Tanzania 2011

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NEWS FROM THE TANZANIA PROJECT 2011

The Tanzanian project started in 1995, when the first ISA group visited the newly founded MaaSAE (Maa Speakers Advanced Education) Girls Lutheran Secondary School (MGLSS). There are very few secondary opportunities for Maasai girls and the focus of the school is in helping to provide Maasai girls and other nomadic tribes with a secondary education, which would otherwise not be possible. A goal of the school is to empower women to make informed choices for themselves and their future children, and to further the tribe’s development. Each year a new class of around 60 girls begins and there are now over 250 students in the school. Since the school was founded, more than 500 girls have graduated and over 150 of these girls have gone on to institutions of Higher Education. Today, graduates include teachers, nurses, social workers, doctors and other professionals.

The Maasae Girls Lutheran Secondary school is located in Monduli, a town about 45 minutes outside of Arusha. In June, a group of teachers (Sue Worsnup, Margaret van Berkel, Susie Falk and Kate Swift) and students (Robyn Jones, Lara Kok, Coryell Graham, Roxanne de Jong, Sofie Axing, Kiah Fardell, Morgan Holzer, Maiko Mitsuhashi, Merry Shea Keeler, and Sarah-Mae Lieverse) left Amsterdam to spend nineteen days at the School. Following eight months of preparation, full of enthusiasm and in eager anticipation, we set off to run a summer school programme with a group of 80 Form One MGLSS students. Most of the students we worked with started the school in October 2010 and they are predominately Maasai, but there are also students from other nomadic tribes in Tanzania. They have had some basic English at school and one of the aims of our programme is to help them to develop and communicate more in English. This we tried to encourage by providing a varied programme and working in smaller groups.

A trip of this kind always brings many challenges and this year we saw added difficulties at the school, local community and the country in general as they faced increasing water and power shortages. In Monduli, as elsewhere in the country, these two problems along with rising food prices are causing much concern. During the entire 19 days of our visit, water only came through the water pipes for a total of 1 hour. Water has to be fetched and in many cases is only available through further payment. Most of Tanzania’s electricity is hydropower generated and with the prolonged drought, the country has had power rationing since December. Due to the failed rains, the rationing has been extended further and we experienced 12 hour long power cuts each day. It certainly made us appreciate the daily necessities that we take so much for granted.

We were warmly welcomed at the airport by a few staff members of the school and the next day we began teaching the 80 Form One girls. The girls were enthusiastic and keen to learn. This was the beginning of our real cultural exchange. The close contact between the ISA and MGLSS girls enabled us to understand better how they live and this helped us learn about their rich and diverse culture. The MGLSS community, likewise, learnt more about our culture and lifestyles. It is a very demanding trip for all concerned, especially considering that most participants are working in an unfamiliar and what at times could be considered a very trying environment. Through the summer programme, our students also discovered that they had many things to offer and learnt much about themselves and their capabilities.

In Monduli, daybreak is around 6.20 am and we got up very shortly afterwards. Each day began with uji (maize porridge) for breakfast. The daily routine followed a fairly strict schedule with lessons from 8.30 – 10.30, 11.00 - 13.00 and 13.30 – 15.30. We taught English, Library, Geography, Maths, Science, Arts and Crafts, First Aid and Sports. The ISA students did a fantastic job working with the MGLSS students, assisting in lessons and leading group activities, as well as giving a presentation about the country they come from or have lived in. We also had an evening programme from 19.15 – 20.45 that included games, dance, campfires, art and craft activities and a Maasai cultural evening. During the trip we went with the MGLSS students to the Taranguire National Park. The park is renowned for elephants and baobab trees. The MGLSS students were very excited about going on the trip. We had a fantastic day and saw much wildlife. We also went to visit a Maasai boma (family settlement), the home of Esther, one of the girls we taught in Form One. The boma is actually Esther’s grandparents’ boma and she lives there with her parents as well as with aunts, uncles and their children. This was a huge boma with around 100 people living there. They are also trying to cope with lack of water and have many hardships. We were greeted with a very warm welcome and they shared with us their homes, ceremonial singing and dancing. It was extremely interesting and an honour to have a brief glimpse of a patriarchal society.

Fundraising for school projects goes on at ISA throughout the year and is organized by the Share Committee group. Through their tremendous enthusiasm and hard work, a considerable amount of money was raised and divided amongst the different charities that the school supports. Once again, the Share Committee donated money for the Tanzania Project that enabled us to buy the required supplies and run the programme. It also pays for the trip to Taranguire National Park for all the Form One students and in addition a substantial donation is also sent to the school that will be used for designated requests that the school has made for financial assistance (details to be given to the Share Committee). Thanks also goes to the ISA Tanzania student group (comprised both of students who did and did not participate in the actual trip to MGLSS) who have also organized themselves to form a fundraising group to further support MGLSS. Their donation has so far enabled them to purchase school T-shirts and skirts for the Form One class and to refurbish the dining room tables. The MGLSS school really appreciates our contribution of offering a summer school programme and raising money for the Maasae Girls’ Education fund, which is then used to buy equipment and resources for the school. The school has asked me to convey their many words of thanks and gratitude for the support, help and kindness that we have been able to give to the MaaSAE Girls’ School.

While in Tanzania, we were able to visit the Heifer project for the fifth time, to which the Share Committee has again made another generous donation. This organization supports people in need in developing countries by giving them livestock to help alleviate hunger and poverty. Besides the gift of an animal, the person receiving it must take part in a training programme provided by the Heifer project to learn how to look after the animal correctly and its’ subsequent offspring. They must also agree to pass on the first offspring to another family, so the gift is passed on and on. We were able to visit two families who had received goats donated by ISA. These goats made a huge impact in their lives. One man shared many personal details of his situation and how the gift of the goat had given him much improved health and also hope once again. He became much stronger and was able to build up a furniture business to help support his family. We also visited a young girl who lived with her grandmother, as she had lost her parents to aids. The goat gave the family milk for better health and an income to allow the girl to attend school. Both families were very open and especially grateful, welcoming us with open arms.

The Tanzania 2011 trip was once again a very worthwhile trip, leaving us with many treasured moments and memories. As mentioned earlier, MGLSS really appreciates all we do but it is certainly by no means a one sided appreciation, as I am sure that everyone who has been involved in the project over the years will agree. The learning, sharing and friendships that have developed between the two communities have left us all richer thanks to this opportunity. I hope that you have been able to see our photo display in the foyer of our wonderful trip. Other photos and information are available on our school website: http://www.isa.nl/TanzaniaProject/tanzaniahome.html

I really want to express my thanks to teachers, students, parents and all who have been involved in the project in any way. Your efforts, time and generosity are greatly appreciated. Thank you to those of you who have contributed so generously.

As they say in Swahili,
Asante Sana (Thank you very much)

Sue Worsnup

Tanzania Coordinator 2011

Without a scholarship 96% of the students would not be able to attend any school. Scholarships for MGLSS are administrated by OBA (Operation Bootstrap Africa). The cost of a full yearly scholarship is $900.00 per student. Many students have two sponsors, each providing half of the scholarship amount. If you are interested at all in helping to provide scholarships (designated to MGLSS) then please contact OPERATION BOOTSTRAP AFRICA at http://www.bootstrapafrica.org/and bootstrapd@aol.com for more information.

http://www.bootstrapafrica.org/documents/MGLSSBrochure.pdf