Art in Tanzania internship program
Millie, Melissa, and Selin volunteered in Moshi in June and July 2014. We wanted to know which projects girls have been participating in and what kind of volunteer work they have been doing in their projects. We also asked the girls about their expectations and experiences with volunteer work in Tanzania.
Millie from Britain spent 4 weeks in Moshi. She worked on two different projects during her stay. In the mornings, she worked at Chemi Chemi Nursery School, where she helped and taught the children. She worked at Neema’s Nursery School and Daycare project in the afternoons, teaching English to teenagers and young adults.
She says that she finds volunteer work very helpful, especially when one can share the knowledge they have with others. “Volunteer work gives learning experiences to both sides, and I think that volunteers can get as much of it as the people they are helping”, she says.
Even though she felt that she couldn’t do as much as she would’ve liked to do to help people, she says that it is essential to think that one can make a difference, at least to some. And she really did. Millie told us that her best experience was when the girls she taught English to invited her to their homes. That made her feel that she had done something right and that others valued her work.
Two Swedish girls, Melissa and Selin, volunteered in Moshi for 2 weeks. Melissa was volunteering at the same Chemi Chemi Nursery School as Millie did. Selin volunteered at Sango Women Group & Nursery School, working with young widows. She taught them the basics of business management, counting and financing. She also advised them on what to consider and how to get started with their own business. She studies business management in Sweden, making teaching more manageable.
We also asked Selin and Melissa about their expectations, and they told us they had no prior knowledge of what to expect. They learned about the economic problems, but still, the reality was a bit of a shock to them. Even though there seemed to be a lack of many things, they were impressed by people’s caring and sharing atmosphere and how happy people are with so few resources. It is something different from what is found in the Western world. “It is amazing how much love, for example, the children have for each other”, they say.
Melissa and Selin both believe that volunteering is a worthwhile experience. It is something one should do to truly experience a new culture, as it brings you closer to the culture and people than any tourist trip ever could. They say that volunteering shouldn’t be considered a vacation because you need to have a general interest in helping to volunteer with full commitment. They also think that teaching as volunteer work is essential to helping others. “Education is the key and the most important way of helping. Also, donations are needed, but they become so much more valuable with the help in making a proper plan on how to use the money given”, girls underline.
Girls were interviewed, and the article was written by two volunteers who worked in Moshi from May to July 2014.
