March 23 News Sheet – 24 Hour Swimathon

In the Philippines the German School in Manila ran a 24 hour swimathon as part of their 30^th anniversary. Students, staff, and friends of the School all took part and the chair of our local partner in Manila, Sarah McLeod also took to the water. This raised enough money to fully equip the first ever schoolroom in the isolated rubbish dump community of Sitio Pintor where Children of the Dump runs the community’s first ever school. Last year, The Manila Motorcycle Club helped by repairing the only freshwater pump in the village and giving building materials. Villagers then replaced the rickety community shack where the classes were held as a typhoon stripped the thatch from the roof. The children now have a proper classroom able to withstand the elements and pre-school education is ensured. Now the challenge becomes how to extend the opportunities of education as the children get older and need schooling outside their cut-off community with its lack of easy access.