In the name of service: an overview of the Tanzania Service Project

They were accompanied by Secondary teacher, Mr Paul Hilder. Students from the British School of Guangzhou joined them as well.

Unlike the leisure travel we commonly embark on, the Tanzania Service Expedition was held with a purpose – for students to experience what life is like in Tanzania, to participate in community projects as acts of service, and to give back to the people there.

“We worked with a Tanzanian charity called Umoja, where we helped to build desks for a primary school, bookshelves for a school library, and chicken sheds for families identified by the charity.”

“We also got to see the results of our work being used: we visited the primary school to present the desks, we helped put books into the bookshelves, and we were present for the donation of the chickens to the families,” said Mr Hilder.

The Tanzania Service project is offered to all NAE schools and involves a range of community-focused initiatives, such as building schools, wells, sanitation facilities, student dormitories, and farm animal shelters. The project runs continuously, with different NAE schools joining each week to further the ongoing work.

Besides that, Mr Hilder shared that they have also visited social enterprises involved in honey production from stingless bees, and jewellery made by the disabled.

“As a reward for their hard work, the students went on a safari trip at Tarangire National Park for the last two days, where we saw an amazing variety of African mammals and birds.” 

“It was a one-of-a-kind experience, and students should definitely be encouraged to go for it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Secondary teacher and NAE Expedition Coordinator Mr Florian L’Hostis said these expeditions aim to develop character and leadership, and to foster global citizenship and international mindedness.

“Students build resilience, independence, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership through physically and mentally challenging experiences in real-world environments. By living, working, and travelling with students from other NAE schools, participants develop cultural awareness, empathy, and a deeper understanding of global issues,” he said.

These expeditions are made possible through the NAE Global Campus. The NAE Expeditions team conducts trips to Tanzania all year long. Since 2014, students from the NAE family have worked on a series of service projects, which have significantly contributed to the long-term support and sustainable development in the local communities.