It's been a long time since I was in Africa. It was always in my intentions to write about my experience when visiting the MWEDO education project to go alongside the video I created. It truly was a magical day, one that opened my eyes. I've been putting it off until tomorrow since I returned, but on receiving a post card I wrote to myself in Africa it has had me committing to living in Nepal from October for 2 months whilst volunteering and what better way to prepare myself for yet another culture but to draw on my past experience in Tanzania.
Maasai Women Development Organization (MWEDO) is a not-governmental women-led organisation established in the year 2000, if you are reading this please take some time out to visit their website to look at the amazing progress they have made with regards to women's development - http://maasaiwomentanzania.com/category/africa/
I was staying in nice place in Moshi, around a 4 hour drive from the school we intended to visit. The school was established in early 2011 with over 100 students. It was a very bumpy ride out of Moshi in a tiny bus without suspension, one way to overcome the tiredness of lack of sleep, who needs caffeine? Alongside the most horrendous bus ride we had to battle what appeared to be the crazy drivers of the Tanzanian road, a near death incident on these roads is one that Rumour and Stevie won't be forgetting in a rush. Leaving Moshi with Kilimanjaro as the backdrop was one hell of a site, a lot better than a congested M25 on a Monday morning. It was flawless and supplied an injection of positive moral as it hit home what I was doing and why I was here, I was raising money for the MWEDO project by climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, I had a purpose, something I don’t normally feel in my day to day life at home.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I got Africa, everyone throws out the term culture with it not having much significance. I don’t truly understand what culture is and how it came about, i suppose it is how someone sees the world, thier perspective and how this makes them act. I wasn’t ready for Africa I don’t think, I had prepared prior to leaving with what I thought it was going to be like, but I wasn’t prepared to see kids from my bus window without shoes playing football on a uneven patch of ground (definitely unsafe) kicking around an empty water bottle with smiles from ear to ear, nothing can prepare you for that. It showed me how grateful they were for the simplest things in life something we all overlook. The bottle, the company they had, they were grateful for and it showed, a complete contrast to life back home. I drop my sister at school every now and then and we drive past a bunch of school kids at a bus stop who religiously are not communicating but heads are locked down in a screen. It is mad how children of similar ages on other sides of the world can act so differently, just one difference, their culture. Childhood back home is now completely dictated by social media rather than real life encounters with other children, memories on how many likes you get rather than memories of building dens in your local woodland. The culture I used to know back home is now being lost to the advances of technology. This 10 seconds experience I just went through really changed my perception on the life I had back home. Note to self - be more grateful.
We arrived at the MWEDO school and were greeted like celebrities. As soon as the teachers gave the nod the children swamped us with handshakes and conversations, they were so happy to see us. It gave me a warm satisfaction. The hard work I had put in back home and the hard work i was to put in when I climb Mt Kilimanjaro was all worth it, they were genuinely happy and thankful for us being there.
The day was great, I spent my time with two school children who were so keen to understand what I do and the opportunities I've had, they couldn’t believe how accessible things were that we take for granted, such as the right to an education. These girls were at a boarding school where they have been temporally removed from their society to try and better themselves to put them in the best possible position to provide for their families. The more I spoke to them the more I learnt. The school was seen as a as a safe place for many of the Maasai girls who have run away from forced marriages including those girls from low income families where they are expected to work. Back home for the girls they explained they had issues regarding gender disparities, violation of basic human rights, and lack of education for children as well as insufficient health services within their communities. I couldn’t believe it… These are things we have and see as just being without really appreciating it, yet these are things these girls would die for. I was here alongside a load of school girls who have had experiences I cannot begin to imagine. Yet being amongst them they were by far the more optimistic of the different cultures; happier, more enthusiastic, they were positive everything was going to work out once they get their education. What an admirable trait, one that I was to try adopt once I left.
They showed me around their school with such passion, they truly did love the place. After the grand tour, which was grand I must say, we went onto the playground where we watched them play football and netball, enjoying the time together. What happened next is not what I expected, the young girl that had taken me around the school for the day gathered the girls together and broke into song and dance for all of us. Amazing. A goosebumps moment. It was beautiful to see and hear all these girls coming together to perform for us. No better way to say thanks then to get involved right? It was great. All of us in a field dancing, singing with a bucket being used to supply the beat, a highlight of the trip.
The legend herself supplying the beat:
Take a look at the video I made of the day, some amazing clips of the girls coming together to sing with some heart touching posters they had created in class.
Fundraising and volunteering is often looked upon as being an act of altruism or selflessness yet some see it as a attention seeking or an excuse for a holiday. I see it as providing service and assistance to those who need support, as well as gaining a greater perspective on intercultural awareness, global issues, inequality in addition to focusing on personal growth and adventure. These experiences I have had have changed me as a person and I hope I have brought back some of the traits these girls displayed. My outlook on life has changed and I think my friends and family can probably tell, things I used to think were important no longer seem relevant to me. Volunteering in any shape or form is a life lesson one I think we all should all attend.
MWEDO school was great, it was a pleasure to spend a day with such admirable individuals and I would love to return again one day.
