Repton School Dubai partners with Dubai Cares to build schools in Senegal

UmairEKINews & Events

The two new schools in Senegal will provide education to more than 120 students and 120 adults

Repton School Dubai, in partnership with Dubai Cares, has raised more than AED 280,000 to build two new schools in Senegal, aiming to provide education to more than 240 students and adults in the West African country.

Students and faculty of Repton School Dubai implemented various collection initiatives over the past 12 months – including a contribution jar placed in the Junior Reception entrance of the Nad Al Sheba campus, private donations from generous Repton families, and 100% of proceeds generated from several school festivals such as the Winter Fayre and Crazy Hair Day have been donated to the cause. This term the Junior School Student Council alone raised over AED 14,000 for taking part in a day of silence, sponsored by their family and friends.

Repton School Dubai Headmaster, David Cook, said: “We are proud to unveil the first of two schools in Senegal, as we work towards our goal of improving education in developing countries.  A Repton education enables our students to leave school with a world-class education, core values and character traits that will enable them to thrive as adults.  We hope that by building these two schools that we can aid in the development of young Senegalese students to reach their potential and positively impact their community.  ‘We are honored to partner Dubai Cares in these two wonderful school initiatives and make our own contribution to supporting education outside the UAE.”

A team of eight, both adults and children, from the Repton community travelled to Ndagane, Senegal to break ground on the first school and work alongside the community to learn more about the local culture. The Ndagane School was completed in November after four weeks of construction and is now being enjoyed by students and adults from the local community. Repton School Dubai is preparing to hand over the second cheque of AED 142,000 to Dubai Cares, which will put them on schedule to build their second school in rural Senegal in 2020.

Each school will have two full-furnished classrooms in addition to separated ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines for boys and girls.  A portion of the money raised will provide two trained literacy facilitators at each school, with the ability to teach the community members the fundamentals of literacy.

“It is truly wonderful to see the Repton community come together on such an important issue and to do their bit for society. Knowledge is power, and we look forward to continuing to help build a more knowledgeable and powerful community outside of the UAE,” concluded Cook.