COUNTRY: Tanzania
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Building, renovation & construction
WRITTEN BY: Maddi McAllister
Jambo!
Since I have last written we have had a jam-packed few weeks! Here at Camps international they have a pretty big summer! Unfortunately due to issues in Kenya, no camps are currently running so they are sending them to the next best place, Tanga! Luckily for us we got to extend our family to about 45 of us, meaning we had to move camps due to so many people. We all settled into our new camp quickly and celebrated Eilish's 19th birthday. We got her a cake and delivered it with all the kitchen staff and camp leaders banging pots and pans singing songs in Swahili!
To welcome in the new members of our group we may have played a few pranks (initiated by our camp leaders). Firstly, we told them that we did a prayer before dinner and because there were so many people all our dinners would go cold because we had to wait for everyone to pray. Our favourite prank was 'the swimming test', where we made the newbies swim about 20 metres in less than knee deep water- needless to say they all looked ridiculous! But we all got a great laugh out of it.
We are all working at the school now; we successfully finished our first project of renovating the classroom. We re-did the floor, plastered the walls and painted them. And it looks amazing! The most incredible moment was when the kids returned from summer break and they came into the classroom and were ecstatic to see their new desks. It was a pleasure to watch.
The toilet block is still in progress, we have laid the 'drop hole' with brick walls and a structure and we have recently started cementing the floors. The floors will be a bit of work but afterwards we'll have to put the toilet holes in and build the walls and roof! We have also built verandas in front of the two buildings to prevent water running underneath the classrooms when it rains and deteriorating the under layers of the floors.
There is also a group working on the four old toilets they had at the school; we tore down the old walls, rebuilt and plastered them, and the next job is to repaint the block. It has been really hard work, especially when we have to mix cement by hand and use tiny bits of sand paper to smooth the walls but when we see the progress and results all the sweat, blood and blisters are worth it!
Last week we got to experience Marine conservation. Using flip flops that have been collected from the beach and ocean we got to make bracelets with fish, turtles or balls! It was a very unique experience that we all enjoyed. The 15 of us also went on a safari to Saadani National Park! It was a two-day safari and we got to see giraffes, elephants, lions, hippos and crocodiles! It was such an amazing experience and it made us feel like we were really in Africa after getting to see some of the Big 5!
Until next time!
Madi, Eilish, Ben, Imogen, Nick, Emily and Leon x
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