TANZANIA

 

Each year Rev. Jonathan Skelton has led 12 to 29 volunteers from our Church, to one of the poorest countries in the world, the poverty stricken East African nation of Tanzania. This year will be the tenth visit and twenty-nine have volunteered so far to go for a fortnight at the end of September 2008. We go to make a difference delivering aid in different areas of the country such as the remote mountain top rain forest region of Amani and the town of Tanga, Arusha, Pangani to name four.

 

We go to the village of the poor in Tanga, a place of hopelessness, a shelter for people who are unable to care for themselves, people who are so poor they hardly have anything, the government put up one room buildings but don't maintain them. Many of the people are disabled and rely on good Samaritans for such basic needs as water, food and electricity.

 

The team in 2006, and 2007 were able to leave enough food to last for three months; just to see their thrilled faces was amazing. To play games and leave donations of food and toys with the orphans from the town, many of whose parents had died from Aids and are left with HIV.

 

Besides taking aid, the team for a number of days put in hard graft helping to build or renovate schools and colleges. Digging by hand with no modern equipment the footings, for a new veranda. Knocking down walls and windows to help to provide new dormitories and dinning room without even a wheelbarrow to carry the concrete. As one of our projects for 2008, we intend to refurbish and re-decorate the shelter in Tanga and put in toilets, showers etc.

 

At Tanga International School, Tanga we shall be running a Football Coaching Session for three days from Monday 6th October The Headteacher of the School is Charlie Mackenzie who used to be the Chaplin at Barnsley Football Club. Charlie also manages the local side in Tanga, who play in the Tanzania Premier league. With this, the majority of the players from the team will be volunteering during the week to aid in the coaching of the event. These guys are International footballers, mostly play for the Tanzania national team. One of the lads plays for Kenya and has been capped on several occasions, others play for other African nations. So far over a hundred youngsters, and students have signed up for the three day event and we have not got out there yet