During the May 2010 trip Sharon had a meeting with the pastors about starting a "life skills" course - which is a new development.

Those who finish primary education but have not passed exams into secondary will be offered a place. The idea is that they learn:

• to look after livestock: pigs, chickens, etc.
• to keep financial books
• to produce a good crop on a small piece of land
• how to take stuff to market

This will mean the young people will gain the skills they need to live in Tanzania.

The course will run for one year at the current primary sponsorship cost of £3.50 per month - and so will be a natural extension of the standard sponsorship programme.

The meeting went very well. We still need to put flesh on the bones, but we have hit on a major idea. We are told it is exactly what the Tanzanian government has been saying is the greatest need.