Larry and I just returned from a 2 week adventure in Tanzania. When Carter chose to extend his research stay there by 10 weeks, leveraging the opportunity for a trip to Tanzania made sense for us also. In addition to meeting many of academics and ex-pats in Carter’s world there, we did an amazing safari and made our way to Usa River where Martha worked at the Save Africa Childrens’ Home and with the help of family and friends, arranged for 11 of them to attend the Amani School there. We wanted to appreciate what Martha’s experience as a volunteer there would have been like.
Usa River is about 25 kms from Arusha, best known for its proximity to Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our experience was moving. Arriving at the orphanage, Carter, Larry and I were immediately greeted by the children with big smiles, each vying for our attention. The house is small with 2 bedrooms outfitted with triple bunk beds and bins marked with their names. The classroom was basic with tables and benches and large blackboards. A large, colourful map of the world was painted on one wall. There were a number of staff/volunteers amongst the kids, both inside and out. They spoke Swahili and little English. The kitchen was outside with an open fire and a cook who presumably prepares all their food. We were taken to the see the flushing toilets in an outdoor building, a feature Martha and friends were instrumental in making happen! The playground consisted of a swing set, a muddy area (rainy season just ending) and a few soccer balls. Laundry was drying on the fences. The kids were very cute, confident and eager to show us their notebooks. They loved posing for photos! Most were wearing their uniform, including a sweater which seemed too warm to be wearing or a rugger shirt in the Tanzania colours. A few others were sporting more creative ensembles like a ballet tutu or a Detroit sweatshirt!
We asked to be taken to Amani School, which many of the kids you support, attend. It was a substantial school with a large playground, a games court, a grassy area and many portable classrooms. The administrator of the school came outside to meet with us and she offered to locate some of “our kids” so we could meet them and take a few photos. We were really impressed with the quality of the physical aspects of the school. Their uniforms were similar but with different coloured shirts. They were dressed in the same warm sweaters and most were wearing backpacks, even at recess!
We had conflicting emotions about our brief visit. We wanted to see what Martha’s summer in Usa River might have looked like. We wanted to meet the kids that stole her heart. But, is showing up for an hour’s visit really fair to them? Does the coming and going of “mzungus” (foreigners), add any value or does it cause confusion and distraction that could actually be detrimental for the kids? We struggled a bit with this. I think it only took Martha a few minutes after her first arrival at the orphanage to see that for these kids to have a future, access to a proper school was essential. We came to the same conclusion quickly. I am happy we were able to make this visit, albeit brief. I am happy we are providing a few kids with the possibility of a future.
