Tanzania Team Leapers Diaries

Helen Cadman

Hi Guy and Alice,

I'm really sorry I've not been in touch much while we've been here, just been so busy with other stuff and also internet connection hasn't been that consistent so it's been difficult to find the time! Anyway, this is now our last full day with the leap in Tanzania.

I can't believe how quickly the time has gone, It doesn't seem like I've been here 10 weeks. We've got our graduation tonight and I'm really looking forward to it. Mama Helen took us to get our outfits made last week, they look really good! Also really pleased as the boys have come back to join us for our graduation so we'll all be together again.

Kat is flying home to the UK tomorrow but the rest of us are staying on for a week and going to Zanzibar for a holiday. I'm really looking forward to it, especially sunbathing on the beautiful beaches! Though I have got a tan whilst we've been here I need to make it better before I go home. Luckily Stacey is also dedicated to the tan so I think we've going to lie on the beach all day and bake!

As I said, the 10 weeks of the leap placement have absolutely flown by, but I've loved every second of it. The placements we've been to have all been really good, though some touched me more than others and they’ve all been totally different. But overall, I feel we've done something worthwhile and really made a difference to people at all the placements we've done. The one that touched me the most has been the Neema school in Dar es Salaam. They've literally got nothing, one room to teach in that doesn't even have walls or a floor, it's basically a wooden frame with an iron roof where a group of 4 teacher's work voluntarily in the morning, before going to other schools in the afternoon to teach to earn money. We were able to build a 3ft wall around the classroom to help them for when it rains, as they are at the bottom of a hill, and also put in a concrete floor, I'm really proud of the work we've achieved here, and I've learned some new skills, bricklaying and plastering to name a but a few!

One thing I've really enjoyed here is how much we've been able to move around and see lots of different areas of the country. We spent 3 weeks in Arusha, a week in Lake Manyara, 2 weeks in Moshi and then 3 weeks in Dar. It's been good to experience different climates and the small differences in culture and daily living. I think Arusha has been my favourite, primarily as I enjoyed living with Mama Jo and Matius, and of course Jojo! She's just reaching the terrible-two stage, but she's still adorable!

I'd better get off as we've got lots of last minute shopping to do before we all part ways tomorrow. I'm sure I'll speak to one of you when I get home so can talk in a bit more detail then.

Love Helen.Xx

Izzy Pritchard

Travelling with The Leap to Tanzania was a life changing experience,which opened my eyes to a different culture and a very different way oflife.

Sorry it has taken so long to reply! We all kept saying we would reply but then internet time would run out and none of us would have done it!

Everything is great, we are all getting on very well - no arguments as of yet!

The accommodation is comfortable, food is good and we are being generally well looked after. We've had some really good weekends: safari at Mikumi, Arusha, Zanzibar and most recently we just went to the beach. Mathias and co has been really helpful in helping us organise these.

Can't believe there is only a week and a few days left!

Izzy

John Shepherd

Hi Guy,

Thanks for the emails and sorry it's taken so long to reply. Everything's so hectic here but I'm having a really good time.

In answer to your questions, everything here is great. Everyone's been really welcoming and helpful, especially Mathias who helped me sort out my lost luggage and my Kilimanjaro climb. I doubt I would have known what to do without him. Living conditions are great.

I feel very at home with Mama Helen and Mama Jo when we went to see them in Arusha. I'm also really enjoying the work and looking forward to roots and shoots tomorrow. We're planting trees and hopefully, we'll manage to make a nursery.

I'm afraid, at the moment, we have no way of getting our pictures on to the internet but I know we're all planning to spend a good few hours on facebook updating you when everyone gets home, I hope that's okay.

Thanks again for all your help, John

Maddy Butt

Hey!

We are having a great time sorry none of us have contacting u sooner, hotmail is being pretty temperamental!

Zanzibar was great but I’m pretty sure that’s where me an Chloe got malaria! The placements are all brilliant and we already have ideas of how the time should be best spent for the next summer group.

We have some good videos especially of a new school, which we didn’t have in the program that we hope the next group can work with.

All is good,

Maddi x

Mr and Mrs Butt (Maddi's parents)

Thanks Mathias for being so efficient and helpful in your response…we do really appreciate all the help and support you have given Maddi, it is clear that she has been very well looked after and she is having a wonderful time.

We feel very lucky that she has chosen to travel through your company and that we have been able to access information so readily.

Kind regards John and Lynda

Becka Brown

Hi,

Thanks for your email, its all going really well here in Tanzania- we have just got back from Lake Manyara, which was such a great place, I have been bitten so much though by mosi's, and have been cut off from the world for week, which was nice!
Went to the Ngorongoro crater, which was amazing- the animals were brilliant, we got really close to a male lion and the scenery is fantastic.

As for your questions, I love the house in Arusha, it feels like home now and I really like staying in the tented accommodation in Manyara. It’s all better than I was expecting. I'm really looking forward to going to Moshi and Dar es Salaam.My expectations are definatly matched, I have done so much already it feels like I have been here for a long time even though the time is also flying by and there is definatly enough care and support…!
I am having a fantastic time so far. I hope the comments help in future groups.
Thanks Becca

Hi  everyone,

I've had a great week! We've been in Moshi for a week which is at the foot of Kilimanjaro, the weather is a lot hotter here, and we're all starting to get much more tanned. We started the week collecting trees and taking them to a street kids centre, which is just a short walk from the house. The rest of the week we have spent at a school for deaf children.

It’s been such a rewarding week. We've done lots of painting and have finished painting the 2 large dormitories, we have also fitted a ceiling in the staffs room/office. I’ve also had lots of time to spend with the children. Its been really challenging to communicate with them, as I obviously can't do sign language but when they do understand it makes it much more worthwhile and you can tell their faces light up when u understand them and the fact that you are interested in talking to them.

This has been my favourite placement so far, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to go back and see them next week! Neway hope everything is good at home, I'm trying to upload some photos onto facebook so have a look and hopefully they will hurry up and upload before I run out of internet time Lol!
speak to u soon.

Becs xx

Ben Crosland

Dear Alice and Guy,

Thank you for your email. As you may have guessed I have arrived safely back in Portugal and currently relaxing and twiddling my thumbs.

I am really pleased that i had made the decision to join the Leap group to go to Tanzania, and has definitely been a life changing experience which I'm sure I'll remember forever. I had a fantastic time and I'm sure i have learned lots. The Mtui family were really friendly and made us all feel right at home from the first day.
I have plenty of good photos which I can email to you eventually when I find some disk space to put 5GB of photos! I'll also put them on facebook as a separate album.

Thanks very much for everything. Sorry about the late application; thanks for taking me on with such little notice. Madalena and I are almost definitely going to choose to come with the Leap to Cambodia in April. We are just agreeing on everything and I will let you know the latest on it as soon as possible as I know April is getting much closer.

Thank you so much again.
Ben Crosland

Olly Arnott

Olly Arnott

As I said on the phone everything is going really well out here and we are all now very settled into the African way of life. We are staying in the heart of a village about 5 minutes drive away from Arusha where we have two chefs and a cleaner which is very luxurious! It is great to be so immersed into the culture and all the Africans seem to be so friendly- it is very rare that you will walk past someone without a quick Jambo, Poa exchange and a handshake!

We spent the first week getting to know the place, each other, learning Swahili and finding out things that we can do on weekends and in free time. On the first weekend we went to a snake park where I held a snake around my neck- one of the scariest things I’ve ever done- and we also visited a Masaii camp and went on a short camel ride. There are a few local hotels with swimming pools so we have spent the occasional afternoon relaxing in the sun as well.

All of last week was spent at Birindu Secondary School, which is only about 10 mins from here, where we painted the classrooms for the first few days and then spoke to the children about environmental and health problems in Africa. Painting became slightly monotonous by the time we had finished but our first day was great as we had a massive paint fight! Getting to speak to the children at the end of the week was definitely the highlight though and their appreciation made our hard work so worthwhile.

On Saturday we visited Lake Delutiu which is known to be one of the most scenic places in the area, and on Sunday we played volleyball with some children in the village and then visited the craft market. It had some incredible woodcarving and canvases- Lars would have absolutely loved it!  This week we have been building a cow shed at Camp Joseph Christian School. Having complained about the slight lack of work that we were given last week, they made sure that we have loads to do this week.

Topped by the heat- it has been so hot out here- our last two days have been pretty demanding....but at the same time we have had loads of fun and a lot of free time to do our own thing, even in the week. Mateus, the guy in charge, is very nice but his nephew, Sirily, has been our main source of entertainment since we
have been here. He has taken us out to loads of bars and roadside restaurants in town and we have had a lot of very funny experiences!

I think that is pretty much all on my end...I would love to write more but the internet is about to cut out as my time on the computer is nearly up! Olly

January 2009 Team! :-)

“Everything was great – We had a fantastic time! Thank you.!!!
Thank you Mathias and mama Jojo for welcoming us into our home. We felt welcome and very much like one of you. Mama Helen for welcoming us into your house. Everything has been amazing and we are very, very grateful for all that you guys did for us.
 
Thank you Robert for the wonderful meals we had always enjoyed that we shall miss so much when we get back home. You have always been up early in the morning making breakfast and making sure that we were all fed for the day...thank you very much.

Thank you Mathias for always being like a dad to me. When the incidents happened to me you did everything in your power and treating me like your own daughter to make sure that I was ok....my time in Tanzania could not have been as much fun had it not been for you....Thank you so much Mathias and mama Jojo....

Thank you for my time/experience in Tanzania. I had a fantastic time and I hope the next leapers can help to continue some of the work we stared. Thank you!
 
“Sirily was  amazing and we could do and see much of Tanzania because of him. Always supportive and never complaining he did a lot and went out of his way to ensure our good times.  Thanks Sirily!”

Freddie Wooton

Hi Guy,

Its going really well here in Kenya. Everyone's getting on in our group, which is good and the school work is amazing. We all really like the project leader Duncan and the other staff. Everyone’s just sorting out safaris and things for next weekend. Don’t worry, nobody's been at all ill yet except James who taster his first Tusker larger last night!

Thanks

Freddie

Emma Banham

Hey Guy,

Can't believe that we are already 3 weeks in! That is a quarter of the placement that I can never get back!! We are loving every minute of it, even when it rains, we had a HUGE mudfight after the rain on Wednesday, it ended up everyone trying to get the three of us who were still clean absolutely soaked. Got a few videos of people mudsliding as well.

I am definitely happy here, the living conditions are great and we all love the cold showers `after a hard day's work.

This is almost exactly what I expected Duncan is so lovely, we all love him to bits! We are all being
looked after really well.

The project tasks are hard work. But everything is amazing. Last night we had dinner in Ngiri's in Diani and also watched the Lion King with the Camp Kenya group. We all got so into it, singing along and crying in the sad parts (ok that might have just been me!!) I have a blog page at:
http://emmabanham.travellerspoint.com feel free to take any quotes you want from it, I will also try to put some photos up when I can, got some great ones of people smiling while building the roof of the classroom!!! Also, Emma and I did a little video but it's not great so we will do another one and try to put it up.

Anyways guess you have lots of emails to read so sorry this was so long!
Emma x

Antonia Chope

Hi Guy,

Everything is great here -even better than I expected.  The group seems to be getting on really well and how well we know each other after 3 weeks.

The accommodation, the permanent tents, are comfier than I expected and have been holding up well. Duncan and the rest of the team in camp are so friendly and are always prepared to do what ever it takes to make us happy.  Jofrey's cooking is pretty good- jepatties and beans are our new Kenyan
favourite.

Although there has been quite alot of rain in the last few days it hasn't stopped our fun.  Yesterday we had a mud fight having finished digging a drainage ditch around the new classroom and everyone got covered- I don't think my cream shorts will ever be the same again! 

We also donated our bus to Duncan's football team so that they could go and play against a nearby village.  We all crammed in the bus ( I think someone counted about 50 of us) and drove the 20 mins up the road.  All the children were really excited. I think they enjoyed being able to wave out at their friends when usually it was us waving down at them.

The projects are going really well.  We have just finished building the school vegetable garden and now, after a few days of watering some very dead looking seedlings, everything seems to be growing now.  The classroom is nearly finished too with just the roof gables to be built and the cementing finishing and between us all we've built quite a few new desks to go in it.

Diani beach is amazing, as is Forty Thieves beach bar, during the weekends and in the evenings. Last night we arranged dinner followed by a film night at Ngiri's, a really nice restaurant along the coastal strip.  The food was delicious and then we watched The Lion King. Duncan had never seen it before
and he really enjoyed it.  He now understands what we're talking about when we quote from it.

Thanks for organising such a great trip- I'm loving every minute.

Antonia Chope x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Haney, Alex Campton and Emilie Woodhead

Hey Guy,
We are having an amazing time! Everyone is very friendly and hospitable. We have grown comfortable with the lifestyle very quickly! The placements are all very rewarding. Hope all is well, morgan emilie and alex. x

Dipesh Mahtani

Hi Michaela,

I'm really loving Tanzania right now. Arusha is a really fun town and the work has been pretty hands on, which is good. We're all loving the country and all the people, especially Jimmy's Massai family where we've been working. Via Via and Massai Camp have also been a good laugh.

Matias' family have been really friendly and helpful and I wish we could stay with them for longer!

I'll definitely try and take some videos for you and send you another update soon (sorry my time in the internet cafe is about to run out!)

All the best,

Dipesh

Olivia Jarman

 Hello Guy,

I have been back from Tanzania for a couple of weeks now, apologies for not writing sooner it has all been a bit hectic since arriving home!

I just wanted to say a massive thankyou, Tanzania and choosing The Leap was defiantly the best decision lucy and I could of made. It was so good of you to take us on SO late! I enjoyed having a different placement each week, and travelling around Tanzania was amazing, I defiantly never got bored.

Mathias' family were extremely welcoming and made it clear that they were our African family and we were always welcome. Especially when I managed to get Malaria Mathis was brilliant at communicating with my parents and reassuring them that I was in safe hands.

I will defiantly be visiting Tanzania again soon, I had the most amazing
experience.

Thankyou to everyone at The Leap.

Olivia Jarman xx

This poem is called We All Need Help and was written by one of our lovely past leapers Rebecca Sutton about her time in Tanzania.

Words cannot describe Africa, one must see it for real,

home of the lion, the sunset, the corrupt political deal.

The endless plains of the Serengeti, the mountains, the acacia trees,

the home of malaria, of aids, the sounds of children’s silent pleas.

Its all big smiles, toothy grins and swarms of waving hands,

but beneath, the children of Africa, implore us to understand,

the struggles of day to day,

the immense pain in their life where they must work hard, no play,  just toil and strife.

For so young its impossible to see how they are able to cope,

getting up in the morning, parent less, yet with glimmers of hope.

They have no one, nothing, just worries and tears,

the fragments of hope, eclipsed by fears upon fears.

Lives destroyed by disease, by aids and HIV

Governmental promises unfulfilled-its down to you and me.

Yet all seem to have an inner strength, so difficult to comprehend,

when their lives seem so helpless, stuck in a complete dead end.

Dreams of becoming lawyers, teachers, to play for manu city.

We must be there, to love and support, overwhelmed with pity.

How can we ignore the Children of Africa, surrounded by squalor and flies?

We must look deep into our hearts and theirs…its all in their eyes.