Rebuild of St Francis Primary School, Msoro
Rebuild of St Francis Primary School, Msoro
Thursday 2nd January, 2025
Msoro is the centre of the Anglican Diocese of Eastern Zambia. It is located about 65 kms north of St Francis’ Hospital, Katete. The road from Katete going east to the Mtetezi turnoff, is good tar. However, there where one turns to the north, the road is gravel with large rocks and deep potholes designed by nature to catch out the unwary driver.
The school was originally built in the 1930, predating St Luke’s Cathedral. The Cathedral is one of the largest brick-built churches in Zambia completed in 1940 and is worth a visit.
The school has approximately 700 day pupils drawn from the local area. The main school building, a 2 classroom 3 office block measuring 31 x 11 metres had fallen into decay and had been condemned by the time Canon Andrew Cairns saw the building in late 2022.
It was obvious that we need to do something to give the pupils better facilities for their education.
The corrugated iron roof and metal girders were reusable, though the rest of the building was in an appalling state, for two reasons:
- When the building was originally constructed, cement was not available. Builders had to use clay from termite mounds that had slowly disintegrated over the years.
- Termites had eaten the wooden door and window frames. The termites had had the main course, dessert and had started cheese and biscuits. If one lightly touched a wooden frame, one’s finger would go straight through without any resistance.
The Friends of St Francis Katete Charitable Trust set about to raise the funds for the school’s renovation.
George Chirwa, the Head Teacher was project manager while Kalilani Banda, a local builder oversaw rebuild. The time taken to remove the roof and joists, then flatten the building preserving as many of the bricks as possible, took 10 days. The rebuild started in early March 2024 and construction was completed in July the same year.
A team from St Francis Hospital finished the project by completing the wiring and painting. The finished school was handed back to the Church on 3rd August by Canon Andrew Cairns representing the Friends of St Francis Katete Charitable Trust. Representing the church was the Rt Revd William Mchombo and the guest of honour was Canon Dr Benson Ngoma, the Director of Education.
The Ministry of Education in Zambia promised to provide desks, chairs and teaching equipment. The desks and chairs arrived in late October 2024.