Promoting education and personal development for local adolescents

 

The future of a nation is in its young people,  they need the confidence and life skills to make important decisions themselves.  This is not easy.  Whilst the teachers are trying they are struggling, the focus of formal education is (as in most countries) on passing the exams.  However having worked in Tanzanian schools for nearly a decade we see huge short comings in this approach.  Young people lack confidence, their English is poor, and they are unable to solve problems or think critically about new situations.  Whilst some may be lucky and pass their exams, we do not believe this is really setting them up for the future.   We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to come and work with the teachers and the pupils at our local school.  To help these teachers and ultimately the students improve their life skills and thereby improve their life choices.

 

 Working with SAIDIA and our partners, volunteers can:

 

·         Spend time with the pupils, assessing their current knowledge and attitudes and develop key messages and strategies to improve the situation

·         Work with the local teachers to develop an out of school curriculum that they can use once the volunteers are no-longer there.

·         Use the arts (drama, ngoma – drumming, painting) to develop new ways for the young people to express themselves

·         Use the environment (tree planting etc) to develop novel ways for young people to become involved and take a lead in their future.

·         Visit both schools and the community at large, to pass on this information and help them to improve the overall situation for young people

·         Participate in an awareness programme by training and working with local groups to educate the local community.