"I am off to Africa Ma" Grandad x

One thing which has stuck with me from when I was little was Grandad saying that he is off to Africa...I am not sure why it began nor why I remember it, but it became a running joke in the family. I never thought I would be the first Broad to go to Africa (sorry Grandad) and so this post is an insight into my adventure here in East Africa in Arusha on the USA River.

I was incredibly lucky to join the Year 12 trip to TANZANIA, from October 24th to November 2nd, spending 7 nights in Africa. I won't go into huge detail about my unbelievable experience here as it would take too long but give you a snippet into what I was up to and show you some of my favourite pictures. I hope you enjoy and I look forward to telling you more stories in person...

View of Mount Meru behind our camp.

Travelling and arrival day

I didn't quite anticipate the length of the flight to actually get here - but after a transfer in Doha and 24 hours of travelling later...we arrived! The camp is rented by Nord Anglia, so that their schools come and stay across the year to help on charity projects. So the facilities are brilliant, big tents with a nice wash block, immaculate grounds and even a pool - and don't get me started on the food... so the 'camping' experience was nothing like I had experienced before!!

Day 1 and 2: Helping 'Seeway' on their community project

Seeway are a charity based in Arusha, helping the local communities around Arusha which are greatly in need. The project that all Nord Anglia schools will help in is constructing a new nursery school which will also have a SEN department as well - there is nothing like this around. 
Our first 2 days were hard, manual labour digging foundations, filling the foundations with huge rocks, all in the 30 degree heat! The pictures won't overly do it justice but the teamwork from the students (another school from Hanoi was with us for our trip as well) meant we made great progress over these two days. Some of the local builders and children helped us as well.

Day 3 and 4: Working with a local family in the community

We went out to the site that the Nord Anglia schools worked on last year. This was a teachers accommodation block at a school in the local area. This has enabled 200 more students to be able to go to school as there are teachers who don't have to rely on poor transport and can't afford the  journey to work.

Then we split into small teams and went to a family out in the sticks to build them a goat shed, after which we gave them a goat to have as well. This will give the family daily milk and not have to rent goats that they cannot afford. Secondly, install 3 solar lights in their house as they had no electricity. Lastly, build a smokeless stove, rather than cooking on an open fire and inhaling lots of poisonous fumes.

Our family consisted of Andrea, mum, and her 6 boys and sadly her husband had passed away. They lived in such a small house, split into 3 tiny rooms. I could not get over the poverty that these families lived in and the guilt I felt of everything I had. Something which was refreshing and uplifting was the happiness they showed with life and the togetherness as a family, a poignant few days which were very reflective given the more materialistic Western life we have. We have been able to help just this one family but over the months Nord Anglia will be there this academic year, we will help nearly 100 families, which is brilliant.

Day 5 and 6: Safari in Tarangire National Park

I think the pictures will speak for themselves but this was a definite highlight of the trip. Such an amazing feeling standing with your head out the top of the truck watching the animals in their home going about their day!! Staying in tents in the park overnight (...with no fences) was a bit scary and waking up to the howling of baboons and barks of Hyenas was madness!! Will add more photos when the internet connection is better....