Fuel Efficient Stoves, Market Gardens & Old Tyres!?

A huge well done to the Tanzania Team who landed back in the UK a week and a half ago, following a lot of hard work with our partners Livingstone Tanzania Trust this summer, living and working in Managhat village.

True to form with this Schools & Community Development Project, the team worked on a very varied programme of activities, all of which aim to advance education in Tanzania through construction and income initiatives that support families to send their children to school.

The very first day of work saw the team plaster and lime a school classroom, which ended up with the beautiful science mural designed by artistic volunteer Rachel (above) but the major focus for the team has been the school feeding programme.

In just 4 weeks, the team managed to construct 3 fuel-efficient stoves for Managha Primary (2) and Frederick Sumaye Secondary School (1), also completing a kitchen building for Managha, which is already in use!  The majority of cooking in Tanzania is traditionally done inside on an open wood fire.  This has a number of negative impacts, not  a high level of deforestation in the area, and respiratory illnesses caused by the soot generated.

The fuel-efficient stoves are not only cleaner and healthier for use indoors but are much more (as the name suggests) efficient. As such, less fuel is needed - this lowers local deforestation rates as communities are able to plant trees at a more equal rate.  Households and schools buying wood save as they don't use as much and children who collect wood for their families have more time for school, homework and play!  The work with secondary school students on this project, means the student also get the opportunity to learn how to make the stoves, and hopefully take that knowledge home with them.

Another aspect to the school food programmes has been the development of a new market garden at Managha, both to provide the school with its own supply of food, such as nutritious spinach but to also teach children basic agricultural techniques. In the highly agricultural Tanzanian economy, knowing how to farm sustainably and productively is a vital skill.

Although the feeding program has been the main focus, the team also found the time for fun and games. At the beginning of our trip, we were presented with 25 tyres and some very solid ground. They presented Managha school with 25 tyres well and truly stuck in the ground, ready for play and educational number games, which introduce interactive learning to the children at Managha - check out this Learning Landscapes website for some ideas of how to use these.

Great work guys, we're proud of you!