First Quarter2009
Jitolee Nasi…_ Volunteer with Us, Not For Us. ∞ working towards environmental justice and social change ∞ HIGHLIGHT
About Us Tanga-born Mohamed enjoys working with the rural communities because his life's work began there. He conceived the idea and the inception of Tanzania ecoVolunteerism (TeV).
TeV was registered as a Non Governmental Organisation by the government of the United Republic of Tanzania with a certificate number SO.11297 on January 31st, 2001 under the Society Ordinance Cap 337 of 1954.
Community Forest Management The patches of forests near Amboni Caves are not currently protected land. Formal protection is now being established by creating a new area designated for conservation based on the Forest Resources Management and Conservation Act by involving the communities.
Volunteering: a powerful force for conservation TeV has encouraged communities to participate in this huge task of environmental restoration. Volunteers don‟t just make something happen faster, often they are the only reason things get done. Beyond this hard work, volunteers willingly have been offering experience, expertise, ideas and optimism.
_____________ DATES TO KEEP IN MIND
The poverty/conservation equation
Amboni Caves Nature Park Project Currently, Kiomoni village faces a lot of environmental degradation that can only be addressed effectively once the issues of poverty and rapid population growth form part of the solution. Tanga construction firms have been excavating stones here and returned nothing to the communities leaving an eyesore on the landscape. The challenge is in our work to turn Amboni Caves into a sustainable tourist attraction. TeV and the community are reclaiming these disused quarries and will rehabilitate them into a community based ecotourism venture, christened The Amboni Caves Nature Park. This project needs dedication and innovative techniques in order to turn these eye-soaring and disused quarries into scenic havens teeming with a plethora of indigenous plants, animals and birds making a sustainable income for the communities. TeV can‟t afford to look past poverty. “The government want us to help preserve, but they haven’t had an idea of how to help our children”, says Mwanaisha Bakari, Bakari‟s 25 year old wife, who is pregnant with her fourth child. “We need work. If not, this is what we have to do.”
The Bakari family is
With almost all of the
not alone, by any stretch. With nearly 3 billion people around the world living on the equivalent of US$.2.00 a day or less, each day millions of people are forced to make decisions that damage the environment in order to feed themselves and their families. You can‟t overlook that poverty has a lot to do with environmental degradation since our communities do not have a natural tendency to degrade the environment. It is only that they need the environment to survive.
communities of Kiomoni living in poverty, we simply have to look at both poverty and environmental issues to get conservation work done. We have realized that whatever we do with the environment, we also have to take care of our communities. TeV’s concern on poverty has increased pressure to find “win-win” solutions for preserving and rehabilitating the lands around Amboni Caves without ignoring the plight of the poor neighboring communities.
Conquer the Spirit 2010: Join Us on TeV’s first Charity Kilimanjaro Climb in Tanzania. 18th of April YouthAKILI Street Football Tournament Football how it‟s supposed to be played! 25th of June MalariaMwisho Workshop Learn all about the threats of malaria and how to prevent it August 8 - 11, 2008 Swahili Peoples Arts & Cultural Festival Tanga,Tanzania Embrace this colourful event of the Swahili culture!
July-September: University of Nottingham Students To Climb Kilimanjaro and volunteer with TeV!
Expeditions will take place in the months of June, July, August and September, 2010. Book your place now: volunteerintanzania@gmail.com
Photos courtesy of Kaitlin Ross
TeV, working towards environmental justice and social change
Donations &‘ Gifts
TeV has come a long way! Many thanks to the help of people with a giving heart! Last summer, TeV added two classrooms to the Kiomoni Community Resource Centre because - Jennifer and Brian Heath of Vancouver, Canada donated 1250 bricks. - Nathan, A.J., Todd Ludwig and the students of St. John’s Jesuit School, in Toledo, OH., USA contributed towards the purchase of the iron sheets to finish the roof of one classroom. - Mwalimu Rachel Otty, Mwalimu Brian Kwoba and the students of CRLS, Cambridge, MA., USA together with Alvin Kennedy of New York, made it possible to finish the roof of the second classroom. ‘Tanzanian hospitality knows that ahsante sana goes a long way!’
RushaRoho opens doors on Valentine’s Day
NEWSFLASH
Long and hard work pays off! This certainly applies to the Swahili Cuisine restaurant christened ‘RushaRoho’ located in Tanga, Tanzania. ‘RushaRoho’ is a community-owned
TeV. Its purpose is not only to bring good food enterprise supported by
to the table, but also to provide the communities with a source of income. After years of construction, interior designing, painting and putting together a fine and delicious menu, „RushaRoho’ opened its doors for business on the 14th of February of this year. GENERATING INCOME
INTRODUCING SOME 0F OUR PROJECTS
Butterfly farming to generate income for communities around Kiomoni
Honey comes alive! TeV has introduced Langstroth beehives to communities; the major technique employed then was to colonize the hives by transferring colonies and dividing colonies that are already nesting in hives.
In July of the year 2008, TeV started with the construction of a butterfly „banda‟ to learn and replicate from other butterfly farming projects within the region that are empowering their communities by exporting pupae abroad.
Also, a new method of queen rearing for colony multiplication is under development. This is an activity suitable for the maintenance of the forest biodiversity and protection of the environment as well as increasing the economic wellbeing of communities.
Kiomoni community will use this facility as a learning centre so that each family can learn and farm butterflies thus providing themselves with a livelihood that is dependent upon healthy forests and creating a strong economic incentive for them to conserve and support Amboni Caves Nature Park project.
TeV introduces: A NEW FACE! Peter Walker, who
TeV will coordinate the
production and sales of pupae and ensure through training and monitoring that butterflies are raised in a sustainable manner.
While a number of volunteers
worked so hard to see the success of our learning process, seedlings and butterflies were collected around the patches of forest near the Amboni Caves; we have seen the reality now by raring so many varieties of butterflies, however, ants and lizards have been identified as major predators of butterflies within our cage.
While similar community projects around the region were funded through ICIPE, CEPF and TFCG, Kiomoni Butterfly Project has had no donor funding. Ahsante TeV,
for the start-up money and the wonderful work by our worldwide volunteers and our communities!
Professional Volunteer Positions in Tanzania: TeV is seeking Management, Fundraising and Organisational Development Professionals for one and two-year volunteer opportunities with our programme partners in Tanzania. We may have a life-changing opportunity for you in your field. FIND OUT MORE>www.volunteerintanzania.org
volunteered with us in the last quarter of 2008, has sponsored Sharifa Sudi to continue her secondary school education at Korogwe Girls Secondary School in Tanga Region.
Sharifa’s
performance is exceptional. She has had an average of 70 % throughout the academic year and that has ranked her within the top ten students in her class. Sharifa who has Albinism and a visual impairment will need further medical treatment when school closes for holidays in June/July of this year.
Sharifa Sudi
Sharifa is the seventh child with Special Needs to join TeV’s secondary schools education initiative in Tanzania.
TeV, working towards environmental justice and social change
Two classes added to Kiomoni Community Resource Center
TeV is proud to present: Volunteers Achievements of the Year 2008
IN FOCUS
Jake, as the Entrepreneur of the Year’08.
Kaitlin, as the Teacher of the Year’08.
Nicole, as the Artist of the Year’08.
Frances, as the Conservator of the Year’08.
The Kiomoni Community Resource Center (KCRC) Peter, as The Volunteer of the Year’08
Marianne, as the Enviromentalist of the Year’08.
is within the village of Kiomoni that TeV has built with the support of volunteers and the community since 2002. We have just added two more classrooms! This rural community is provided with access to advice on health and education matters that is of enormous benefit to the community. The centre hosts a pre-primary and standard one primary school. Virtually any organisation with a room and some shelving can set up a resource centre, but to stock the centre with useful publications and attract communities to use it, is far from easy. It takes resources, time and energy – and the know-how, which we hope will go some way to providing.
AGENDA June 25th, MalariaMwisho Workshop, to overcome some barriers that impede our ability to fight this deadly disease. August 8th–11th, Swahili Peoples Arts & Cultural Festival,embrace this colourful event and celebrate the Swahili culture. July 11th to October 3rd, 140 University of Nottingham Students to Volunteer with Us! September 19th, YouthAKILI Street Football Tournament, Sport for Social and Human Development. WHILE IN TANZANIA…
……….volunteer travel @ The Land of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar! Things to do while you are in Tanzania
Going on safari is a must! Kilimanjaro Climb, conquer the spirit! Beaches around Tanga and Pangani are so pristine and amazing. Amani Nature Reserve, tropical rainforest & water falls Zanzibar, enjoy this exotic island to the fullest and make sure you are there on time for the famous music festival in July. Food, enjoy the natural taste of the Tanzanian authentic cuisine. Market Day, get up early on a Saturday morning and stroll around them to experience the hustling and bustle to shop at these markets!
Volunteer with Us, Not for Us! For more information on what we are doing in our country and what you can achieve by volunteering with us; Please visit our website: www.volunteerintanzania.org Photos courtesy of KR, MY, MK& LV
“Volunteering with TeV in Tanzania has enriched my life”
TALKING FROM EXPERIENCE
Job Havenaar is an eighteen year old high school graduate from the Netherlands. He wanted to make himself useful somewhere where his help was much needed. AFS, a Dutch volunteer organisation placed him with Tanzania ecoVolunteerism. For two months, Job has been working on community conservation outreach programme and a sports development project. He experienced only positive and encouraging feedback. During his stay, he worked at the tree nursery and later on the day, he joined the football coaches of TeV to coach the street children. Job: ‘Volunteering with TeV in this country enriched my life.”