“St. Simon Nursery School” is the name of this “Msola Project”. It has three classes: the baby class is called “Lavigerie”, the middle class, “Marie-Salome”, and the top class, “St. Simon”.

Brief History of the project

The Nursery School was started in 1997 by the parishioners for the children around, so as not to go far distances. From the beginning, one of our sisters, Sr. Theresia Schmitt, was in charge of the administration especially the finances and the supervision.In 2003 Sr. Gisela Schreyer took over from Sr Theresia. The school was at the verge of collapsing due to few children and the unfaithfulness to pay the school fees. With the help of Birgitta Gremm, who came in 2004 as a lay missiobnary and is a trained Nursery School Teacher, it improved very well both in teaching and discipline. In May 2005, Sr Harriet Kabaije joined for teaching and in view of taking over from Birgitta.
Today, the MSOLA run the kindergarten together with the Parish and committed to give always two sisters to this project for teaching and administration.
Other personnel are Tanzanians: Sabina John, teacher, and Kesia Alfred, cook.

Goals/Objectives

- To help the children of the surrounding and to provide them with a good start in school education
- To help the children from poor families;
- to help them have healthy relationship with one another and to know God
- Welcoming children from different denominations and foster good relationships among them
- Use of non-violence way to teach the children and learning through playing

School's interaction with the local authorities

The school representative of all the parents (chairman board of governors) is the local chairman for the village. He helps us well in making consultations and having meetings with the parents.

Open to all

The school is located in the village near the parish and our community. It is for all the people no matter of religions. We have children from the Lutheran Church, Assemblies of God, Catholic and Pentecostal Church, and once we had a Moslem. At least 20 children are foreseen for sponsorship, they are helped by the congregation. They come from poor backgrounds, families with single parents - either father or mother died - or from poor family situation.

The whole community gets involved in our project and each one feels the contribution of each other according to each one's capability. We give witness by the support and help from one another, from working together as sisters and sharing what happens in the school. Each one of us participates especially during the graduation feast for the children. A real indication of our family spirit which our ancestors Marie Salome and Lavigerie wished us to have.

Harriet Kabaije, Arusha