Cubal Koyaya school

overview

The village of Cubal Koyaya had never had a school and the war had been brutal. In February 2008, a small US team visited and was moved as the community affirmed their commitment and desire to build this school. Funded by the joint effort of three schools in the US, Ascension Catholic School, Wheeling and Hersey High Schools, and those three groups are made up of hundreds of students that extended themselves, through bake sales, coin drives, donut sales, a Walk for Angola and concerts – hundreds of students, giving of themselves to help students halfway around the world.

In July, after driving for over two hours on a road accessed only in 4 wheel drive vehicles, a caravan with government officials and the RISE team returned to Cubal Koyaya to participate in the school dedication.  As the vehicles approached, hundreds of children ran to greet the visitors, singing with joy.  A beautiful new school came into view – where there had been nothing a few short months prior, now stood a symbol of partnership and hope and a future.

The day of celebration and dedication will be remembered and the story retold. It is the only structure like it for miles, and the people of Cubal Koyaya are proud of the school they helped build, that belongs to their village, and speaks to their serious commitment to education.

As part the Rotary Partnership with RISE, a well was drilled at Cubal Koyaya in June 2016, accompanied by WASH training (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene). Joint Aid Management (JAM), the organization that drilled the well, will also be implementing a feeding program at the school.