Trip to Tanzania: An adventure of Winning and Giving

As participants in the Community Service-Learning programme organised by Nord Anglia Education, our Secondary students spent several days engaging with and assisting the local community in Tanzania, East Africa. Throughout the week-long expedition, the students honed their exploratory and survival abilities, surmounted various obstacles through activities like camping, house construction, pole erection, and crop harvesting.

Let's hear the stories from our students.

Ngoc My Anh and Sophie (Year 12)

On March 19, we started our journey to Kilimanjaro and the Nord Anglia Shamba Kipara camp by Arusha city. On the first day, we had the opportunity to interact and share excellent meals with students from Quito, Boston, Mexico, and BVIS Hanoi, whom we would not have met or connected with if we had not gone on this trip.

During our volunteer days, we worked to expand a local primary school by plastering cement, installing windows, and completing metal work. Interacting and spending time with the students after two days of hard work was particularly rewarding since we learned more about their culture, family, and lifestyles, and that our work managed to provide education and food for hundreds of children for the coming months. We also spent a day with two local families while building goat sheds, smokeless stoves, and solar panels, where collaboration with other students was especially important and enjoyable; not at all tiring by the end of the day.

Our group went on expeditions to a campsite where we cooked dinner and spent time around the campfire, and we were responsible for cleaning the spaces in the morning. Although it was difficult to delegate and communicate, we learnt the importance of responsibility and discipline while working with other students and animals. We also camped amid the Tarangire national park safari, where we spent 2 days exploring the conserved wilderness and discovered new facts and stories about each species, such as lions, baboons, etc. This was a valuable time for us to create memories and bond with our new friends.

Ha Phuong Chau (Year 10)

My Tanzania expedition was very enjoyable. We got to experience a lot of things while staying there, we stayed at Shamba Kipara camp run by Nord Anglia. We went to the safari where our group was able to see most of the animals we wanted to see in the wild. We also went to Umoja Centre which is a school for kids in Tanzania about 14-18. We worked on a project to help build chicken coops and install solar panels for the households nearby. It might not mean much for us but it meant a lot for the people living there. We also got the chance to help construct a changing room for students for them to change after playing sports. Chatting with the kids there also taught me a lot about the culture and lifestyle of Tanzania. Seeing the students look at the progress of the buildings we made was very happy as they are now able to change and shower.

Apart from the community projects we did, visiting the Coffee Farm was also a highlight of my expedition to Tanzania, we learned about how coffee was grown and got to try their coffee. Overall, it was such a fun and educational experience because I got the chance to meet new friends from around the world and learn about how global goals work and their aims.

Huu Huan (Walter) Year 10

I was on an expedition to Tanzania before Term 2 break. The whole reason is for my school to help the people living there and to come out of our comfort zone to another country outside of Vietnam.

The first thing I did when I got to the Shamba camp in Tanzania is to find somewhere to take a rest from the long trip on the plane and eat some crips with guacamole and hummus. After the rest, we were greeted by the security guy, the first aider on sight Mister Paul who told us about the things my school and schools from other countries would do. For example, the Umoja Foundation which I participated in, and the building of the dolly bush school.

Later after the talk we were greeted at our tents which we will be staying in for 5 days, the other days were camping outside like how our ancestors did.
On the trip I was able to friend people from schools in Ecuador and China, they were very friendly people and the students from Ecuador were extroverts they liked to meet new friends from different countries.

The most fun moment of the whole trip was going on the safari, learning about the animals that exist on earth. When I got the opportunity to go and see a real lion drinking water from a riverbank and seeing elephants doing nothing you know I was excited to finally live my dream of going to my dream place, not to mention I got to camping in the middle of nowhere in the safari was a dream come true and our tour Mister Alex caught a leopard sitting on a tree behind the tents looking at us.

In conclusion, going after is one of my biggest dreams and I got to contribute to organizations like Umoja to help build a changing for the kids there so they can play sports like football will stay with me until I'm very old.

After the trip, parents were surprised at how mature and confident students were.

Minh Ngoc's parents shared: "My daughter, Minh Ngoc, had amaging experiences in Tanzania. She was happy to join in a meaningful activity created by BVIS and Nord Anglia. What she and BVIS Hanoi group have done in Tanzania will remind her to do good things in the future. For that, she must try to work hard and know how to act to help others.

Bui Minh Ngoc and her friends were supported with very good facilities, food, etc... during the trip.

The information and photos were sent to us every single day, so that we all felt secure about the children and what they did in Tanzania.

On the behalf of our family, I'd like to thank you all for what you and other teachers have done for my child.

To the school and teachers in charge of the trip to Tanzania!"

Huan's parents were appreciated that BVIS had offered this opportunity for their child to experience and learn beyond the classroom. "As for Huu Huan, after returning home, he was very interested and quite mature (even though he was away from home for only 10 days). I hope that the school will organize more trips to help the children share and see the life around them without their parents, creating a foundation to help them prepare for an independent life in the future. Once again, thank you very much to all teachers."

"I am the parent of Tuan Kiet 10I. I would like to thank the School and teachers for carefully looking after and training the children during the recent trip to Tanzania. The trip was very useful, the children were very happy because they were able to build and work beneficially for the social community. We hope school will organize many more trips like this and wish the teachers good health and lead students to become good people." - Tuan Kiet's parents shared about their child's journey in Tanzania

My Anh's mother also agreed that the trip to Tanzania was a great opportunity for her daughter to gain valuable experiences: "The children really enjoyed and were full of excitement when participating in this trip. Children can participate in useful activities with the community, immerse themselves in nature and different cultures, explore Safari...I think it is a trip that children should take part in. The trip will help children become more mature, have a more diverse and open view of the world, and have love and compassion for cute African children in particular and people in general. Thank you BVIS for creating the opportunity for your children to participate in this trip."

Not only the students but also teachers had an amazing journey. Ms. Phuong Anh, Vietnamese Teacher shared, "The Tanzania trip is a remarkable opportunity for students to enrich their experiences and broaden their horizons. Throughout the journey, participants have had a chance to immerse themselves in Tanzania's vibrant culture, diverse landscapes, and rich history. Engaging in community service projects, wildlife safaris, and cultural exchanges, students expand their global perspective and gain valuable skills such as teamwork, adaptability, and cross-cultural communication. It's also nice to see students helping each other and caring about the local people. At the end of each day, the student gathered around, engaged in numerous discussions, and on the last night, they even generated a new idea for a sustainable business. This shows that they want to make a positive difference, not just on the trip but also in their future. It's great to see them worked together to find new ways to make the world better. And to wrap up, this trip offers more than just sightseeing; it provides a transformative experience that fosters personal growth and lifelong memories."

When asking about the trip to Tanzania, Mr. Piers Roderick, Assistant Head of Secondary said that it was the best trip that he had ever had the pleasure to lead. "The students all behaved fantastically and displayed our BVIS Values. Our students all gained so much from this experience. They met and made new friends with other Nord Anglia students from across the world, they made a huge difference to the lives of some of the poorest in the world by helping to build a school and went on a once in lifetime safari. There is so much more I could talk about! I would recommend all students go on this trip!"

Mr. Ian Powell, Head of Year 8 were proud of what students had achieved and grown up during and after the trip. "Tanzania was an incredible experience for all of our students, and the teachers. Going into the trip, I was a little worried that our students might feel a little shy and would struggle to connect with the activities, other students, and the local community. I was completely wrong. I came away from the trip feeling extremely proud of all our students for how well they engaged in every part of the trip, from building chicken sheds, solar panel systems, and changing rooms for local students, to camping in the wilderness of a wildlife park. They helped each other every step of the way, and made it an unforgettable experiences for themselves, and for us teachers. I highly recommend this trip for any students who are wanting to have a one in a life time adventure which will challenge them in many different ways, but will ultimately help them become more confident and with a greater understanding and connection with cultures that are hugely different from their own!"