Located in the center of Bani Walid city, the Al-Jala school was established in 1973 and is considered to be one of the key educational facilities in the area, serving over 500 students. However, due to lack of resources, the school had not been renovated in decades, creating an unsafe environment for teachers and students.
Fifty-two-year-old Ali, a former student of Al-Jala school, is now the father of two children who are enrolled at the school. “This school has been suffering for so long. Even when I was a child, I remember it was difficult to study with broken windows, since it was too cold in the winter to stay focused. The school did not receive maintenance or renovations for a very long time, despite being a key in our community.” Ali’s words replay through childhood memories and hope for a better future for his children. “Today, it breaks my heart to see that my children suffer from the same poor conditions I experienced so many years ago. The problems are still the same: the number of toilets is dramatically insufficient and the classrooms have broken windows. It’s hard for children to enjoy school in such conditions”.
Recently, when Ali was picking up his children from school, he noticed construction works in the building and he asked what was happening. “This is how I got to know about the programme funded by the European Union – the Baladiyati programme – that is renovating the school. I couldn’t be happier about the idea that my children will be soon attending school in a comfortable, dignifying environment, and I am sure they will be far more motivated to wake up every day to go to school.”
In the framework of the programme Baladiyati (Recovery, Stability, Socio-Economic Development in Libya), funded by the European Union through the EU Trust Fund for Africa, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation is working in partnership with International Rescue Committee (IRC) to rehabilitate 4 schools in Bani Walid, through much needed maintenance and renovation works. Specific actions include the maintenance of the latrines and hygienical systems, replacing broken windows and doors, ensuring the wiring and electronics are safe and functioning, and new interior and exterior painting.
This story was written by AICS based on content collected on ground by International Rescue Committee
Photo: copyright free content
