OUTREACH

Travelling and experiencing foreign people and cultures does at the same time also mean to outreach to the local people we come across. This can simply mean to experience their way of living, but also to contribute to local projects and to share skills and resources.

During our travelling in Southern Africa, we kick-started a couple of small projects based on individual ideas and relationships. Some of them survived until today and we would like to present those with the intention to find imitators. We are convinced that positive exchange on the smallest scale contributes to multi-cultural understanding, reconciliation and compensation in a long term.

We are of course also looking forward to follow the development of the existing projects. We will present and update our own projects on this website and everybody who feels affiliated to those is welcome to contribute in one way or another.

Contact us on: outreach@veloverden.org



VITABU PROJECT

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In 2008, a small education project called Vitabu has been realized while working in Makanya in Eastern Tanzania. The project fundraised a few thousand EUROs to buy english teaching materials for elementary schools. Follow the link to find the callout and the report. The first stage of the project is finished, but a second edition is planned for the future.



STUDY TO SURVIVE

Patricks family

We met Patrick Nkhoswe in Nkhata Bay in Malawi in 2008. He talked to us on the street and invited us to his place in a nearby village to meet his grandfather and his two brothers. Within six weeks he lost both, his mother who died of Malaria and his father who was killed in a car accident. His grandfather was now to take care of the three boys between 15 and 19 years. The grandfather, however, could not afford the tuition fees for Patrick to finish his final year at secondary school.

We agreed that we would pay the tuition, if we visited the school and we could pay the school directly and in advance. We travelled together to the Katoto Secondary School in Mzuzu and met Professor Banda who was the principal at the school. One year later Patrick had his degree in his hands.

In the meantime Patricks grandfather died. Patrick as the oldest son now had to care for both the two younger brothers and himself. The only thing he had was the house of his grandfather and his secondary school degree. Nonetheless, he was eager to continue his education. He signed up for the Natural Resource College in Lilongwe and passed the entry exams for the subject Nutrition and Livestock. We came to a similar agreement that we would pay the tuition fees for the upcoming three years college education.


Patricks house

Two years ago his younger brother Tendai died. He was tortured and killed by a gang in Nkhata Bay. Patrick said maybe he owed money to somebody, but he did not know the details. Within three years the family diminished from six to two members. Still, Patrick continued his life and took responsibility for his youngest brother. Patrick will finish his college education next year and his brother goes to the secondary school in Nkhata Bay. At the same time Patrick is fundraising for a new roof for his house. If you want to support him, send a mail to outreach@veloverden.org.



TEMBE TOUR GUIDING

Richard is 21 years old and lives in Arusha in Northern Tanzania. Both his parents died and he lives together with his little sister in a small house outside the city. He never had the chance to finish his school and he works from time to time as a tourist guide. So far, he could not afford an official tour guiding licence and thus, his income is permanently insecure.


richard leading us to Kilimanjaro

We met Richard at the Arusha bus station on our way to the National Parks Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Despite his lack of a licence and our shoe-string budget he was willing to help us with organization. He was a great help to find local guides, porters, transport, etc. without getting ripped off every single time. He was motivated only by good will, did not charge us anything and even joined us for our trips. We travelled together for more than two weeks, climbed Kilimanjaro and had a fantastic experience with him and his friends.


richard leading us to Kilimanjaro

After our departure we tried to support him building a little network to enhance his tour guiding opportunities. We setup a website where he could promote individualized tours around Arusha as we experienced it. Until today Richard is not able to guide himself but he can organize your tours using local resources offside the commercial tourist infrastructure.


http://travel2tanzania.org


We are regularly in touch with Richard and we are happy to see that his little sister is now able to go to elementary school. Richard wants her to get a higher education and to find a job with a regular income some time in the future. If you want to contribute to his project to get a legal tourist guide licence or to contribute to his sister's school fees, send a mail to outreach@veloverden.org.