The emphasis in Arusha was on Education of pre-school children within the poorest communities of Arusha town. Links were created between schools in Liverpool England and the nursery school in Arusha. Teachers came from Liverpool to give their support in time, training and teaching aids for the Bethel Nursery School.
By January 2006 the partnership [mediated by a Tunaweza volunteer living full time in the community for five years] between Arusha and Liverpool had secured and paid for land and created a purpose built nursery school including flush toilets, kitchen, outside play area and offices.
Tunaweza were able to leave Arusha after the school was completed. To date the school is running well with annual visits from pupils from Liverpool schools. The visiting schools offer support and the Bethel Nursery School offers hospitality and an opportunity for Liverpool children to experience a different culture in a third world country.
Tunaweza also worker's with Parkways Adventures since 2001 to develop community based cultural tourism. Responsible Tourism is designed to bring tourism into first hand contact with the diverse cultures of East Africa. This way the tourist has a fantastic experience of what makes Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda so special. This is done with gentleness and respect to the cultures being visited. Tunaweza offers free advise for cultural visits in Northern Tanzania using our knowledge of the country, the Tanzanian Tourist Board and Parkways Adventures.
Nairobi Kenya, Liverpool England & Kampala Uganda
Tunaweza staff have extensive working experience in community based Christian Initiatives and outreach in Kenya Central Province, Kampala Uganda, Liverpool 'inner city' England, South Africa and Northern Tanzania. Tunaweza has developed, over the past six years, strong working links between East Africa and Europe, this ensures Tunaweza will become an effective Christian tool to improve the lives of African Communities. |
We believe at Tunaweza that our vision may [according to worldly measures] look doomed to failure. Our past experience in Kenya and Tanzania would have never succeed without God. We went ahead with our vision while everything around us conspired against our success - including when working in Tanzania getting a Christian NGO registered by a Muslim Government Minister. Our work has taken us beyond our own life experience and out of our comfort zones. It has demonstrated what the Bible means when we read "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord" [Zechariah 4:6]
Tunaweza will start this project by supporting the nursery school. We will help organize and fund the building work, we need to pay the monthly salaries of three teachers. Nursery schools are really important; not only are they providing a good start for the pre-school children, but they are also a place of hope for the young children, especially orphans, who receive daily care from the teachers. Once we have the school established we will continue to help support the teachers and children by supplying training, books, pens, toys, etc.
As well as working with children, Tunaweza also recognizes the importance of working with the wider family, in order to have a greater impact in the communities in which we work.
We therefore work to support families in the community. We endeavor to do this with simple parenting courses and seminars, we may support income generation and micro-finance schemes, we do what we are able to ensure that families are able to support themselves both now, and for years to come.
Typically participating groups of parents work as a cooperative, sharing skills to generate an income under the supervision of the project leaders where necessary. We also train in financial management to ensure that each family group manage their money wisely.
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