was has already been achieved - they got themselves in this mess and it alsways becomes someone else's problem.

They are quick to takes ones hard earned money and squander it!

I'm surprised Madonna already hasn't thrown in the towel, but as we all know, she never quits and keeps her commiments!

[Ace-er Rolaah]

Sounds like winning material

[Alex]

As described in an article in the Huffington Post, this is a personal attack from the minister against Madonna.

This is a shame as Madonna should be praised, not rubbished, for her wonderful humanitarian action in Malawi.