October 1, 2009

Athuman Msangi, NTC Tanzania Advisor, Comes to Massachusetts This October!

Athuman departing from Kwala

Couldn’t make the trip to Tanzania this summer? NTC is offering you the opportunity to experience Tanzania here in Massachusetts this fall when we host Kwala Secondary School teacher and NTC Tanzania Advisor Athuman Msangi for a two week exchange visit. Athuman has played an integral role in the formation and well-being of NTC over the past three years, and we are delighted to welcome him back to the United States from October 12 – 28. Athuman’s trip will include visits to Newton schools, the State House, Boston University, MIT, and he will be involved in several NTC awareness and fundraising events. If you have events or programs in which you would like Athuman to participate, please email rlohr@newtontanzania.org.

Athuman will be the keynote speaker at our second annual event at the Newton Free Library, where we will celebrate our accomplishments over the past year and offer a look forward to activities for the upcoming year. More details about the event in future newsletters. Please put that date on your calendar. We’ll see you there!

NTC to host a “Tennis-for-Tanzania” day on Saturday, October 17th.

NTC Executive Director Ross Lohr will participate in a tennis-a-thon at Lakewood Tennis Club from 9 AM to 5 PM, playing eight consecutive hours of tennis. If you are interested in making a pledge or joining Ross for some tennis should email RLohr@newtontanzania.org. In the evening, NTC will host a tennis party at the Weston Racquet Club. The party will run from 7-11 PM and feature dinner, tennis, cash bar, silent auction items and a raffle. Those interested in attending can call Weston Racquet Club at 781-890 4285 and ask to sign up for the NTC Party on October 17th. Tickets are 25 dollars in advance, 30 dollars at the door.

Three Trips to Kwala this Summer

It was a busy summer for Kwala this year, with the Kwala school community hosting three different sets of visitors. NTC would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge each trip, as well as highlight the different ways that visitors to Tanzania can experience life in the village of Kwala for themselves.

NTC Summer Group Trip

In July, 2009, seven people from Newton and one from Minnesota embarked on a two-week trip to Tanzania to learn about Tanzania’s culture, work on projects in Kwala, and do some sight-seeing. NTC partner organization United Planet assisted with trip planning and provided logistical support. Our group of volunteers helped build eight new latrines at Kwala Secondary School (a project funded by NTC Club at Newton South and Peet’s Coffee in Newton), painted an amazing mural with Kwala students representing NTC’s mission with Kwala’s students , planted trees at Kwala Secondary School as part of NTC’s Orchard Initiative, and had a special visit with NTC’s scholarship girls.

Between learning about Tanzanian culture and working on the community service projects, the group also took some time to tour Dar es Salaam and visit Mikumi National Park for a quick safari! Our first group trip was a great success, and we’re already looking forward to next year!

For more information plus photos and videos of our trip, please visit NTC’s new web site.

“Actually seeing what NTC has done for the school, you know that it’s not just all talk and no action. And for us to go there with NTC and be spending all these hours on the mural and latrines and to have kids be coming up next to you and wanting to be part of the projects with you, again showed that it’s not just us doing something for them, it’s us doing something with them, with the common goal of helping the school become the best it can be. You know that it really is a collaborative effort.”

–Kate Shaughnessy, English Teacher, Newton North High School

Boston Teachers Trip
Fifteen teachers from Boston and California visited Kwala this August as part of a trip organized by Judith Baker, a former Madison-Park High School teacher. The teachers toured Tanzania and attended the Pan-African Reading for All Conference in Dar es Salaam, an event which Judith helped organize for teachers throughout Africa and the world. While in Kwala, the teachers stayed at the homes of Kwala Secondary School teachers, shared teaching experiences with Kwala’s staff and students, and planted trees in the NTC Visitors Orchard at Kwala. In addition, the Judith and her group provided funds for the entire Kwala Secondary School staff to attend the Pan-African Reading for All Conference.

NTC would like to thank Judith and the Boston teachers for supporting Kwala and facilitating a wonderful exchange between teachers from both communities.

“It was a great experience to sit in on the classes and observe the excellent teaching in the classrooms.” — Jonathan Fine, Occupational Therapist, Boston Public Schools

Individual Traveler Trip

Boston University student and NTC Boston University Club member Susan Zalkind visited Tanzania this August to study Swahili in Zanzibar for three weeks. After returning from Zanzibar, Susan and her friend took two dalla dallas (buses) and one piki piki (motorcycle) to visit Kwala, the only way to reach the village by public transportation. Susan and her friend were warmly greeted by Kwala Secondary School staff who hosted their three-day stay in Kwala.

“We came with the intention to learn about a new culture. We were not disappointed. In a few short days we were able to engage ourselves within the family educational and social structures. Because of the positive work of NTC members before us, everyone we met was more than ready to exchange ideas and experiences.”

Susan’s trip to Kwala was a great way to kick off our new NTC Club at Boston University, a club designed to harness the involvement of undergraduate students interested in the fields of African Studies, Education, and International Development.

Bon Voyage, Lisa Walker!

NTC would like to send special travel wishes to our Project Director, Lisa Walker, who will be leaving September 1st for a fourteen month stay in Kwala. Lisa will be implementing NTC’s English Program in Kwala, as well as overseeing and assisting in the implementation of NTC projects. Lisa will be keeping a blog from Kwala to keep us updated on her experiences. We would like to take this opportunity to show special appreciation for Lisa’s work, and wish her all the best in Kwala! You can contact Lisa at LisaWalkerNTC@gmail.com, or read her blog at our w