We talk a lot about education at TMP Academy in the usual ways but there is so much that goes on behind the scenes to ensure the students and staff are supported in meaningful ways. One way we do this our bus.
We learned early on that our staff members didn’t have adequate nor safe transportation. Daily, each staff member had to catch a motorcycle taxi to get to TMP Academy and return home. The motorcycle taxi is the cheapest method of transportation but it is very unsafe, especially when the teachers were carrying their school supplies or the cooks were having to transport cooking supplies. Most all of our staff live outside of Tsipasi in neighboring towns so safe and economical transportation is necessary.
To remedy this issue, we considered numerous options with the guidance of our team on the ground. The solution that was most effective was to purchase a used bus (trotro). Purchasing the trotro and hiring a local driver achieved three things; We were able to address the immediate need of our staff by providing safe and economical transportation to school each day. Another job was created as we hired a driver and he draws a salary as a bus driver by picking up each staff member in the morning and providing a return ride home at the end of the day. He also uses the trotro as a taxi on the weekends to bring in a little extra revenue for the school. Lastly, this bus benefits TMP by allowing us to have our own method of transportation for in-country visits, project needs, hauling materials, without having to rent a vehicle every time one is needed.
Your monthly support helps with these vital pieces that are part of our regular operations but not widely called out. It’s these pieces that are integral to ensuring a high quality education is delivered to our students. If you haven’t yet set up your monthly donation, you can do it in a few quick & safe clicks on our website - www.themoveproject.org/donate