Karibu (Welcome) to Tanzania!

Summer 2007 IHSM Program

From July 18 through August 8, 2007, IHSM volunteers will work in the northwest region of Tanzania, the Kagera region. Working along side members of the local community, our tentative projects include:

• the construction of water harvesting systems that will help to significantly improve water quality and prevent diseases;

• distributing food resources, such as cassava, sweet potatoes, maize and bean seeds to poor families unable to meet their own nutritional needs;

• interior repair and improvement projects at a rural hospital, as well as helping to distribute important life-saving medicines;

• advising a group of local women who, through the assistance of Mir Pace, have formed a colaborative in order to design, create, and sell beautiful hand-made baskets; and

• assisting at a shelter for street children (see "kuleana")

For more information about being a part of this rewarding experience, please e-mail us at Mir Pace International.

Background Tanzania is almost three times the size of the state of California and is located on the eastern coast of Africa. Swahili and English are the official languages of Tanzania, but in rural areas, tribal languages are spoken. The country has Africa's highest peak (Mt. Kilimanjaro), its lowest point (the floor of Lake Tanganyika), its largest lake (Lake Victoria), and is home to the most famous national park on the continent - the Serengeti. Tanzania is also home to more than 100 different ethnic groups, and the ability of Tanzanians to balance and respect diversity has made Tanzania the most peaceful country in Africa. While the economic situation in the country is far better than in many of Africa's war-torn or drought-afflicted areas, daily life for many Tanzanians, particularly in rural areas, remains a struggle. During the 1990s, Tanzania received massive influxes of Rwandans and Burundians fleeing civil unrest in their countries. In 1995, Tanzania closed its border with Burundi and announced that, while it would continue to honor its humanitarian obligations, it would not tolerate insecurity along its borders. Today, Tanzania continues to host about 540,000 refugees - the largest refugee concentration of any East African country, many of whom are in the Kagera region. The negative impact of hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees over the last decade has led to extensive environmental damage, food scarcity, increased unemployment, overwhelmed heath care facilities, and a dramatic rise in the number of orphans and street children. To exacerbate this already serious situation, a devastating famine, provoked by drought, is steadily moving through Tanzania, from Southern Africa, where it has affected more than 13 million lives. Two years of droughts will have long-term consequences for food security in the region. Farmers are despairing as a shortage of rain is causing new seedlings to wilt and die off. Many households are unable to afford maize and other food stuffs because of the exceptionally high prices that have been attached to these commodities. Urgent food aid is vital in order to avoid mass starvation. Aid to Tanzania from the international community has been inadequate. The formation of internal human service organizations is on the rise, but the resources necessary to achieve sustainable and equitable development for their organizations and the communities that they serve are scarce. Most assistance is directed toward urban area initiatives, however those living in rural areas (such as in the Kagera region), remain underserved, if not entirely forgotten.