Global Citizens Network (GCN) Project Site:
Bukoba, TANZANIA
Check Trip Schedule for Trip dates
A Bahaya Village
Tanzania is in East Africa on the Indian Ocean. To the north are Uganda and Kenya; to the west Burundi and Rwanda and to the south are Malawi and Zambia. Bukoba, our host city, is on the western shore of Lake Victoria in the extreme Northwest of Tanzania, Bukoba is the capital city of Kagera region (estimated population: 2.6 Million).
The climate is sunny and warm most of the year. Evenings can be cool but never cold. It has a population around 100,000 people and its main ethnic group is the Bahaya, who speak Ruhaya. Most people also speak Swahili, and English is understood in most public locations. The main occupation is agriculture.
GCN’s host in Bukoba is Mr. Smart Baitani, founder and Executive Director of COSAD (Compassionate Solutions for Africa’s Development). COSAD is a US-Tanzanian NGO. This organization was founded to bring economic stability to the region. Mr. Baitani, after living in the Twin Cities for the last several years, has returned to Bukoba (his hometown) to oversee the development of a community center. This community center will serve a COSAD headquarters as well as a starting point for local startup businesses. COSAD’s initial efforts are aimed at getting small micro loans to individuals to help them start their own businesses and hopefully create additional jobs in the community. It is likely that collaborating on the construction of the community center will be the initial GCN project in Bukoba.
Bukoba is a fairly small, flat and compact town. The majority of the citizens live in the surrounding hills. Bukoba has a bay, sandy beech, and a port with a ferry that travels to/ from Mwanza.
Building a Community Education Center
COSAD and the Bukoba community plan to build a community education center designed to provide training classes, promote small-scale economic initiatives, and work space for women’s businesses. The center will provide hands-on learning opportunities and strategies for the community in an effort to bring more economic stability to the region.
Travel Itinerary
Team members will arrive at Dar Es Salaam (DAR) and stay over night. The following day, the team will take an in-country flight to Mwanza-Bukoba, where they will be greeted by the hosts and get settled in the homes. The next day, the team will pick up any supplies they need. They will live and work with the people in this scenic community for the remainder of the GCN trip, with the potential for a break in the middle and/or end of their stay. Transportation back to the Dar Es Salaam Airport will be provided at the end.
Exploratory Trip
A trip of this kind requires a lot of flexibility on the part of the volunteers. It offers more freedom to see the land, people and villages in the area and less opportunity to develop the close relationships that a 2-3 week “regular” work trip to one village provides. The benefit of having volunteers on an exploratory trip is that the village can see what kind of people come on trips, what their intentions are and how the team interacts with the community. The volunteers also help the team leader identify the preferred location, project or community, by providing feedback.
Accommodation and Meals
COSAD will provide two four bedroom homes to accommodate our team. Together the houses can accommodate up to 14-16 people All bedrooms have 2 single beds. The houses have electricity, rest rooms and running water. Both homes have caretakers who provide heated water as needed. GCN hires cooks, who are accustomed to cooking for international tourists, and the team will be eating as much of the local cuisine as possible. Internet access is available at this site. GCN will most likely select one of the homes as our team headquarters for our daily meetings. We are also working to arrange “home-stays” for volunteers who prefer to live with a local family. This is always a great opportunity to learn more about the local culture. More to follow…..
Time to Explore
The GCN experience is time in the host community, which allows for plenty of time to get to know the local community in your own way. Often team members like to explore the surrounding area for an occasional day trip, of which there are several possibilities. Most participants arrange time before or after the GCN experience to take a safari. This trip has set aside three days for “free-time” exploration that is the responsibility of each trip participant.
Health Issues
Participants are required to be in sound health. Potential participants with significant physical limitations are encouraged to check with their physician and discuss the situation with GCN staff beforehand.
Throughout most of Tanzania, it is essential to drink bottled or boiled water to avoid health problems. A local cook trained in preparing healthy food prepares all meals for the GCN team. Check with your local travel clinic or the Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ for accurate information on inoculations and health preparation.
Dates
July 31*-August 14, 2008
* Trip dates subject to change – check with GCN office to confirm details
* Special trips can be arranged for an intact group of 6 or more
* Date group meets in Dar Es Salaam. From U.S./Canada, this requires leaving on July 30th.
Costs
The program cost for this two week trip is $2,300. Program costs cover on-site accommodations (lodging and meals), in-country travel, training materials, donation to the project, emergency medical and evacuation insurance, t-shirt, and a portion of the team leader’s expenses.
Airfare to/from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and costs relating to activities outside of the village, are additional and the responsibility of the individual participant.
All trip related costs are tax-deductible in the U.S.
Discounts available (one per person/group)
For further information contact us
Global Citizens Network
130 N. Howell St.
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 644-0960 or (800) 644-9292
Contact us
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