Faculty of Education supports orphans in Tanzania
By Sheena Brennan
Lance Writer
November 19, 2008
 This December, eight Faculty of Education students and three professors will be traveling to a poverty-stricken village in Tanzania to help orphans.
The project entitled, “Beyond Vulnerability: Examining the educational experiences of vulnerable children in Tanzania,” is being organized in part by Dr. Andrew Allen, Dr. Clinton Beckford, and Dr. Nombuso Dlamini. After a competitive process, and an overwhelming response of over 80 students, the professors were able to narrow it down to eight students. “I wish we could have taken more people,” said Beckford, but he admits that he is “exceedingly proud” of not only the eight candidates who are taking part, but also of the other members of the team who are working behind the scenes.
While in Tanzania, they hope to find the academic strengths and challenges of the children in order to improve the ability to provide a quality education.
“This is the most rewarding thing I do,” said Allen. Even though this area is poverty-stricken, the children are determined to do well in school. Allen, who took the trip last year, recounted seeing children in schools on Saturdays and Sundays doing homework. It is so different from here, where the schools are all closed after school Friday and some parents have to fight with their children to do their homework.
With the supervision and physical help of the accompanying professors, the teacher candidates will be using this time to not only collect research in order to apply for future grants, they will also be teaching the children as an alternative practicum.
In an effort to bridge the gap between the orphans in Tanzania and the children in Windsor, Taylor and Roseland public schools have taken part in the “seeds of friendship project,” in which the children are given a pen pal where they will share stories and pictures of where they are.
Everyone involved hopes that through this effort the children will be able to learn to “look beyond the differences, and start embracing their similarities,” said Sarah Abdul Bari, a student attending. The project has also been working with the institute of social work in Tanzania, and with the help of Dr. Grace Puja who is in Tanzania, they are able to track the improvements being made while they are not there.
The project does not just end with this trip, it is something that they hope will continue for years to come. “We are beginning with baby steps,” said Beckford.
In the future they hope to expand beyond the University of Windsor’s faculty of education to other universities and faculties.
“This is more than just a 10 day trip, this is lifelong,” said Dianne Ritch, another student.
This trip is just a stepping stone to hopefully collect enough information in order to apply for a grant in January. Currently, they are paying for the trip and supplies for Tanzania with a research grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), as well as fundraising and collecting resources from students, family, friends, and colleagues. They hope to collect more money and supplies before they leave in December, but even after they return they hope the donations continue. One form of fundraising they are doing is called “change for change,” there will be bottles randomly placed throughout campus and they ask that people just donate whatever extra change they may have.
“Even if every student gave one dime it would make a difference,” said Gabriel Keresztes, who will also be traveling to Tanzania.
On Dec. 7 the group will be hosting a fundraising event in the CAW Centre’s Ambassador Auditorium. There will be many talents presented that night, as well as a silent auction. They are also seeking donations that could help the children: anything from mosquito nets to games such as boggle and twister.
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