Skip to main content

Floating School in Makoko (Sharon Ogunleye Reports)

"Gosh, I finally made it to Makoko floating school. A story I have been longing to do in a while after having done the initial story years ago when the school was being built. After weeks of planning and communicating with the school's director with the help of NLE, here I was walking down narrow paths to get to the jetty.

This is why I chose journalism, the thrill that comes from telling stories about Africa to the rest of the world. Nothing could compare to the feeling I had. Lots of things ran through my mind in that 15 minutes walk. As my colleagues and I walked on with our camera kit hidden in backpacks from the prying eyes of the Makoko residents who could tell we were strangers, we observed the sights and sounds of this fascinating community. Firstly I wondered how on earth they got clean water. That was until I spotted some large drums in one of the shacks. Then I thought about how they slept at night with the stench. And I figured after decades of living there, they were probably used to it. It was humbling and I tried to wrap my head around why little children could be seen carrying out various tasks instead of being in school. Even with the free education, their parents did not want to be deprived of any assistance they could get to boost their income.

We got to the school just in time for their morning assembly. The kids sang praises to God in unison as the floating school swayed slowly with the wind with the early morning breeze whispering to us a welcome so sweet.




 Located in one of Nigeria's biggest informal settlements, the Makoko Floating School is an innovative new building that can house up to 100 students and teachers.




 The pyramid-shaped structure is bouyed by over 200 plastic barrels and is able to withstand tidal changes and extreme weather patterns. Known to some as the Venice of Lagos, the 100-year-old slum is home to thousands of people whose major source of income is fishing, sand harvesting and timber trading.
The school was constructed by a young Nigerian architect who was inspired by the need to chart a new path for people who live in water communities.
                                                              


The project which was started in 2012 was officially opened in November 2015. 47 students currently study here.
The Floating School offers free education but receives funding from donors. It is an extension of the only English speaking school in Makoko.
Makoko was designated for demolition in 2013 which would have left many homeless. Most residents in the slum are migrants from other countries in West Africa trying to make a living in Nigeria.
 

                                                 


With its unique architecture, the Floating School has brought global attention to the plight of Makoko's residents.
Now, the local government says it wants to incorporate the Floating School's design into its own urban planning.
Majority of Lagosians live in what are effectively slums with no reliable electricity or water. Projects like Makoko's Floating School are helping to address some of the growing challenges of climate change and urbanisation that people here face.". 

Written by Sharon Ogunleye

Comments

Unknown said…
awesome write ups, looking forward to work with you someday
1 April 2016 at 01:37
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hot Tea: Hackers of Ashley Madison "Dating Site for Cheating Spouses" release members' data

Reports say 10 gigabytes of data stolen by hackers of Ashley Madison site may have been released. The data was stolen last month by hackers with the name Impact Team. They threatened to reveal the data unless the match making site for married people was taken down. According to reports, the hackers managed to steal the real names and addresses of the site's users, including those who had previously paid to delete their accounts.
Post a Comment
Read more

Asoebi: Felicitation or Burden?

It's the start of the weekend and boy am I excited.   I can imagine you on the other hand have an event or a list of events lined up to make your weekend interesting. I'm just going to be in my room, on my bed, sipping cocoa, indulging in my favourite pastime activity; blogging, reading and listening to classical music, don't hate. #noteverytimeturnup. But for now, I'll share with you a little something something. So, as I stepped out of church on one sunday like that, I bumped into a childhood friend. Looking at how grown she looked made me realise I don old sha! If you are a catholic like I am, you will agree with me that not all your catheticism classmates remain in the fold as you grow. Many will leave to find their salvation elsewhere, personal reasons or relocation. This was why I was shocked when I saw my old friend. What had she come to do, I quizzed my mind. Then it occurred to me that only one thing could bring her back, at this time. Wedding?
Post a Comment
Read more

Random Musings: Clearly I Am Not Just A Fat Ass

Lately I find myself listening to different genres of music. From rock, pop, country, jazz and and and. So I have just being a music whore trying to find the one I'm most comfortable with.  Of all the genres of music I have been experimenting lately, Soul tops my list. Now Soul is believed to be music for only mature minds, whatever that means! I have even been told that you need to be of a certain age group to understand the message that lies in soul music. Honestly, I couldn't disagree more. 
Post a Comment
Read more