Then...
There was no secondary school, any one, in this part of Tanzania since independence. The dreams and prayers to have a secondary school to serve the needs of children of Eyasi valley were prime and by 2000s they started to be realised.
The Catholic missionary priests of Mang'ola Chini parish, Pd. Miguel Ángel Lozano and José Aguilar Torner 'Pepe', both Spanish, started the efforts to have a secondary school established. To oversee its day to day running they sought the assistance of sisters from the Congregation of Evangelising Sisters of Mary. Then the finances would prove a challenge, there came Ms Anna Gamazo, a Spanish benefactor, who had already started humanitarian assistance in Mang'ola through her foundation (Fundacion Humanitaria AG ) of Madrid, Spain. She and her friends back in Spain organised funds that helped to finance the acquisition of piece of land and the construction of the basic structures.
With the blessings of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Mbulu, then Rt. Rev. Ruwa'aichi, the school started in 2002 offering O-level education to both boys and girls with subsidised tuition and board.
Now...
Through years the school has grown tremendously, academically and structurally. After the implementation of SEPD a host of secondary schools were built in Mang'ola thus eliminating the problem of a lacking secondary schools in this area. It was then agreed to have Anna Gamazo Sec School, a girls-only school. It now offers both O and A-level education according the Tanzania education system. The examination results are exceptionally inspiring too. In both O and A levels, the school leads the pack in Karatu district and sits comfortably within the best 10 in Arusha region and North-Western zone.
The pionners of the school, the Evangelising Sisters of Mary, left the mission late 2017, and since 2008 day-to-day management and running of the school was shifted to the Missionary Sisters of St Ann (Luzern) who continues to-date. Physical infrastructure development has been completed with a commission and inauguration of a new multi-purpose hall fitted with all the necessary audio-visual equipment for students to learn and recreation.
Mama Anna Gamazo and then Spanish Ambassador to Tanzania, unveiling a plaque to commemorate the opening of the new multipurpose Hall.
The school now boasts 14 well furnished classrooms, two laboratories, a computer laboratory with networked computers (plans for internet connection are underway), a well stocked library, a kitchen and dining hall complete with furniture and utensils, 15 dormitories with 530 beds, store rooms for grains and other equipment, and staff quarters for all our teaching and non teaching staff.
Through REA program, the school is connected to grid electricity adding to the existing solar and wind power system, also water is now pumped from the river using electric motor installed in the year 2015.
Looking forward...
The future is bright and the prospects are high. The expectations, too, are many.
God is leading us well and a lot is planned for the immediate future. We are improving conditions for a more stable staff, well-maintained buildings and other equipment, library stocking and updating and improved examination results for our girls. A-level combinations are gradually being increased too, with emphasis on science combinations.
School is planning to install internet connectivity through 3G network in the year 2016, currently the school has procured RACHEL Plus offline content access point (CAP) device which enables the students and staff to access quality content from Wikipedia, Khan Academy and much more.
Challenges are many too, female teachers are challenges to get and keep, the government inspection still find our facilities lacking despite many efforts to keep up with the many regulations and changes, and still many students are unable to pay their fees. Through many friends and the Foundation we are seeing ways and means on assisting and transform these young souls into better citizens of this country and world; who have gone through a complete and wholesome formation -- mentally, spiritually, morally and academically.
