When I was in Tanzania helping out at an orphanage, we had a chance to visit some of the remote communities around the orphanage and spend time in their schools. This one school put on a skit for us and these 3 kids were to jump up and scare our group at quiet time during the skit.
It was fascinating and sad to visit these schools, many had no supplies like paper or pens or even chairs...students sat on the ground during classes. Our group would distribute basic schools supplies to these schools that would tied them over for a month or two...but then they'd be back to learning with no paper or pencils.
I really like the diagonal composition of this compelling image. I hope you acted scared when they jumped up!
My wife took her graduate nursing students to Tanzania on a medical mission trip. They took a bare minimum of personal items and used the rest of their luggage space for medical supplies. They also took four extra suitcases of medical supplies with them.
It was a revelation for her students. They worked in a maternity ward that had practically no equipment. The patients were required to supply their own supplies, including sheets for their beds. They walked to the clinic to have their babies. After delivering, they washed their sheets and hung them up to dry. Once dry, they gathered their belongings and their baby and walked back home.
I wanted to go and regret not going, but I had a work conflict and ended up in Alaska for two weeks. I wish more Americans would get to visit third world countries and cruise ships don't count. They would meet wonderful people and learn more about the challenges others face.
I had a chance, curated for tourists, to visit a one room Maasai school and hear the kids recite their ABC's in English, Swahili and Maa. I think tourist income and Thompson Safari community supports was helping them along.
I had a chance, curated for tourists, to visit a one room Maasai school and hear the kids recite their ABC's in English, Swahili and Maa. I think tourist income and Thompson Safari community supports was helping them along.
Scott
Here's is a photo of a one room school where the children had very little to learn with. They sat on the floor and had no pencils or books. This school was located in a small village deep within Tanzania where no tourists venture. It took us about 2 hours by motorbike on a rutted one lane dirt road just to get to this village. The country is littered with these smaller villages hidden away from tourists eyes.
dmacmillan wrote:
I really like the diagonal composition of this compelling image. I hope you acted scared when they jumped up!
My wife took her graduate nursing students to Tanzania on a medical mission trip. They took a bare minimum of personal items and used the rest of their luggage space for medical supplies. They also took four extra suitcases of medical supplies with them.
It was a revelation for her students. They worked in a maternity ward that had practically no equipment. The patients were required to supply their own supplies, including sheets for their beds. They walked to the clinic to have their babies. After delivering, they washed their sheets and hung them up to dry. Once dry, they gathered their belongings and their baby and walked back home.
I wanted to go and regret not going, but I had a work conflict and ended up in Alaska for two weeks. I wish more Americans would get to visit third world countries and cruise ships don't count. They would meet wonderful people and learn more about the challenges others face....Show more →
Yes, if people traveled to these under developed countries they'd have a much different perspective on life and really how good we have it in our neck of the woods. They'd understand how a not so sharp corner in a lens is such a trivial problem to have.
I actually visited a maternity ward in a hospital and we gave out little knitted toques and socks for the babies and a stuffed toy. Yes, these woman are basically on their own. Sadly, a woman having a child out of marriage is considered taboo ( no man would have this woman ) and many of these kids are secretly birthed and orphaned so that the woman remains "pure". A few of the orphans I worked with were left on the street as babies most likely by unwed moms.
Nicely shot Chez. My time in Africa has taught me that it can exhilarate like no other place, but also break your heart like no other place. The children are so wonderful despite their often desperate circumstances. We can only do what we can do.
1bwana1 wrote:
Nicely shot Chez. My time in Africa has taught me that it can exhilarate like no other place, but also break your heart like no other place. The children are so wonderful despite their often desperate circumstances. We can only do what we can do.
Asante kwa kushiriki,
(Thanks for sharing)
Steve
Thanks Steve. I've been to Tanzania a couple of times and totally share your view. People there are beautiful but it's sad to see the hardships they live with. I visited a village and one of the members was very proud of his new house. He wanted to show it off so we all went in. The house was made from straw and mud with dirt floors everywhere except the living area where is had a plastic sheet as flooring. It had no running water. And this was one of the more elaborate house in the village.
I'm just fortunate I can contribute my little bit to help these children in a small way.
Chez,
I like both photos. It seems all political systems haven't figured out how to distribute wealth and resources equitably, and the most painful reminder of this is seeing children suffer.
Jim
chez wrote:
When I was in Tanzania helping out at an orphanage, we had a chance to visit some of the remote communities around the orphanage and spend time in their schools. This one school put on a skit for us and these 3 kids were to jump up and scare our group at quiet time during the skit.
It was fascinating and sad to visit these schools, many had no supplies like paper or pens or even chairs...students sat on the ground during classes. Our group would distribute basic schools supplies to these schools that would tied them over for a month or two...but then they'd be back to learning with no paper or pencils.
James Markus wrote:
Chez,
I like both photos. It seems all political systems haven't figured out how to distribute wealth and resources equitably, and the most painful reminder of this is seeing children suffer.
Jim
Ain't that the truth. The have's keep getting more and the have not's keep getting less.
