Imagine a couple of low-rise buildings, adjacent to one other, with grey, grimy walls and ceilings, riddled with cracks. On the stairs, some steps are partially broken, and the inside of the building is as bleak as the outside. The rooms are crammed with wooden desks and chairs, all of which are broken or chipped. The windows are barred and rusty, with broken latches and missing knobs, making them either open all the time, or closed for eternity. The floor tiles are rutted and whole pieces of tile are missing here and there. The stench from the hallway will direct you towards the one working toilet – or make you steer away from it. Several rooms are closed for unknown reasons, while others are open and stuffed, yet their purpose remains a mystery. On a small piece of land outside, a solitary broken swing and what once was a slide stand together. This is where many unprivileged children spend six to eight hours of their day getting a so-called education by teachers who linger around corridors between classes because they do not have a staff room.
Cairo slums are not the only places screaming out for development projects by NGOs and civil society associations. Many government schools have deteriorated to the point of being almost irreparable, and their overall conditions severely hinder the educational process. For example, most of these schools lack decent and functioning toilets. Children are sent to school to develop socially, physically, intellectually and emotionally. To fulfill these needs, each school requires teachers and a secure facility with the basics: furnishings, materials, equipment, classrooms, staff rooms, gender-segregated toilets, laboratories, activity rooms, sports fields, playgrounds and areas for outdoor recess.
In an effort to create an environment that is conducive to education, Takatof Association for Development has taken on the burden of re-furbishing and upgrading dilapidated public schools in select neighborhoods. Arm-in-arm with the Ministry of Education, Takatof focuses on schools that place a heavy financial burden on the government, but the schools often require more than just a layer of paint and some new furniture.
“The first step is performing a needs’ assessment. We conduct focus groups and on-site visits; we talk with the school staff, teachers and students to know what their problems are. We collect information, assess, write detailed reports, investigate thoroughly and communicate with the Ministry of Education,” says Mireille Nessim, Executive Director of Takatof. In their research, one of the common complaints reported by children was the widespread squat or balady toilet in schools, which many children do not know how to use. Takatof redesigns the infrastructure of schools to achieve optimal functionality and impact positively on the quality of teaching and learning. Takatof repairs the schools’ existing infrastructure and provides
security fencing, water and sanitation, and electrical infrastructure. Takatof provides additional infrastructure to match curriculum requirements (e.g. laboratories, computer centers, art rooms, sports fields etc). The NGO also replaces non-operational school structures, which includes replacing squat toilets, affording schools with additional classrooms, and providing sufficient desks and chairs for learners and teachers.
The layout of a school facility contributes to the overall experience of students, teachers, and the people of the neighborhood; it can either add to the sense of ownership, security, individuality, control, and privacy, or make it feel cramped and alienating. Nessim says that the buildings and classrooms are painted in different colors, which are carefully picked after consulting with an environmental architect. According to her, the importance of colors is often overlooked, although colors can affect students’ performance and the efficiency of teachers and staff; blue for example, helps in contemplating and relaxing, while yellow elicits liveliness and happiness. Takatof also redesigns windows to create airy classrooms flooded with natural sunlight.
“We remove the plain barred windows that make classrooms look like prison cells, and replace them with colorful, geometrically shaped, wrought-iron barred windows,” says Nessim. According to her, colors, shapes, and textures stimulate children’s minds and enhance their development. Learning in beautiful surroundings helps them develop emotionally and accustoms them to beauty.
“We furnish schools with all sorts of educational equipment and materials, like laboratory supplies, computers, desks and chairs, fire extinguishers – even cleaning tools. We add more classes, staff rooms and activity rooms by making use of previously unused spaces. We have built school theaters and ramps for the disabled, and revamped toilets. We restore cracks in ceilings, walls and stairs to guarantee children and staff’s safety,” says Nessim.
Takatof’s relentless evaluation department and staff keeps everyone on their toes.
“We follow up and constantly evaluate how the new facilities are being used, so improvement is ongoing,” says Nessim. “Our two biggest challenges are maintenance and capacity building for teachers.”
One of Takatof’s core beliefs is that comprehensive, sustainable development and physical upgrade go hand in hand. To ensure that their work does not go to waste, Takatof implements programs to educate students on how to preserve their renovated school, and holds a monthly ‘Cleanest Classroom’ competition.
Takatof provides after-school activities and summer camps for children, and continues to conduct seminars to assess needs and do soft skills’ training with students. Takatof provides several soft skills and development training for teachers as well. Hundreds of teachers, principals, staff, and senior educational supervisors in the Ministry of Education have attended Takatof’s training programs, which cover communication, basic computer and English language skills. Teachers are taught how to deal with students, build trust and strengthen their relationships with students.
AGOUZA Library
At their Agouza Library, Takatof implements different edutainment and art activities for children to develop their skills, personalities and psyches, and ignite their imagination and intelligence. Children participate in drama workshops and plays at the library, enabling them to express their emotions and learn social skills and problem solving. Children also engage in fun activities that teach them good manners and instill good values and healthy habits in them.
Health Care Services
In cooperation with Medicare, Maghrabi Ophthalmology Charity Foundation and others, Takatof organizes medical convoys, offering medical services in upgraded schools, which also serve the people of the neighborhood. Convoys in the field of ophthalmology serve thousands of beneficiaries, providing eye examinations, glaucoma operations, medications and eye-glasses, all free of charge. Very soon, blood testing services will be provided by Takatof medical convoys to help diagnose diseases at an early stage. Takatof regularly organizes awareness programs on various health and hygiene issues for students and their families.
Achievements
Takatof has upgraded a total of 16
schools in Agouza, Waili, Manial, El Darb El Ahmar and Obour City, turning them into positive and safe environments for children and teachers. These schools now have clean, spacious classrooms, functional activity spaces, and better security facilities; some of the schools also include ramps and other infrastructure for disabled students. Takatof is currently testing faucets to reduce water consumption in toilets of select schools to implement them in other schools.
Throughout their work, Takatof is keen to maintain the consistency of the building’s aesthetic facade with its surroundings. For example, Fatma Al-Nabawiya School, which is adjacent to the Mosque of Al-Sayyidah Fatma Al-Nabawiya, was restored by using the Islamic architectural (Al-Hashemi bricks) style. The NGO has also upgraded the Al-Amal School for the deaf and mute.
Takatof furnished Abdel Aziz Gaweesh Elementary School with desks, furnishings and equipment. Located in Rabaa Al-Adaweya in Nasr City, the school was destroyed during Rabaa sit-in.
More public schools await Takatof’s hardworking team, and enthusiastic volunteers with an eye for detail. Takatof is supported by generous organizations and businessmen who provide cash grants and in-kind donations.