Dumelang basadi ba St. Mary’s (Setswana for greetings people of St. Mary’s)
St. Mary’s will be hosting a school supply drive for Dutlwe Primary in Dutlwe. Botswana! Dutlwe Primary is the only school in the small, rural village of Dutlwe, Botswana at the edge of the Khalghari desert and right below the Khutse Game Reserve. There are around 350 students grades 1 to 7. Each class has about 30 students. Students learn both Setswana and English at school so English is often their 3rd or 4th language in addition to Sekghalahadi and Sesawara. Students also learn agriculture, mathematics, creative and performing arts, cultural studies and religious studies.
Because Dutlwe is pretty isolated, there is not much access to resources and many students can’t afford to but their own school supplies. While Dutlwe has wonderful teachers and staff and hardworking students, they often are held back due to the lack of resources. For this reason any school supplies you donate really will make a difference for both the students and teachers here.
As some of you may know, SMCM graduate Teresa Padgett ’15 is currently a Peace Corps Volunteer at Dutlwe Primary in Botswana. These supplies will help her students and give them a better future! Boxes will be outside of the Great Room the week of November 30th-December 5th or you can drop off supplies at the Office of Student Activities!
Some examples of what to donate: felt pens, paper (printer paper and/or notebook paper), erasers, pencils, pens, rulers, crayons, markers, headphones, poster paper, dust free chalk!
Ke a leboga (thank you)!