A fantastic blog on education by Quest volunteer Hannah who travelled to Tanzania last summer, where Quest4Change works with project partners Livingstone Tanzania Trust -
Ask a 15 year old me (or most 15 year olds I know) to write you a review in my free time and you’ll get a string of excuses and, most likely, a bit of a giggle behind your back. As far as I was concerned, school was school; A place I was often dragged kicking and screaming to, having had a packed lunch, PE Kit, Cooking Ingredients and all my homework books flung at me because I had ‘snoozed’ my alarm for 45 minutes and, as a result, missed the only bus. Don’t get me wrong, I had a great class and great friends, I worked hard, I achieved good grades and the majority of the teachers were actually pretty decent; But I truly could not wait to finish Education so that I could go and ‘do my own thing’. This warped perception of mine was flipped on its head last summer when I was lucky enough to travel to Tanzania with a team of six others through ‘Quest Overseas’. Quest had teamed up with the Livingstone Tanzania Trust (LTT) to put together the project at the Managhat primary school in Managha, on which we would spend the next 4 weeks volunteering. When I was initially told that our task over the month was to begin the re-construction of several classrooms, I could never have imagined quite how much work needed to be done. I’d seen pictures, and read dozens of articles about the issue of education in Africa yet still, for some reason, naively assumed that it couldn’t possibly be as bad as it was made out to be.
We were met in Babati by three of the LTT Team. Julian the founder of the charity, an incredibly generous and warm-hearted man who has devoted much of his time to helping the community develop, with particular emphasis on schools and education for all ages. We were also met by Sophie, a passionate LTT intern with immeasurable enthusiasm and a totally infectious personality. Last, but certainly not least, was our translator for our stay; Assery. Assery is, without a doubt, the coolest guy I’ve ever met in my life. His local knowledge, together with his English skills, were the key factors in helping me feel like a part of the community, rather than just another volunteer.
As we pulled up to the driveway of the Managhat school on our first day we were greeted by, what I can only describe as, a stampede of children hurtling towards the Jeep. LTT had been based in the area for a while prior to our arrival, and the community obviously had a great deal of love and respect for them and were very excited for their return with a new team. Once the dust had settled, I was shocked by what I saw; the school consisted of no more than ten classrooms. The majority of these had just enough desks for one between three or four children. A couple of classrooms had no desks. The kindergarten classrooms didn’t even have a ceiling. Yet even though children as young as three years old were climbing through rubble to get to their classrooms, and teenage boys were cramming themselves around desks, they all had one thing in common; they all looked so happy to be there. The big eye-opener came for me towards the end of the project, when all the teachers went on a planned strike in protest of the poor wage. I had expected a quiet week, however when we woke up on Monday morning and looked out of the window I was amazed to see, probably, two-thirds of the pupils outside in their uniforms. At first I assumed that maybe poor communication had led to the students not being told about the strike. In fact, they were all as aware of it as we were. The children were there because, for them, School is the biggest part of their life. Education isn’t a right for them, it’s a privilege. When I asked a couple of the children why they still came in even though there were no teachers one replied “What else would we do?” and another told me “I am always ready to learn.” Not only was the Managhat primary school a place to learn and develop, but it was also the biggest social hub for children in the community. It was a place for many children to escape to, it gave them routine and, for many, gave a purpose and a huge sense of achievement.
We also visited the Frederick Sumaye School just a mile or so down the road which was a hugely different atmosphere as it was secondary education. Another thought-provoking moment came, for me, during a meeting with the Girl Guides during one lunch time. Unlike the Girl Guide groups here in the UK, they would regularly meet to discuss major issues in their lives such as Sex, Marriage, Education and Desires for the future. The conversation started with us going round the circle and stating the age that we thought we would like to get married. The obvious difference came here, when the general consensus for the girls was that they’d be married around twenty one/twenty two years old, whereas the volunteers averaged out as expecting to be married between twenty eight and thirty (If at all!). One girl told us that she hoped to be a doctor; rather than marrying young and then spending her life at home, she wanted to go on to further education and hopefully fulfil her dream of working in medicine. It’s thoughts like this which LTT thrive off and encourage.
The work that LTT are doing in Tanzania can change so many children’s lives so drastically. By building classrooms and equipping them properly it will give more children the opportunity to learn and a safe environment in which to study. By building them new stoves and kitchens they ensure that all the children are given the energy to remain focused and motivated, and also eliminates the chances of becoming unwell at school through smoke pollution. This, in turn, will help hundreds finish education, get good jobs and be able to look after themselves and their families. Without the excellent work done by Julian and the Team, many may never know anything other than the life they now lead.
I’m sat writing this on my computer; something which I bought with the money saved in jobs which I would not have been able to attain without the standard of education I received. LTT has taught me that Education is not just to be wished away, but it can actually make or break a life. This September I will be attending Cardiff University to study for my Undergraduate Bachelors degree. Since returning from Tanzania I can honestly say that I am looking at it in an entirely different light. Rather than seeing it as another stepping stone in life, I am now excited to learn. I am excited to develop, to understand and, hopefully, to educate and help others. Education isn’t a right, it’s a privilege – and I intend to treat it as one. Ask a twenty year old me to write a review in my free time? It is an honour to write a piece for a charity as wonderful as LTT, and a great excitement to be able to share my experiences with others.
Hannah Daisley
Ask a 15 year old me (or most 15 year olds I know) to write you a review in my free time and you’ll get a string of excuses and, most likely, a bit of a giggle behind your back. As far as I was concerned, school was school; A place I was often dragged kicking and screaming to, having had a packed lunch, PE Kit, Cooking Ingredients and all my homework books flung at me because I had ‘snoozed’ my alarm for 45 minutes and, as a result, missed the only bus. Don’t get me wrong, I had a great class and great friends, I worked hard, I achieved good grades and the majority of the teachers were actually pretty decent; But I truly could not wait to finish Education so that I could go and ‘do my own thing’. This warped perception of mine was flipped on its head last summer when I was lucky enough to travel to Tanzania with a team of six others through ‘Quest Overseas’. Quest had teamed up with the Livingstone Tanzania Trust (LTT) to put together the project at the Managhat primary school in Managha, on which we would spend the next 4 weeks volunteering. When I was initially told that our task over the month was to begin the re-construction of several classrooms, I could never have imagined quite how much work needed to be done. I’d seen pictures, and read dozens of articles about the issue of education in Africa yet still, for some reason, naively assumed that it couldn’t possibly be as bad as it was made out to be.We were met in Babati by three of the LTT Team. Julian the founder of the charity, an incredibly generous and warm-hearted man who has devoted much of his time to helping the community develop, with particular emphasis on schools and education for all ages. We were also met by Sophie, a passionate LTT intern with immeasurable enthusiasm and a totally infectious personality. Last, but certainly not least, was our translator for our stay; Assery. Assery is, without a doubt, the coolest guy I’ve ever met in my life. His local knowledge, together with his English skills, were the key factors in helping me feel like a part of the community, rather than just another volunteer.As we pulled up to the driveway of the Managhat school on our first day we were greeted by, what I can only describe as, a stampede of children hurtling towards the Jeep. LTT had been based in the area for a while prior to our arrival, and the community obviously had a great deal of love and respect for them and were very excited for their return with a new team. Once the dust had settled, I was shocked by what I saw; the school consisted of no more than ten classrooms. The majority of these had just enough desks for one between three or four children. A couple of classrooms had no desks. The kindergarten classrooms didn’t even have a ceiling. Yet even though children as young as three years old were climbing through rubble to get to their classrooms, and teenage boys were cramming themselves around desks, they all had one thing in common; they all looked so happy to be there. The big eye-opener came for me towards the end of the project, when all the teachers went on a planned strike in protest of the poor wage. I had expected a quiet week, however when we woke up on Monday morning and looked out of the window I was amazed to see, probably, two-thirds of the pupils outside in their uniforms. At first I assumed that maybe poor communication had led to the students not being told about the strike. In fact, they were all as aware of it as we were. The children were there because, for them, School is the biggest part of their life. Education isn’t a right for them, it’s a privilege. When I asked a couple of the children why they still came in even though there were no teachers one replied “What else would we do?” and another told me “I am always ready to learn.” Not only was the Managhat primary school a place to learn and develop, but it was also the biggest social hub for children in the community. It was a place for many children to escape to, it gave them routine and, for many, gave a purpose and a huge sense of achievement.
We also visited the Frederick Sumaye School just a mile or so down the road which was a hugely different atmosphere as it was secondary education. Another thought-provoking moment came, for me, during a meeting with the Girl Guides during one lunch time. Unlike the Girl Guide groups here in the UK, they would regularly meet to discuss major issues in their lives such as Sex, Marriage, Education and Desires for the future. The conversation started with us going round the circle and stating the age that we thought we would like to get married. The obvious difference came here, when the general consensus for the girls was that they’d be married around twenty one/twenty two years old, whereas the volunteers averaged out as expecting to be married between twenty eight and thirty (If at all!). One girl told us that she hoped to be a doctor; rather than marrying young and then spending her life at home, she wanted to go on to further education and hopefully fulfil her dream of working in medicine. It’s thoughts like this which LTT thrive off and encourage.The work that LTT are doing in Tanzania can change so many children’s lives so drastically. By building classrooms and equipping them properly it will give more children the opportunity to learn and a safe environment in which to study. By building them new stoves and kitchens they ensure that all the children are given the energy to remain focused and motivated, and also eliminates the chances of becoming unwell at school through smoke pollution. This, in turn, will help hundreds finish education, get good jobs and be able to look after themselves and their families. Without the excellent work done by Julian and the Team, many may never know anything other than the life they now lead.
Hannah Daisley
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