While this may prove to be a challenging year in U.S. education circles, challenges are a daily part of the struggle in Mozambique schools. Quirkles co-author Sherry Cook saw that first hand as she spent part of July and August in that country. Basic necessities are often hard to come by (paper and pencil, books, etc.) but in some parts of the country things are getting better. Below part of her visit is captured as she visited a village in the northern part of the country.



Sherry, with daughter Lauren and other members of the U.S. group, watch as some of the village children huddle around to see their digital photo. They loved having their pictures taken.The village chief (in the green striped shirt), came by to offer his greetings.

This village school, a great improvement over the dirt-floored reed and thatched huts often used, has multiple classrooms—one for each primary grade. There is even a computer room powered by solar panels.



The school director and possibly some teachers live in these houses located close to the school. Other teachers live in dorms or tents during the week, and then usually leave the village to go back to their homes or a larger city on the weekends.



These two young boys represent Mozambique’s hope for the future. When not hauling water from the community well, working in the community gardens, or doing other chores, they, like so many children, love to play soccer! In the Southern Hemisphere it is now winter. During the time Sherry visited, the students were on a two-week winter break from school. These village children speak one of more than 40 African languages spoken in parts of Mozambique. Students begin to learn the official language of Portuguese when they start attending primary school. In some cases, lessons in English will follow.

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