A Lasting Impact

I’ve been known to do things a little bit differently from the rest, and my choice of traveling has been no different. I spent my past spring semester studying abroad in Uganda, and two years before that I took a gap year and traveled to Tanzania.  Looking back on my travel experiences I can confidently say that living in a developing country has its challenges- its ups and downs, but I have never been so greatly impacted by such incredible people.

My first trip to Africa was in 2013; I spent three months as a volunteer at a school in Arusha, Tanzania.  As a 19-year-old girl taking a gap year, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  How many elementary school students went to school?  Could they speak English?  What do their schools look like? These were the questions that plagued my mind in the days leading up to my departure.

I’ll never forget landing in Arusha.  It was 1AM, pitch black, and I was in a new country, a new continent, Africa.  Two days later I was riding on a taxi-bus, a traditional 8-seater van, filled with 20 people.  After 40 minutes of dirt and sweat I got off the taxi, in the jungle.   The director of the school, John, met me at the taxi stage, and we walked to his school together.  We stopped in front of a small building- four walls, dirt floor, and a partially finished roof.  I walked through the door and saw 4 rooms, three were classrooms, and one was a room for the head teacher.

Each classroom had 4 long desks and 4 long benches; this was where the children sat together in their matching green uniforms to take notes off the chalkboard.  These young children had very few possessions. Their uniforms were tattered, they shared pencils, and they were constantly running out of pages in their notebooks.  But amid all the obstacles that they were faced with, these children had a drive and a passion to learn.  Each student was always eagerly waiting to be called on by the teacher, each child wanted to be the next one to read off the board.   These children were genuinely curious; the questions that they used to ask me were endless, like all children, they were always looking for more.

Sadly, many of these children are forced to end their schooling.  School fees are too expensive, and families can no longer afford to send their children off with needed school supplies.   There has been nothing more devastating than hearing a child tell me how much they love school, but that they can no longer attend.

The children in Wayanad, India face similar challenges to the children in Arusha.  Profugo’s Student Sponsorship Program works to ease the financial burden of sending children to school.  It provides the chance to change the course of a child’s future.  These children have opportunities to continue school and learn.  They will provide better lives for their families, and for their future children. We have already raised enough money to provide yearlong school supplies to 110 students, 110 students who can now continue to explore and learn about the world around them.

A small donation goes a long way and impacts these families in more ways that we can fathom. Please consider making a donation to our Student Sponsorship Program Campaign today!