Prior to 2021, the children living in Sexaxa comunity walked 5km to access primary school education in Matlapana. The long walk, through bush and on a stretch of dangerous road, which children usually embarked on before dawn and without breakfast, left them arriving at school hungry, dirty and tired. It also meant that the children from Sexaxa could not enjoy the benefits of after-school activities such as sports and revision classes, which would see them returning home after dark.
The difficulties associated with accessing schooling meant that often the youngest children did not start at the correct age, and the older ones performed poorly, attended sporadically and had a high drop out rate.
Africa Foundation worked with the community of Sexaxa and the District Government to establish a primary school within the area, which opened with just two classrooms, 5 ablutions and a kitchen, in 2021.