Northern Tanzania – Family and Rollins College Group are a team – 4 Aug 2014

This June, 14 field study participants from Rollins College spent two weeks visiting Better Lives’ partners in Tanzania. They spent time with Better Lives’ partners on Mount Kilimanjaro and in Kahe District. Coming into the trip the group had two work goals. During their time on Mount Kilimanjaro, the group wanted to build three gardens in three working days. In Kahe District, the group wanted to finish digging the foundation of Rau River Primary School’s new toilet.

The trip began on Mount Kilimanjaro working with Better Lives’ partner Lishe Bora. On their first working day, the group was clearing and cultivating land alongside local families. This type of manual labor was new to all of the participants, but there were plenty of more experienced farmers around. As one student explained, “The children, my God, were amazingly strong, and they didn’t complain!… The children grabbed the tools from our hands and helped us do our work, teaching us how to use the tools better.”

One of three gardens completed by the Rollins group.

While the work was physically demanding, students enjoyed the challenge and the rewarding feeling after a long day of work. “At the end of the day when we looked at the progress we were making with our gardens, and the smiles that the people around us had on their faces (including me) I knew inside that everything was worth it,” explained one student. Another student described her sense of pride, “I can say I dug my hands in the African soil, and I created something that would sustain human life!”

After three days of hard work, the group took a much-deserved break to enjoy some of the local scenery and culture. During a two day work break the students hiked trails between villages, visited a local coffee plantation, swam in waterfalls, and enjoyed a party with Lishe Bora member families. This was a great opportunity for students to get to know community members better.

Students learning local cooking methods.

One student described the joy of getting to know people from a new community, “This trip brought a whole new set of minds, talents, eyes, and goals. Each person was so completely different from the other!”

This break from work was capped off by a three day safari to Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater.

After safari the group was ready to start work with Tupendane, Better Lives’ partner in Kahe District. Before they could start work, the students were welcomed to Kahe with a big surprise. The community had organized a soccer match – Rollins vs. Kahe Girls Team. The students knew they would be playing soccer, but they didn’t expect a full 11v11 match with jerseys, refs, and hundreds of cheering spectators! Rollins surprised everyone (especially themselves) by winning 2-1 on a last second goal.

Many participants described the soccer match as one of the most amazing experiences of their lives. After the match, everyone was re-energized for another couple days of hard work. It was a good thing they were energized, because in Kahe participants were asked to dig the foundation for a new toilet. Digging trenches was hard work under a hot sun, but in just two days the digging was nearly finished and the team was once again feeling the joy of a job well done.

Trip participants in the Serengeti.

One student explained, “The big realization for me was how much I want to be a part of something bigger than me. I want to have more of an impact on people. I don’t want to just come and go, I want to be a part of helping peoples’ lives get better… I want to be a part of the solution.”

After two weeks of exploring and working in Tanzania. The Rollins field study group accomplished a lot that will improve the lives of students and families in Tanzania. The gardens they built on Mount Kilimanjaro will provide food, income, and a chance to build credit for three families. The toilet they helped build at Rau River Primary School will enable that school to start a breakfast program, providing important nutrition for students every morning.

Both teams after the soccer game. Rollins pulled off an upset by winning 2-1.