Newsletters from Tanzania

Tanzania, which celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence on December 9, is often considered an African success story due to its political stability, social cohesion, and lack of violent civil strife or military coups.

Pangani situated 55 km. south Tanga, is the small and dilapidated Swahili outpost of Pangani. It rose from obscure beginnings as just one of the many coastal dhow ports to become a terminus of the caravan route from Tanganyika, a major export point for slaves and ivory, and Mombasa.

In 2011, I had to do a medical elective. As a final year medical student, I wanted my last year before being a ‘real doctor’ to really be pushed outside my comfort zones. Unfortunately being a final year student and working almost full time, actually doesn’t leave heaps of time to plan.

Oldoinyo Sambu Maasai Village is located 36 km North-west of Arusha on the highway to Nairobi. The centre of operation is Oldoinyosambu market which is also known as Maiko Market. The village also offers cultural tours by visiting Maasai Boma, interacting with them which gives the opportunity to learn about Maasai culture; visit a colourful Maasai Market which is held once a week, which brings in people from different areas to trade, drink and eat.

The Maasai Craft Market is a one stop shopping area for hand crafts made by local Tanzanians. The market is situated at the centre of Arusha. This market is a great place to visit while you are in Arusha, because the artists get a better share of the profits and you are more likely to get the art at a lower price.

Welcome to Tanzania and Zanzibar!! The United Republic of Tanzania was formed in 1964 with the union of the mainland country of Tanganyika and the Zanzibar islands, which comprises the islands of Unguja and Pemba. Unguja is the much larger and the more populous of the two islands and is commonly referred to as Zanzibar, as is the main city, Stone Town.

The experience I got from Tanzania gave me the opportunity to get a place in Medical school and also create a lot of respect for my way of living back home. I learnt to be on my own and to solve problems myself.

For most climbers who visit Tanzania, the 5869 meter Kilimanjaro is the top prize. Most reasonably fit and properly guided climbers reach the summit with little more than a walking stick, warm clothing and determination. Mount Meru is another of Tanzania’s volcanic peaks, is also popular, with the varied animal and plant life to be found on its slopes a major draw.

Han ville betale udgifterne for at vi kunne komme med. Og så var næste stop Nairobi i Kenya. Vi tog af sted en weekend, fredag morgen, og kom hjem søndag eftermiddag. Børnene var så fine da vi hentede dem, de havde ens træningsdragter på. Da vi kom til Nairobi blev vi hentet af vores kontaktperson som hjalp til med at få os indlogeret på et hotel. Vi spiste aftensmad sammen, og gik i seng så drengene kunne være klar til turneringen dagen efter.

On March 8th, women and men across the world celebrated International Women’s Day with marches of solidarity in support of women and girls. Women from different organisations in Tanzania staff and girls’ clubs joined the global celebration with a rally, a discussion of women’s issues, and a culture festival.

I am Jackie Kwamy. I was born and raised in Arusha and I really like the town. I love meeting new people and I am interested in learning about new cultures. I am a social worker by profession. I love reading books and my favourite so far is Notebook. I also like watching movies and shows - I am a big fan of the Dr Phil show. I believe in and love Jesus.

On December the 23rd Projects Abroad volunteers gathered at the office for special Christmas Party arranged by Project Abroad Tanzania. It was a special night, Projects Abroad staff and volunteers celebrate Christmas all together. The party was arranged at Sebastian House one of host families which is located nearby Usa River Arusha. The office was preparing Christmas cake and gift for all Volunteers.

Tanzania Millennium Helping Hands Foundation (TAMIHA) was founded in 2007 by Crispin Mugarula. The centre is located in an area called Usa River just 20 km west of Arusha. Crispin is a community development worker whose goal in starting TAMIHA was to find a better place and future for children and youth in Arusha and Arumeru district. Having been orphaned himself at the age of 8, Crispin found the inspiration to offer orphans and destitute families an opportunity for a better life.

When you first arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport, you’ll have a chance to go east or west. Towering over the western horizon is the Mighty Kilimanjaro with its snow capped peaks and its lofty designation as the highest mountain in Africa. Overlooking the eastern horizon sits Mt. Meru. At 4,566 metres it sits unglamorously at number 10 on the list of tallest mountains in Africa.

After 6 months, over 100 volunteers, and a last minute bout of food poisoning, Claire Howlett has left Tanzania to join our team in the UK. Such a momentous tenure could not be ignored and our local goat wrangler/program developer/all around good guy, Herman Sanka insisted on a celebratory occasion at his house.

International Women’s day was on March 8th this year and it held special significance here in Tanzania. The theme was "Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All.". This year the International AIDS Society(IAS) decided to place a new focus on women and children who make up the majority of people living with HIV worldwide. On this specific day an agenda was released which was made up of 20 specific recommendations to expand and improve responses to the HIV-related challenges facing women and children worldwide.

On Sunday 7th February I went to the Meserani Snake Park with some of the children I work with from St Lucia Orphanage. We had a such a great morning as we had a chance to look at all the dangerous snakes that live in Tanzania including the python,the green and black mamba's and the spitting cobras (all behind glass I hasten to add). We even had the opportunity of holding one of the smaller, nonvenomous snakes, which most of the kids were up for, including myself

As Christmas and the end of 2009 are near, the people of Arusha are busy with the preparations to turn these days into the best moments of the fading year. Christmas and the New Year is an important time of year for the people of Arusha. Everyone is busy with preparations in order to ensure that the last few days are turned into the best moments of the fading year. Throughout December you can see people buying new clothes, food and decorations for all the celebrations.

World AIDS Day, which is on the 1st December, was conceived in 1987 by two public information officers for the Global Program on AIDS at the World Health Organization as a way to bring awareness and education to the world about the pandemic. After two decades of HIV/Aids prevention initiatives, donors and governments are under more pressure than ever to concentrate resources on prevention strategies that are known to work.

On the 4th November 2009 a national campaign was launched in Dar es Salaam to help improve hygiene and sanitation in Tanzania. The idea has come from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The Unicef representative, Dr. Abdulai Tinograh, said that Tanzania needs sweeping changes in approaches towards sanitation and significant investments.

The week surrounding the 14th October has been effectively Nyerere Week in Tanzania, with a spate of activities held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of the man fondly known as the Father of the Nation. Julius Kambarage Nyerere was not only Tanzania's first president; he was also the Tanzanians' favourite president.