Tanzania Education Project: first onsite bulletin from Meserani Snake Park, Tanzania 25/07/05

After a year of planning and many months of fundraising, the Tanzania Education Project has arrived in Africa! Work has already begun on the construction of the TEP Education Centre. In just three and a half days of working on the building site, fantastic progress has been made. The team of TEP volunteers are working so well together that already the foundations for the computer room have been dug, and the foundations for the central library have been both dug and filled in. The marking out for the classroom foundations has been completed, and the team has planted 127 trees around the buildings, some to prevent further erosion on the land. The continual prgress of the site is being documented by filming and photography.

All the building work is being completed according to local Tanzanian methods, and the Project is employing six local Maasai men, helping the centre to become part of local life. TEP leaders Jessica Statham and Max Griffiths together with architect Shanka Sivananthan have met with the local village council to discuss the progress of the Education Centre, reporting back a definite air of excitement about the projected benefits for the Maasai people.

The integration of the education centre with local culture is looking very positive. When building is finished for the day, the team of volunteers and builders join in a great game of football with all the locals and children - so far, the Maasai footballers are proving to be the clear winners! The student volunteers have commented how welcome they feel both on the site itself, and camping in the Meserani Snake Park. Team leaders Jess and Max have commented on the enthusiastic attitude of the volunteers and local builders towards the hard work of building the centre.

In an exciting extension of the project, TEP volunteers have responded to a local need for an improved medical clinic with beds, and will be funding and assisting with the development and management of the clinic, in partnership with Snake Park.

This very promising progress of the Tanzania Education Project could not have been achieved without all the funders, sponsors and everyone who has generously given their time, effort, and monetary aid to the construction of the Education Centre.