We were happy to receive our Tanzania volunteer work assignments today. We can already tell that our Tanzania Experience will be very different from Morocco. But that's good, of course. Instead of living in a thriving cosmopolitan capital city of millions, we will be in a small rural town of a few thousand residents.
Kirk will work at an orphanage...
Kirk was told today that he will work at the TunaHAKI orphanage and child development centre. In Swahili,YunaHAKI means "We have a right!" TunaHAKI is home for abandoned street children and children who have been orphaned by AIDS... all from our little town of Moshi.
TunaHAKI is a Tanzanian non-profit organization that is funded by a Los Angeles-based and Hollywood-related foundation. If you want to know more try googling "TunaHAKI." I'll describe the orphanage in greater detail once I've seen it in action. The orphanage provides shelter, food, clothing, health services, and formal schooling for 25-30 orphans of both genders who are in the 5-18 age range. It is home for these kids until they age out and are capable of making it on their own. Kids are helped to develop skills in raising livestock, vegetable growing, cooking, carpentry, cleaning, music, and the visual arts which are useful in preparing children for their future employment as adults. Kirk was told that he'll be an assistant to the orphanage's Director while providing adult male/grandfatherly support and presence for the kids. But who knows? Perhaps he'll end up painting walls or being in charge of gardening!
The distinctive and amazing characteristic about TunaHAKI, and the thing that makes this assignment so fascinating, is that the orphanage's resources and attention are focused on helping the orphans become highly skilled dancers, acrobats, aerialists and gymnasts. They are eventually invited to perform around the world, including the USA where on previous trips they received specialized training by members of the Cirque du Soleil troupe. One wonders if the kids will teach Kirk to do back-flips and swing from a flying trapeze! Check back in the weeks ahead and find out.
Jean will work at a nursery school...
Jean was told this morning that she will work at a nursery school that cares for 25 three and four year olds. The school is located 3 miles outside Moshi, runs from 7:30 to 11:00 every morning, and is operated by a lady who is heavily dependent on volunteer assistants. Parents who can afford to do so pay $1.50 per month for their children to attend. We don't know yet what kind of arrangements are made for children whose parents are not able to pay.
Jean was told that she will teach English and basic math, games, songs, and arts and crafts. She will also be expected to help create testing procedures and standards that assess student development and progress. The teacher-in-charge is also asking Jean to help develop new activities and fresh materials that will strengthen the school's curriculum and position it to be more effective.
This will certainly be very different than Jean's experience in Morocco where she taught English to university masters and doctoral degree students! This time she will be on the floor, playing with toddlers who are our grandson Gilbert's age. And, of course, when she's finished playing on the floor she's going to have to find a way to get up! Thank heavens for her new joints and yoga classes.
Jean was told that the school has very few resources, so she has begun going around our house to find yarn, old crayons, large buttons, pencils, construction and regular paper, stray poker chips, and macaroni to string on the yarn. She plans to shop today for small paper bags and stickers. And she'll need to quickly learn a three year old's vocabulary in Swahili. Future blog postings will describe how Jean is doing!
Tomorrow morning we travel to Kansas City to be with Audra, Gilbert, Elizabeth and Chris for a couple days. We will return to Louisville in time to finish packing, and then on January 26 leave for Tanzania. We're eager to share stories and describe our experiences, so be alert for new additions to the blog. They will appear as we are able to post them.
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