Elimu ni bora kuliko pesa. (Education is better than money)

 

There are some things that stand the test of time. One of those things is a smile of a child, no matter what background they come from. Being able to give a child a reason to smile is a feeling that you never forget. On the first day, we went to the plains of Africa, with a river and mountains to the left and a village full of kids to the right. Seeing their faces with the widest of smiles gave us a feeling that can only be described as heartwarming. Being able to pass a football and seeing them get a jersey was memorable and something that I will not forget for the rest of the trip. Even when we were getting outplayed by the Maasai boys and running out of breath every minute, it was still great to see their smiles as we shook hands and took a lot of pictures. For them, a picture is not worth a thousand words, but a memory that the kids hope we never forget. Maybe it was the technology that gave them shock and disbelief, but I think it was really just that we were sharing the same experience as they were.             

For our first week at Tumona Secondary School we ran workshops on laptops. Each of the 350 students received 120 minutes of basic computer training. They learned to turn the laptops on, open and save a text document, and were introduced to typing. On average, each Drew student taught a group of four or five Tumona students per class. The language barrier between the students and us proved to be the hardest obstacle to maneuver.  Because we worked with students from Form I to IV (equivalent to grades), each student’s grasp of English differed. At times it seemed the younger students were able to understand us better, even though they’ve had less exposure and teaching in English. We all found that the best way to be understood was to show instead of using just language. For instance exaggerating right and left clicking, and repeating tasks. In total, we spent 25 hours teaching the students computers, and they were truly hours well spent.

 

-Harriet '16 and Andreas '16 

 

Africa is well known for having some of the most traditional cultures in the world. Void of any development, most African cultures have stayed the same for hundreds of years. Unless you go to a major city or a first world country in Africa, you will not experience globalization being a huge factor in some African cultures. Going to Karamba Maasai village and the first thing you see is the Chairman (Kimetonga) of the village holding a cell phone is eye opening.  You are in the remote part of Tanzania, with no modern development in sight and you still see small signs of technology. That made me rethink about the way that the Maasai adapt to their situation and environment. They still live in houses made out of mud and cow dung, but still want education and healthcare to continue the growth and development of their village. Although they keep some traditions, like circumcision, alive, a lot of traditions are not being put into practice. They still feel passionate about the Maasai tradition, but they acknowledge that some modern developments need to be made to further their village. So what do the Maasai embody about Africa if they don't rely on tradition? They embody everything about African culture; having a solid foundation in their ancestry and willing to acknowledge how modern development can be beneficial. 

 

-Andreas '16