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A group of BSB Shunyi students recently embarked on an unforgettable journey to Tanzania, immersing themselves in community projects, conservation efforts, and cultural experiences. Over the course of a week, they worked alongside local people, explored stunning landscapes, and embraced challenges that pushed them beyond their comfort zones.
Upon arrival at Shamba Kipara Camp, the 17 BSB Shunyi students joined a wider group of 55 international students and were split into two groups, following slightly different schedules while sharing many of the same experiences on different days.
Group A: Building Classrooms and Supporting Families
Group A began their week at Ngongongare Primary School, helping lay the foundations for four new classrooms to support 400 additional students. They also contributed to a new toilet block before rounding off their time with a spirited football match against the school team, who secured a 7-2 victory!
Later, they worked on a family support project identified by Seeway Tanzania. While one team installed solar-powered lighting, others built a goat shed for May, the goat donated by BSB Shunyi. The lighting will allow the family’s grandchild to study after dark, while May’s milk will provide essential nutrition. Witnessing the direct impact of their work was an emotional moment for many.
Group B: Empowering Communities
Group B started at the Umoja Project, supports young people and their communities in Tanzania by addressing cycles of poverty, abuse, unemployment, and vulnerability. The students helped build chicken coops and install solar panels for local families – projects that will improve livelihoods for years to come.
Later, they worked tirelessly to level a football pitch using only buckets of soil, a test of teamwork and determination. Their efforts were celebrated with a Cultural Showcase, where local students performed songs, dances, and a fashion show, marking an emotional farewell.
Both groups, on different days, went on an awe-inspiring safari in Tarangire National Park, witnessing elephants near their tents, elegant giraffes feeding and even an intense lion hunt for one group – an unforgettable reminder of the importance of conservation.
They also visited Shanga, a social enterprise employing people with disabilities, where they watched artisans craft stunning glasswork, beadwork, and textiles.
A visit to Kahawa Coffee Plantation offered insight into the journey from bean to cup, while an overnight stay at Dolly Bush campsite, surrounded by zebra and wildebeest, challenged students to pitch tents and cook traditional meals for the entire camp.
The trip ended with a final celebratory meal and disco, where students reflected on a week of hard work, cultural exchange, and personal growth. More than just a school trip, this was a life-changing experience, deepening their understanding of global challenges and leaving them with lifelong memories.
Tanzania, you have truly left a mark on us all.
This expedition was a truly transformative experience for our students. Here’s what they had to say about their time in Tanzania:
Year 10 Charlotte
“Participating in the Tanzania trip has been a truly unique and life changing experience, altering my very perception of the world around me. I met students from other schools, and make memories alongside them that I know I will cherish for years to come. And of course, the most significant and impactful part of the trip was the service I was doing for others. Knowing that my efforts were making a real difference in people's lives filled me with a great sense of personal fulfillment and pride. I was so blessed to have been given the opportunity to travel to Tanzania, enabling me to make memories and, most importantly, help others in need.”
Year 10 Jeremy
“Tanzania has truly been a trip of a lifetime there is so much to learn and gain from such an experience where you get the opportunity to not just get to know people from Tanzania but students who are not so different from yourself coming from Nord Anglia schools around the world. This is also the chance for you to talk to and get to know people from your own school. Truly the highlight of this trip has definitely been the friendships that we made that may last a lifetime.”
Year 11 Julia
“Having experienced Tanzania firsthand emphasizes my now feeling of longing. The unforgettable experimentation of new food, new culture and a new reality aided in my journey towards gratitude, which after the trip, resulted in a change in mindset and perspective upon my life and the world around me. The smiles of students and families made my day and kept me motivated through the scorching sun and challenging work. Additionally, the friends made, and the memories created will remain forever, marking these 10 days meticulously in my heart.”
Year 10 Katen
“During my time in Tanzania, I grew significantly as a person; I developed my knowledge of interpersonal communication, learned important life skills, and became more aware of my own privilege and opportunities. Although physically demanding at times, engaging in community service in Tanzania allowed me to make a positive difference in the lives of those less fortunate than me, and showed me the power every individual has to impact other people. In my opinion, the best part of this trip was when we constructed a goat shed, solar panels, and a smokeless stove for a Tanzanian family. Not only was that surprisingly fun for me, I was able to work in a team to build something life-changing for vulnerable people, which made me very happy.”
Year 13 Kristie
“Tanzania - It was a life-changing experience because it made me learn many things about the culture, and it made me appreciate what I have so much more than I do. Tanzania is a beautiful place. The safari we went on, the camping experiences of setting up a tent and cooking our own food, helping a school to give students a better study environment, and the hard work of helping a family to build a chicken coop. It was a meaningful, tiring, challenging, overall remarkable trip experience. The friends that I made during the trip were also very fun. I'm grateful that I was able to be on this trip because every moment of the trip did not disappoint and all the smiles that we were able to put on all the faces was heartwarming.”
Year 10 Pauline
“Being in Tanzania was absolutely wonderful, from the food to the nature to the people; I enjoyed every minute of it. After returning home, many people asked me if the safari was my favorite adventure, but it was the smiles and gratefulness of the people we got to support that really made this experience so complete. Not only did I get to learn many skills like making cement from only sand, powder and water, but I got to feel like I, along with the other students, made a difference in someones life.”
Please see an update on what's new with our BSB students on their higher education journey.