after Bozoum, news from Bangassou: School year is (almost) finished. 2

Friday, June 23, 2017

School year is (almost) finished. 2

School year is (almost) finished. 2

On Saturday, June 17^th, we deliver the report cards to the boys and girls of “St.Augustin” High School. Once more this year we are able to reward the best classified of each class with a scholarship, which guarantees the free enrollment for next year.

On Sunday, instead, we close the school year at the kindergarten “Ste Marthe”, the School of Literacy and the elementary school "Isidore Bakanjia". Lots of people! The students are almost 1,250, and in addition there are parents, some of them very proud of their children's success. To the top 15 students of each class we give a fruit plant which will then plant, together with the parents, at the end of school year, as a souvenir and their commitment.

On Tuesday the "seniors" students of our High School “St.Augustin” begin the written tests of Maturity (Advanced Level). They are 17, very excited. The tests are only written and they last 4 days. The copies of their tests will then be sent to Bangui, where they will be examined, and within 3-4 weeks the results will be communicated via radio.

On Sunday another beautiful thing happened: our Coral won the first prize at the Coral Contest organized by the Diocese.

Thursday I leave towards Bocaranga. The road is always damaged, and with rains it gets worse day by day. It takes more than 3h. to cover 125 km. Here I meet the Capuchin Fathers and the Sisters. The city had suffered a very violent attack on February 2^nd, and is still struggling to recover.

Unfortunately there is a lot of insecurity. A few miles away there were about 200 armed men, former Seleka. Despite the agreements signed these days in Rome, there is little hope that cease-fire will become effective.

In Bocaranga, with the help of some European Caritas, Cordaid on top, we did support the schools of the city, distributing school material for over 5,000 kids. We are building 400 school desks, which we will deliver at the beginning of the next school year. Since March we support the teachers also, with a small monthly contribution.