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Mark Whittaker

There are no translations available.

Jambo!
My name is Mark Whittaker. When I was 18 took a gap year between school and university, and decided to come to Tanzania to volunteer. One of the things I decided to sign up for was the Art in Tanzania course based in the suburb of Bahari Beach in Dar es Salaam - a course I heard about through the magazine of the British middle-man Real Gap.

I had many motivations to come to Tanzania. I knew that I wanted to take a year out of education to travel. I also knew that I wanted to come to a third-world country to satisfy my deep interest in international development and to try to do my small part, as a volunteer, to help improve life for some of the world's most impoverished people. Once I had decided that, I still had a lot of countries to choose from - and I chose Tanzania because everything I had ever heard or read about its natural beauty and diversity of culture inspired me to go there.

As a volunteer, I led a varied lifestyle. I was able to try out several different projects run by Art in Tanzania before choosing which one I would do permanently.

At Art in Tanzania's site in Dar es Salaam, the day is structured so that the volunteers teach in a school in the morning and help at other projects in the afternoon - these afternoon projects include sports coaching, HIV awareness programmes, helping in an orphanage and teaching English to adults. There is great flexibility for volunteers to start their own projects as well.

In the mornings I started out as a teaching assistant in various primary schools before moving to Kwetu High School - a small secondary school - as a teacher of geography and business studies. It is testament to how much these schools benefit from Art in Tanzania's volunteers that before I arrived at Kwetu that classes there had been without a teacher in these subjects for over a month! The work was not always easy - teaching a class of 80 teenagers who had English as a 3rd language was one of the greatest challenges I have ever faced. However, you get out of volunteer work what you put in, and within a few days I came to relish my time in front of a class at Kwetu.

The same goes for the time I spent at the adult English teaching project - the afternoon project that I eventually settled into on a permanent basis. This purely Art in Tanzania-run project provides English tuition to people from the community free of charge, and is proving very popular among the local population. The three classes are taught on a variety of levels - beginner, intermediate and advanced - which means that volunteers are free to find their niche within the project. I spent most of my time teaching the advanced English class, which I found to be an intensely rewarding experience. The students were very good at English, but were always eager and grateful to receive any advice which could help them improve - especially in the fields of vocabulary and pronunciation. It was a joy to watch the students improve over time; even in the short time I had there, I could see great improvements not only in the quality of their English but also in their confidence. The students were dedicated, welcoming and, on occasion, very funny. I am missing them greatly!

The whole volunteering experience has given a lot to me. I feel, like the members of my English class, that I have gained a lot of confidence whilst having some fantastic times. I honestly feel that the best way to really get to know a country, to get under its skin, is to volunteer there. Volunteering allowed me to make

Sunrise fishing

friends among volunteers and Tanzanians alike, to integrate myself into the Bahari Beach community, and to live the African way of life. I had so many great surprises that I could not have had except as a volunteer - one of the best of which was being invited out on a traditional sunset to sunrise fishing trip on the Indian Ocean by the headmaster of one of the project schools.

For these reasons, I would recommend volunteering in Bahari Beach to anyone in their late teens or twenties with a sense of adventure and a desire to challenge themselves (and to anyone who likes good beaches - there are some real gems in that part of Dar es Salaam!). It was an amazing experience, and I was left kicking myself for only signing up for 4 weeks! My recommendation is to spend at least 6 weeks to 2 months on project if you decide to come to volunteer with Art in Tanzania. It seems like a long time, but trust me, it will just fly past!

Written with all my love to every volunteer, member of staff, student and Tanzanian friend of Art in Tanzania,

Mark Whittaker

U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund

There are no translations available.

Grant name: U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund

Department: United States Ambassador’s Community Grants Program

Grantor: Patrick J Brown, Community Grants Coordinator

Art in Tanzania has worked with Kunduchi Nursery and Primary school for the
past two years and in this time, AIT has secured a very good working
relationship with this school and the local community. Kunduchi Nursery and
Primary school receives a lot of volunteers due its popularity within Art in
Tanzania, unfortunately AIT cannot rely on volunteers solely for the
development of the school. The American Embassy has granted a Self-Help
Grant to the project in the amount of 2,894,000 TSH for toilet and classroom
expansion and repair. Starting with some construction, Kunduchi Nursery and
Primary School is planning on separating the current single classroom at
into two classrooms with a partition wall. Secondly, Kunduchi would like to
fix the roof and fix the current toilet facilities to become more hygienic
for the children. Kunduchi Nursery and Primary School will continue to serve
the community of the Kunduchi fishing village but the new construction and
maintenance work will help the school become a fully functioning school with
separate classrooms for different ages and levels, as opposed to a
one-roomed school for all ages. AIT has recently donated desks and benches
to the school for all the children in the hopes that with receipt of the US
Embassy funds, the school can be drastically improved.

Project Grant.pdf

We Appreciate!

There are no translations available.

We kindly want to thank people and groups who have donated moneys for different project, school fees etc in Tanzania. This web page is a new effort to remember you all and we know we miss so many of your donations only from 2009. The team leaders will collect a list and contact you if we can mention you here.

Cristina Oliveria Group - Portugal

maria group Maria was volunteering with us before at Arusha/Masai land. She has ongoing project where she collects funds for the Butti Masai village school toilet construction. This primary school was contructed before by Art in Tanzania safari income. This is an ongoing effort by Cristina and she says:

"We are the students from Class B grade in Aires Barbosa School in Aveiro, Portugal. We are aware that the Masai children ar in need of toilets in theirs school and we would be happy to give our contribution. Therefore, we are gathering funds to build toilets for these children in their school"

You can contact Cristina at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann.

Plaxtol Primary School - UK

Plaxtol Primary Sch 1 Plaxtol Primary School, England have held fund raising days to help the projects run and supported by Art in Tanzania. The children raised the money by doing jobs like washing cars and also by holding a non uniform day at the school. The first year they raised 580000 tsh Plaxtol Primary SCh 2 . The money was used to buy valuable resources for the schools such as pens, books, sports equipment, water filters, mattresses and one school was repainted. The following year,2009, they raised 650000 tsh. This money was used to buy a football kit for Bahari Boys football team and the rest was used to buy school bags for children at the orphanage and other resources such as pens etc.

You can contact the school via Beccy Turner at beccy turner Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann.

Pascal Weijters - The Netherlands

pascal photo

Korongoni - Pascal 1

Pascal was volunteering with us at Moshi on May 2009. He has kindly collected funds for a science lab to Korongoni Secondary School at Moshi. Pascal says:

"It has been my pleasure"

You can contact Pascal at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann.

Emma Austin - UK

School trip 2b

School trip 3b

School trip 1b

It was myself and a fellow volunteer, Carly Gilbert, who donated money so that the children could go on a day safari to Lake Manyara in October. I gave 200,000 /= and I think Carly gave about 100, 000/=. The nursery had been to the Arusha Snake Park the year before but, unfortunately, Rehema had only managed to raise a small amount of money for October's trip so Carly and I helped out with the rest. We both felt that the children deserved a trip as for many of them it was the only time they got away from Moshi. We also felt that as Rehema had worked so hard at getting the funds that she had raised, it would be a shame for them to miss out as they had not quite met their target.

You can contact Emma at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann.

Jean Ashby & Friends, Julie & Kirsty Reid, Beth Harroween - UK

Our old volunteers when back home at UK organized fund raising for the Mwandaliwa Orphanage to buy repalcement matresses, mosquito nets, school shoes & toiletries.

You can contact Beth at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann.

Juhani Korhonen & Friends - Finland

Juhani visited Tanzania for a safari and collected lots of toys and clothes that were further given to Mwandaliwa Orphanage and Bahari Beach Nursery School in Dar es Salaam.

Hi! I know friends who must have lots of toys and clothes around let me ask if they can donate something.

You can contact Juhani at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann.

Tina Hunting - UK

Tina has sponsored the construction of Tumaini Women Group NUrsery School construction project. We are still continuing the project to make the finishing touch for the building.

Tumaini School Construction 1 tumaini nursery school 2

Fund Raisers Organized by the Dar es Salaam Volunteers on 2009

With these fund raisers on 2009 we managed to support Kwetu High School to empthy their septic tank, to give food for the orphan students and to pay their rents. Thereon money was raised for Mwandaliwa Orphanage for oprhan's medical bills, to purchase mosquito nets, books and baby cot. We thank all volunteers for their kind participations as well as the guests and friends around.

Dar es Salaam volunteers traditionally organize fund raiser occasions. Usually there is a music night with live bank or DJ and lots of invited guests.

Contact person at Art in Tanzania is Ms. Beth Harroween at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann.

Older Donations:

Kathleen Laythorpe - Sponsored 20 kids for fees at the Fountain Nursery school at Moshi.
Sally Perret - Sponsored to provide porridge and school fees for 16 kids at the Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Brenda Mullan - Build a school class and 12 benches and desks to the Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Jodie Crawford - Sponsored painting of the classroom walls for the classroom donated by Brenda Mullan at the Fountain Nursery school at Moshi.
Jonathan Rowe - Sponsored 6 kids schooling at the Fountain Nursery school at Moshi.
Heather Archer - Sponsored to purchase porridge and 3 kids school fees at the Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Roxana Popescu - Supported the porridge purchase and a disabled boy for treatment at the Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Naomi Howels & Bryn Halfren - Sponsored for the registration fees of Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Kai and Rose Shayler - Supported the Fountain Nursery School porridge purchases.
Mallory Thompson - Build up a book shelve for the Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Mariana Gausen - Supported the Fountain Nursery School kids to buy uniforms and food at Moshi.
Carly Gilbert - Supported to pay children safari at Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Emma Austin - Supported the Children safari with Carly Gilbert for the Fountain Nursery School at Moshi.
Crace Hepburn - Supported 5 kids school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Chris Farguhan - supported 2 kids to pay their school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Margaret and Brian Dixon - Supported a student to pay the primary school education departing from the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Allison Nicholsoon - Supported a student for primary school fees at Kaloleni Nursery School at moshi.
Bernie & Dennis Burgin - Sponsored a student for primary school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Sarah Farguhan - Sponsored a student primary school fees at Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Hellen Yun - Paid annual rent for the Wazazi / Chem Chem Nursery Schools at Moshi.
Holly Wilson - Paid 18 kids nursery and primary school fees at Wazazi/Chem Chem schools at Moshi.
Rachel Mclean - Sponsored one kid Nursery school fees at Wazazi/ChemChem nursery school at Moshi.
Carina Walker & Chris Farguhan - Sponsored 14 students fees at Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Eleanor & Kenny Farguhan - Sponsored a one student's primary school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Crace Hepburn - Added sponsorsip by sponsoring 2 kids for the primary school from the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Stephen & Fiona Roe - Sponsored one kid for the primary school at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Douglas & Thea Adamson - Spon soed one student for the primary school at Moshi.
Rose Stewart - Sponsored two children primary school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at moshi.
Carolina Collier - Sponsored 13 kids school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Joanne Shaw - Sponsored 5 kids school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Auslam & Catriona Cramb - Sponsored one students school fees at Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Brendan Frost - Sponsored 13 kids school fees at the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Filipa Pagaiboes - Supported the Kaloleni Nursery School to make benches and tables at Moshi.
Kath Haythrope - Sponsored 20 kids school fees at the Kaloleni NUrsery School at Moshi.
Kathryn Wilson - Supported to make 12 benches for the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Rachael Charkson & Sophie Brooks & Cominick Mathias - Donated stationaries to the Kaloleni Nursery School at Moshi.
Sarah Marriott & Craig Horrocks - Donated porridge purchases at the Wazazi.ChemChem nursery school at Moshi.
Megan Macqueen & Caren Atkinson & Kim Yates & Mephilemy - Made desks and benches jointly for the Wazazi/Chem Chem nursery school at Moshi.
Debbie Bond - Supported the Wazazi/Chec Chem Nursery School with stationaries at Moshi.
Amanda Tunnacliffe - Supported to make a window for the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Erin Scheu - Made a modern black board for the Wazazi/ChemChem Nursery School at Moshi.
Zanna Shipp - Supported the Wazazi/Chem Chem ursery School with stationaries at Moshi.
Elaine and Anne Marie - Paid the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School premises rents at Moshi.
Holly Wilson - Added 4 kids school fee sponsorship to the ones she already sonsored previously at Moshi.
Lucy Handley - Added more school fee sponsorship to what she already sponsired before atWazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Julie Forbes -Sponsored 4 kids to pay their school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Lori Beach - Sponsored a kid to the Secondary school at Moshi.
Trother - Sponsored to make benches to the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery school at Moshi.
Holly Wilson - Sponsored additional 4 kids school fees and uniforms at Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Lucy Handley - Added sponsorship for 8 kids school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at moshi.
Daniel Green - Sponsored 2 kids to pay their school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Benny Kiety & Francisca Ball - Donated to moneys for a grand mother taking care of two orphan kids at Moshi.
Lori Beach - Continued her support to 10 kids education at he Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Sarah Herdman - Sponsored a kids for the school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Kathleen Murray & Rachel Maclean - Sponsored two children school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Kevin Clark - Sponsored 3 kids paying their school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Sarah Perkes - Sponsored kids paying their school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Mary Ann Fannigan - Sponsored 5 kids for their school fees at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Amy Hicks - Supported to kids with stationaries at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Eline Elirani - Supported two kids with stationanries at the Wazazi/Chem Chem Nursery School at Moshi.
Sinead Fannigan - Supported the Wazazi/Chem Chem center with stationery's at Moshi.
Emma King - Supported 3 kids with their primary school fees at Moshi.