Volunteer

6 myths most people believe

Myth #1

Not-for-profits are not supposed to make a profit.

Certainly, not-for-profits should be a profitable entity. The difference lies in how the profit it makes is used.

Just like other businesses, a not-for-profit should be both sustainable and viable. A not-for-profit has to spend its profit according to its mission and vision. It cannot go to the owners as a profit.

I often like to say a not-for-profit is a for-purpose business.

 

Myth #2

You can see if a Not-for-profit is good by looking at the overheads.

This myth implies that an effective and good not-for-profit only spends a small amount of its expenses on overheads.

The nature of many not-for-profits are that their projects and programmes are delivered by people. People, who often must be paid for their knowledge and expertise. Often this is by far the most costly expense for a not-for-profit. And it is the hardest expense to get funding for.

Having professional leadership, diligent planning and sound measurement of impact is the most cost-effective way to run a not-for-profit.

Myth #3

Not-for-profit vs charity vs NGO – it’s all the same.

These words are often used interchangeably although they are not entirely equal. Here’s some definitions:

Not-for-profit: These are organisation that provide services to a community and does not exist to make a profit for its members, owners, or shareholders. Non-profit is typically the American word and means exactly the same.

Charity: In Australia, a charity is an organisation that is registered the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). All charities are not-for-profits but not all not-for-profits are charities!

NGO: Non-Governmental Organisation. Sometimes NGOs are called Civil Organisations. These are organisations that operate independently of any government. Of course, they adhere to laws and regulations, but they are not led by, or created to fulfill a government policy or programme. They are typically not-for-profits – but not all not-for-profits are NGOs!

Australia for Cedar Tanzania are all three. We are a not-for-profit, a charity and an NGO.

 

Myth #4

Not-for-profits are not businesses.

Just like not-for-profits should make a profit, not-for profits are also often registered businesses.

A not-for-profit follows the same rules and regulations as normal business and has an ABN and is registered with ASIC.

As a business, they need to report to ATO and have their finances audited. They need to have opening hours and be publicly accessible.

In my opinion, successful not-for-profits are run like any other successful business.

There are a few exceptions such as associations, cooperatives, corporations, and trusts.

 

Myth #5

People working for a not-for-profit are all volunteers and they are less professional than in other businesses.

Although many not-for-profits are lucky to have dedicated and brilliant volunteers it is often necessary to employ people especially in key positions.

When a not-for-profit grows larger and is able to take on more work, it is often also time to start hiring professional staff as the workload no longer can be expected to be performed by volunteers alone.

Just like other businesses, hiring professional and skilled employees is connected to how successful your business or not-for-profit is going to be.

Of course, many not-for-profits are grateful for the time and efforts given by volunteers and couldn’t function without them.

 

Myth #6

Not-for-profits are not important for society and the economy.

Many not-for-profits provide important and fundamental services to communities both in Australia and abroad. If these services disappeared overnight, it would cost billions of dollars to the Australian economy – late interventions lead to more costly recoveries for example.

The not-for-profit sector contributed $143 billion to Australia’s GDP in 2018 (source) and employs 11% of the population (1.38 million people). That’s around the same number of people that works in retail (10.0% of people employed) more people than in construction (9.2%), professional, scientific, and technical services (8.6%) and manufacturing (7.2%) industries. Charities employ five times as many people as the mining (2%) industry. (source)


Can you combine a holiday with volunteering?

Hi, I’m Sarah! I come from London, in the UK, and I’m currently having a sabbatical, volunteering and travelling across the world. I’ve volunteered in Bangladesh, Ukraine and now Tanzania. I’ve also done some volunteering in the UK with people who are homeless and people with disabilities.

Sarah, what is your role at Cedar Tanzania?

I’m a short-term volunteer in the office, helping out with various office tasks, such as proof-reading the annual report, organising the photo database and creating spreadsheets. It might not sound very glamorous, but it’s very important! I think no organisation can run without this type of support.

What inspired you to take a position at Cedar Tanzania?

I’ve been friends with Claire Michelotti, [then] Cedar Tanzania’s Executive Director, since we were at university together, and so that’s how I found out about Cedar Tanzania and the work they do. One of the things I really like about Cedar Tanzania is how they tackle issues holistically. This is something I learnt while I was volunteering in Bangladesh; attempts to tackle just one issue on its own would often fail. For example, it’s easier to help people set up businesses if they are well-educated; literate people can read health advice; it’s no use running a campaign to encourage people to wash their hands if they don’t have access to clean water. 

How long is your volunteer placement?

Just one month, but I hope to continue after I return home to finish a few of my projects.

What things have you found surprising?

The number of girls in the village who drop out of school because of pregnancy and other reasons. I read the baseline survey about Kamanga, which was commissioned by Cedar Tanzania in 2015. In Nyamatongo Ward, 10 girls in primary school (which runs up until the age of 13) became pregnant and stayed in school, but the report stated that it is difficult to get data on the number of girls who get pregnant and drop out of school, because the families sometimes do not disclose this. The drop-out rate at primary school for girls may be as high as 40%.

What things have you enjoyed?

One of the things that I enjoyed the most was going to visit Kamanga village with Abduli, one of Cedar Tanzania’s Field Officers. In the morning, we went to the port to catch the ferry from Mwanza to Kamanga. I was clutching a take-away coffee, but buying it had made me a little late, so we had to rush to get the boat. I loved the ferry ride: the sunshine, the beautiful scenery, the light reflecting off the water, the huge birds flying overhead, the cooling breeze. It was all very different to my commute when I was living in London, which was an hour and a quarter on an underground train, which offers no views whatsoever. I put on my kanga (local cloth wrapped round the body on top of your clothes, for extra modesty) and we got off the ferry, alongside trucks and people and the occasional chicken.

Abduli and I first went to Kamanga Health Centre, and he kindly showed me round. I was very impressed with how lovely the grounds looked and the high standards to which the health centre had been built. As we were looking round, patients were coming in to take advantage of all the facilities; for example, seeing a doctor, getting medicines, having post-natal check-ups. It was great to see, since I knew that before the Kamanga Health Centre was built, local people had had difficulty accessing healthcare. I had read about it in the annual report, but to see it in person really brought home to me the importance of Cedar Tanzania’s work.

In Kamanga village, Abduli was meeting with the Community Activists, who are local people trained to run sessions on SASA!. It was inspiring to meet people who give up their time to improve their communities. One of them worked in the cluster of restaurants that’s by the ferry port, another in a little market, a third we visited at home. Then for lunch we went back to the local restaurants by the ferry port and had grilled goat meat and ugali (a local staple, a cooked cassava and corn flour dough) with lemon juice, salt and chili. It was delicious!

At the end of the day, we got the ferry back. It was a tiring and hot day, so on the way back I just sat quietly in my seat, rather than running all over the ferry exclaiming as I had done on the journey out. Even though I was sweaty and exhausted, it was my best day at Cedar because it reminded me of what we are working for.

What things have challenged you so far?

I come from a cold country, so the heat can be a bit challenging at times!

Would you recommend this volunteer scheme to others?

Absolutely! It has been an amazing experience, and Cedar Tanzania is a great organisation.

What would you say to anyone who said that they could not volunteer because they do not have a skill to offer?

Volunteering can be intensely rewarding; it is the best thing I have done with my life. So I would say, don’t let negative thoughts like that put you off! Firstly, you almost certainly have more skills than you think. For example, I was really worried when I started at Cedar Tanzania about my lack of skills. But it turned out that my ten years working in a job in the civil service had furnished me with all kinds of skills that I hadn’t previously valued, but that turned out to be unexpectedly useful. For example, my computer skills, and the fact that I have worked on a database project before. Secondly, sometimes larger organisations will provide training. And finally, things that you might not think of as skills, like the ability to listen compassionately to those in trouble, might be just what an organisation needs. So don’t delay, look for a volunteering opportunity today! I promise you won’t regret it.

Can a Tanzanian Law student volunteer?

My name is Kapwani Kavenuke, but I’m more  commonly known as Jasmine. I am 21 years old and have currently finished a Diploma in Law at St. Augustine University, Tanzania and am looking forward to commencing a bachelor’s law degree in November 2018.


What inspired you to volunteer with Cedar Tanzania?

After hearing about what Cedar Tanzania is all about from a friend, I was inspired to volunteer with them because I wanted to be a part of such a good cause. The passion that Cedar Tanzania shows towards achieving their goals in helping out the citizens of Kamanga, is absolutely inspiring and I just thought it would be nice to think about other people other than oneself for a while!


What is your role at Cedar Tanzania?

I am volunteering as an assistant project manager; this means I help out in a few projects, for example in the Clean Kamanga project. Right now I am helping out with the planning of Global Hand Washing day which will be on the 15th of October 2018.


How long is your volunteer placement?

I started volunteering with Cedar Tanzania in August 2018 and I shall be with them until the end of October 2018.


What things have you found surprising?

One of the things that really surprised me is the lack of water stations in the village of Kamanga and the fact that around 30 children suffer from diarrhea every month. To me this is a clear indication for the need to help the community in the area of WASH and safe waste management, which hopefully the development of the Clean Kamanga Project will help towards addressing these issues.


What things have you enjoyed?

I have enjoyed a lot of things whilst volunteering with Cedar Tanzania. One of my highlights is getting onto the ferry to Kamanga. If it wasn’t for Cedar Tanzania I guess I would have never got onto the ferry. It was frightening at first but absolutely fun later on. Secondly, I enjoyed my tour of Kamanga village with field officer Abduli. I have enjoyed working with the rest of the Cedar Tanzania team too, they are really friendly and welcoming and ready to help whenever I’ve needed it.


What things have challenged you so far?

I have had some challenges but they were not anything that I couldn’t handle; mostly just trying to remember certain formalities and protocols in the village or in the office was a problem in the beginning, but I soon got used to the new procedures.


Would you recommend this volunteer scheme to others?

I would strongly recommend other people to volunteer with Cedar Tanzania because in my experience I have learnt a lot of things, seen a lot of things and life is all about learning. I have become more competent in skills I already had and I have developed new skills too.


What would you say to anyone who said that they could not volunteer because they didn’t have a skill to offer?

I would say that it shouldn’t really stop anyone from volunteering because when you are a volunteer you become open to any work that might come your way therefore at the end of the process you end up having more skills than you came with. I can say that you will gain much more than you think you will give; which is a win-win for everyone I think!

Can a GP be a volunteer?

Hi everyone.

My name is Sian Ashby, and I am a GP (family doctor) from the UK. I was brought up in the beautiful Scottish borders, studied Medicine at Glasgow University and then completed my GP training in London. I had always wanted to work abroad as a doctor, so after finishing my GP training I chose to study the Diploma of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool, and it was here that I first heard about Cedar Tanzania.


What inspired you to volunteer with Cedar Tanzania? 

I was struck by Cedar Tanzania’s holistic approach to care. On looking at their website, I could see that they understood the importance of health and well-being in a broad sense, rather than being entirely disease-focussed. Cedar Tanzania approaches community well-being from many angles - health, education, female empowerment and entrepreneurship - and understands that tackling all of these factors is crucial if the community is to flourish.

From my research it seemed that Kamanga Health Centre, the health centre jointly run by Cedar Tanzania and the government, was a good fit for a GP, as there were many parallels in the types of patients seen. Of course, I knew that there would also be tropical illnesses which I had never encountered, and I hoped that I might increase my knowledge of tropical medicine by working in Tanzania.

On contacting Cedar Tanzania, I found the staff to be welcoming and accommodating. They were keen and enthusiastic about my voluntary placement and this naturally increased my own excitement!


How long is your volunteer placement?  

6 months provisionally.


What is your role at Cedar Tanzania?

My official title is ‘Volunteer Health Centre Advisor’. It’s a fairly flexible role, but for the most part I am working alongside the Quality Assurance Officer at Kamanga Health Centre, putting policies in place to improve the quality of care. I also work alongside the Tanzanian clinical staff, exchanging knowledge and skills, and I give regular teaching sessions. I hope that as my Swahili improves I will be able to practice medicine independently at the health centre.


Can you mention highlights of some of the activities that you have been involved in whilst you have worked for Cedar?

We have recently set up a teaching program here at Kamanga Health Centre and one of my personal highlights was the neonatal resuscitation training which I ran. We used dolls to role-play and simulate neonatal resuscitation, which was both fun and educational. At the health centre we deliver on average one baby a day (and the numbers are increasing) so it is vitally important that the staff are well trained on how to react if a newborn baby does not breath spontaneously.

Another highlight was the World Aids Day Fair organised by Cedar Tanzania. At the fair there were stalls offering HIV counselling and testing, free condoms, and information about the health centre and Cedar Tanzania projects. There was dancing, drama, and even a ‘catch-the-chicken’ game. But most importantly over 500 people were tested for HIV in a safe and non-judgemental environment.


What things have challenged you so far?

One of the main challenges has been the language barrier. I am currently learning Swahili but it is a slow process... I find it incredibly frustrating not being able to understand the patients, particularly if they are distressed and in need of assistance. I am constantly running around trying to find someone to translate which gets quite exhausting!

The health centre staff do speak English but many are not fluent, so we too have trouble communicating. Getting to the root of an issue is much more difficult when you do not speak the same language! If you are considering coming out to Tanzania, I would advise you to start learning Swahili as early as possible!

The other main challenge which I have noticed is the difference in healthcare economics. Coming from the UK, I am used to the National Health Service (NHS) which provides free healthcare for all UK citizens. Treatment is entirely based on need and not on personal finances. However, here in Tanzania there is a division – those who are exempt and those that have to pay for healthcare. The exempt group includes pregnant women, children under five years old, people over the age of 60 who cannot support themselves and people with chronic diseases like HIV and TB.

Although treatment at Kamanga Health Centre is relatively cheap (government prices), for those not in the exempt group, we still have to make management decisions based partly on the patient’s finances, which is something I find difficult. Sometimes patients cannot follow your advice because they simply cannot afford to. For example, we recently saw a patient with a large abdominal mass who required onward referral to a specialist hospital. However she could not afford to attend the hospital and pay the fee for the necessary imaging and surgery. Instead she returned a week later, the mass having increased in size and the pain having subsequently worsened. This is truly heartbreaking to see, and makes me really value the NHS.


What things have you found enjoyable or surprising about Tanzanian culture either socially or at work?

The Tanzanian people are incredibly welcoming. The health centre staff have been wonderfully accommodating and friendly towards me since my arrival and I have really enjoyed working here thus far.

Socially I love the culture of dancing.  In general Tanzanians seem to have a fantastic sense of rhythm and tend to be incredible dancers! The staff at the health centre have been trying to teach me (without much luck).

Through my work I have noticed that Tanzanian families are much more close-knit than at home. Grandparents usually live together in the house with the parents and children, and they help to care for each other. I think that this is something which has sadly been lost in the UK. I certainly noticed as a GP in London that I visited many elderly people whose children lived thousands of miles away and who were thus unable to care for them. I noticed a huge burden of loneliness, particularly amongst the elderly, but also amongst young people living and working in London - a city with so many people! Perhaps we need to regain the closeness of families and communities in order to reduce the escalating rates of loneliness, anxiety and depression in the UK.

To counter this, I have noticed that here in Tanzania there is very little, if anything, in the way of social support for those without the means to look after themselves. So if, as an elderly or disabled person, you do not have a supportive family then there is no support network to help you survive. We have encountered some difficult cases of disabled patients who have been mistreated or neglected, and this is very challenging work. This is why the work of the Outreach Team (the community-based rehabilitation project  run by Cedar Tanzania) is so important in providing support for those with disabilities.


What would you say to anyone who said that they could not volunteer because they didn't have a skill to offer?

Most people have something to offer. Speak to the Cedar Tanzania team and find out what skills they are looking for! It’s a really rewarding and fun place to work!

If Sian’s experience has whet your appetite to volunteer for Cedar Tanzania then begin the journey with this first step

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Can a teacher be a volunteer?

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Teachers, in government school, rely on the government to pay their salaries. When there is a teacher shortage at a school, they have to wait for the local authority to allocate them the relevant teacher; if or when governmental funds become available. “Volunteer teachers” are a common feature in schools. These are teachers whose salaries are paid by the monetary contributions of parents from the school community. Often this is the only way that teachers can be secured for such specialty subjects such as the sciences and mathematics. This is why Dylan Parkin’s volunteering at the Nyamatongo Secondary Schools, for free, means so much - because for the first time this year [2020], the secondary students are being taught biology on a regular basis. Dylan’s interactive approach contrasts starkly with the lecture style of teaching and rote learning that is prevalent in most of the other classrooms. Cedar Tanzania is proud to partner with Nyamatongo Secondary School in this way. Here Dylan tells us more about his experience of teaching in a Tanzanian school.

What motivated you to get involved at the local school?

As background information, I was previously teaching biology at a government secondary school in Tanzania for two years.  Upon arriving in Kamanga and visiting Nyamatongo Secondary School, it became obvious to me that volunteering some of my time at the school would be beneficial for all parties involved. First and foremost, the school is understaffed, without me volunteering it would be very likely that the first year students would not be taught biology. Secondly, by me spending time at the school I can help to build up relations between Cedar Tanzania and the local education system. It is my hope to identify a few dedicated educators, and start up some type of collaboration with them to improve the quality of education being offered at Nyamatongo Secondary School. By working along side the teachers, I also believe they may see the techniques I use in the classroom, ask me questions, startup dialogs, and possibly implement new methods of teaching into their own lesson plans. Lastly, I have really missed being in the classroom. I am very happy to be back teaching at a school. So really my motivation was threefold, for the school/students, for Cedar Tanzania, and for myself.

What are the challenges of teaching in a local school?

Whether it be a Westerner or a Tanzanian, the first thing everyone thinks or asks about is the language, and yes, the language barrier does create a challenge. Even though I am fluent in Swahili, there are times when it is difficult to find a good translation (especially in biology class). Also, many people don’t realise, but the medium of communication in secondary school in Tanzania is English. This creates a totally different challenge, when do I use Swahili and when do I refrain from using it. The students need to learn English, but if I only use English they will not understand and if I translate into Swahili, the translation might be the only thing students are capable of remembering two weeks later. I have to talk slow, be wise in my word choice, and make sure when new words are introduced all students understand. Outside of language, the biggest challenge is defiantly the class size. My classes currently range between 50-60 students. As with any class, all of the students have different abilities, personalities, and learning styles. This makes it very difficult to keep everyone focused and learning throughout the entire 80-minute double period.

What do you enjoy most about teaching there?

As cliché as it may sound I really enjoy teaching and seeing people learn. Whether I am teaching a student directly or working with a fellow teacher to help them better their craft, I love to see it when that light-bulb goes off in someone’s head, and they do not just know what has been taught to them, but they understand it. For me personally, I love biology and it is very simple, but I know that is only because I had a very good teacher in high school. The challenge of trying to figure out how to teach the students so they can see and understand the simplicity of biology is the other thing I enjoy the most. Biology was not meant to be learnt as facts being presented in a classroom. It was meant to be seen and understood through many simple observations in our daily lives. Trying to put together a lesson plan which will best help the students to understand a topic is very similar to putting together a puzzle.

What is Cedar Tanzania’s future plans in regards to their collaboration with the school?

This question is very difficult to answer at this point in time as I have only been volunteering at the school for a month now. As with any community development work, it is crucial you find the point when your interests and skills intersect with the community’s interests and needs. This is exactly how I became involved with the school in the first place. They had an interest and a need of getting more biology teachers, and I was both trained and interested in teaching biology at the secondary school. As of now it is too soon to know exactly how Cedar Tanzania will collaborate with the school in the future, because many of these variables are still unknown. Currently there are ideas of what could happen in the future. For example, there is already a dormitory under construction at the school, when completed it could reduce some students’ travel time to and from school by as much as 4 hours. Or maybe teachers would like to receive some refresher training on modern teaching techniques with an emphasis on English being taught as a second language within other subject lessons. Again, this will all depend on what the school and its staff need and are interested in pursuing. There are still more discussions that are needed to be had before Cedar Tanzania will know the best way forward in their collaboration with the Nyamatongo Secondary School. 



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Can a nurse be a volunteer?

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Hello Everyone!

My name is Lucia Melloni, I’m 26 years old and I’m originally from Italy. I studied nursing in Italy and after graduation, I moved to England to work. I have been living and working in the UK for four years now.  


How long was your volunteer placement?

I worked at Kamanga health Centre for nearly 3 months. From mid-January 2020 till the end of March 2020.


What was your volunteer role at Cedar Tanzania?

I was the first volunteer nurse at Kamanga Health Centre, before me only doctors had volunteered for Cedar Tanzania. During my time at Kamanga Health Centre, I mostly worked side by side with the nurses in the health centre helping improve their everyday practice. 

Please mention a couple of highlights of some of the activities that you were involved in whilst you worked for Cedar?

For three months, I have been working with the staff at Kamanga Health Centre and everyday was a highlight in my opinion.  What I most liked though, was that everyone in Kamanga was grateful for my efforts and time spent to help improving the running of the health centre. 

What things did you find challenging either in your work or living cross culturally?

Work and living within another culture can be challenging in many ways. What I found the most challenging was the language barrier. Working in healthcare and being able to communicate with your patient is essential. Not being able to communicate properly with my patients and particularly with the little ones was very frustrating.

What things have you found enjoyable or surprising about Tanzanian culture either socially or at work?

What I like the most of Tanzanian culture is the community living. Since the very first day I was in Tanzania, I felt welcomed. Same thing at the health centre, since the very beginning I have been welcomed as part of their family. I really felt home in Tanzania. 

What would you say to anyone considering a medical volunteer post with Cedar Tanzania?

I think it is a very good experience and a good starting point if you are interested in humanitarian medicine. It is also a chance for professional and personal growth.

How did the corona virus outbreak affect your time at Kamanga Health Centre?

The corona virus outbreak did not affect me that much to be honest because I was meant to come back home anyway. Two of my flights to come back to the UK were cancelled, but I managed to come back home in the end!


Find out more about volunteering with Australia for Cedar Tanzania here

Three Months of Caring in Numbers

In January, Kamanga Health Centre celebrated its second birthday and we are proud to say that we continue to provide quality medical service to the people of Nyamatongo Ward. To give you an idea of the scope of work of Kamanga Health Centre here are some numbers and insights:

  • On average, Kamanga Health Centre sees more than 1,200 patients each month. The most common diseases are pneumonia, upper respiratory diseases, urinary tract infection and diarrhea. The majority of patients is treated in the Outpatient Department while around 200 are admitted monthly. 

  • Almost every day a baby is born at Kamanga Health Centre! On top of that, between 50-100 pregnant women attend the antenatal clinic for check-ups each month. Additionally, Kamanga Health Centre offers family planning services. 

  • When Kamanga Health Centre is really crowded, we know it’s vaccination day! One of the most popular services Kamanga Health Centre offers is the vaccination clinic for children. More than 200 children get vaccinated each month against tuberculosis, polio, PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine), rotavirus, measles-rubella, and pentavalent vaccine, a combination vaccine which includes: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b

  • In Q1 2020, more than 400 people made use of the free HIV testing service offered at Kamanga Health Centre. Moreover, between 200 and 250 patients per quarter come to us for regular HIV counselling and treatment. This is a vital service as it provides care to HIV-positive community members and the life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs are administered. 

  • To ensure quality health care services and to promote learning on the job, medical staff who have special knowledge and skills in certain areas teach their colleagues in weekly sessions. These are some examples of the topics that have already been covered: critical First Aid care, identification of hydrocephalus in a new-born and, of course, symptoms of and protection against COVID-19.

  • Since the beginning, Kamanga Health Centre works with a group of dedicated Community Health Workers who provide information and knowledge via a community outreach programme. They raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, provide information on the prevention of different diseases and regularly check-up on expecting mothers. In Q1 of 2020, almost 600 households were visited!

  • We have an ongoing stream of dedicated western trained medical staff who volunteer at Kamanga Health Centre and support our local team. In Q1 2020, we had our first nurse volunteer.  

We are proud to be able to provide such extensive services to a community in which these services were non-existent a little over two years ago. With your support, we hope to be able to expand our set of services continuously which would allow to serve even more people.

If you want to know more about Kamanga Health Centre or have specific questions, please contact us here You can also find out more about our volunteer options here

By Vivian Nordquist
Director of Projects
Cedar Tanzania


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Being the New Biology Teacher

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Dylan Parkin, Peace Corp Volunteer, carrying a child in Tanzania

Teachers, in government school, rely on the government to pay their salaries. When there is a teacher shortage at a school, they have to wait for the local authority to allocate them the relevant teacher; if or when governmental funds become available. “Volunteer teachers” are a common feature in schools. These are teachers whose salaries are paid by the monetary contributions of parents from the school community. Often this is the only way that teachers can be secured for such specialty subjects such as the sciences and mathematics. This is why Dylan Parkin’s volunteering at the Nyamatongo Secondary Schools, for free, means so much- because for the first time this year the secondary students are being taught biology on a regular basis and because his interactive approach contrasts starkly with the lecture style of teaching and rote learning that is prevalent in most of the other classrooms. Cedar Tanzania is proud to partner with Nyamatongo Secondary School in this way. Here Dylan tells us more about his experience of teaching in a Tanzanian school.

What motivated you to get involved at the local school?

As background information, I was previously teaching biology at a government secondary school in Tanzania for two years. Upon arriving in Kamanga and visiting Nyamatongo Secondary School, it became obvious to me that volunteering some of my time at the school would be beneficial for all parties involved. First and foremost, the school is understaffed, and without me volunteering it would be very likely that the first year students would not be taught biology. Secondly, by me spending time at the school I can help to build up relations between Cedar Tanzania and the local education system. It is my hope to identify a few dedicated educators, and start up a collaboration with them to improve the quality of education being offered at Nyamatongo Secondary School. By working along side the teachers, I also believe they may see the techniques I use in the classroom, ask me questions, startup dialogs, and possibly implement new methods of teaching into their own lesson plans. Lastly, I have really missed being in the classroom. I am very happy to be back teaching at a school. So really, my motivation was threefold, for the school/students, for Cedar Tanzania, and for myself.

What are the challenges of teaching in a local school?

Whether it be a Westerner or a Tanzanian, the first thing everyone thinks or asks about is the language, and yes the language barrier does create a challenge. Even though I am fluent in Swahili, there are times when it is difficult to find a good translation (especially in biology class). Also, many people don’t realize, but the medium of communication in secondary school in Tanzania is English. This creates a totally different challenge, when do I use Swahili and when do I refrain from using it. The students need to learn English, but if I only use English they will not understand and if I translate into Swahili, the translation might be the only thing students are capable of remembering two weeks later. I have to talk slow, be wise in my word choice, and make sure when new words are introduced all students understand. Outside of language, the biggest challenge is definitely the class size. My classes currently range between 50-60 students. As with any class, all of the students have different abilities, personalities, and learning styles. This makes it very difficult to keep everyone focused and learning throughout the entire 80-minute double period.

What do you enjoy most about teaching there?

As cliché as it may sound I really enjoy teaching and seeing people learn. Whether I am teaching a student directly or working with a fellow teacher to help them better their craft, I love to see it when that light-bulb goes off in someone’s head, and they do not just know what has been taught to them, but they understand it. For me personally, I love biology and it is very simple, but I know that is only because I had a very good teacher in high school. The challenge of trying to figure out how to teach the students so they can see and understand the simplicity of biology is the other thing I enjoy the most. Biology was not meant to be learnt as facts being presented in a classroom. It was meant to be seen and understood through many simple observations in our daily lives. Trying to put together a lesson plan which will best help the students to understand a topic is very similar to putting together a puzzle.

Empty classroom in school in Tanzania

What is Cedar Tanzania’s future plans in regards to their collaboration with the school?

This question is very difficult to answer at this point in time as I have only been volunteering at the school for a month now. As with any community development work, it is crucial you find the point when your interests and skills intersect with the community’s interests and needs. This is exactly how I became involved with the school in the first place. They had an interest and a need of getting more biology teachers, and I was both trained and interested in teaching biology at the secondary school. As of now it is too soon to know exactly how Cedar Tanzania will collaborate with the school in the future, because many of these variables are still unknown. Currently there are ideas of what could happen in the future. For example, there is already a dormitory under construction at the school, when completed it could reduce some students’ travel time to and from school by as much as 4 hours. Or maybe teachers would like to receive some refresher training on modern teaching techniques with an emphasis on English being taught as a second language within other subject lessons. Again, this will all depend on what the school and its staff need and are interested in pursuing. There are still more discussions that are needed to be had before Cedar Tanzania will know the best way forward in their collaboration with the Nyamatongo Secondary School. 

by Dylan Parkin, Cedar Tanzania.

Who cares, wins!

Katherine Anne Lee, Chris Eskdale and the rest of Swiss group visiting is being greeted by many happy villagers

Katherine Anne Lee, Chris Eskdale and the rest of Swiss group visiting is being greeted by many happy villagers

It’s still dark as the on-the-ground Cedar Tanzania team picks us up from our hotel in Mwanza. It’s been a short night after flying in from Switzerland, but we have been told that it’s worth catching the first ferry from Mwanza to Kamanga. While driving through the empty streets, I try to study the area to get a first impression of where we are. Now and then we pass someone on foot or a motorbike, loaded to the brim with goods or water. Life starts early in the morning in Tanzania. Moments later, I’m whisked into the organised chaos of the port. It’s fascinating, and at the same time epic, and I cannot imagine how anything works at all here. Large buses, puffing black smoke, push their way onto the old ferry. Women with small children tied to their backs, men with ready-to-sell food supplies and we five Swissies wriggle our way through the little space left on the boat for those on foot. The sun slowly rises as the ferry manoeuvres out of the harbour. 

We visitors from Switzerland are not alone on the ferry - the Cedar Tanzania team is with us. Together with the Cedar Tanzania team, we are the only Caucasians on the boat, and you can spot from far who has done this before. Standing there open-mouthed, clinging onto my cotton bag and camera, I’m fascinated, and at the same time worried that the ferry could sink. The chaos that could break out between the black-smoke-puffing buses is unimaginable. It truly is a different world. Feeling a little lost and overwhelmed, I find it best to stick to the group and do whatever they do.  

Vivian, Claire, Adam and Dylan from the Cedar Tanzania team are sitting on the back of Mark’s pickup. It seems like a good spot, a little higher up, with some space of my own. We sit together there in the morning and evening, peeling oranges and talking about life, how the team is experiencing Tanzania, their work and what really matters. While sticky orange juice runs down my arm, I can metaphorically see their adventure in front of me and, for a short while, be part of the journey. They are totally dedicated to their work and the journey they are on. They are full of life, and what they are doing is inspirational. I cannot help but wish that I could one day do the same. I look forward to repeating the ferry procedure with them the next day, and to hear more of their tales.  

Arriving at the Kamanga Health Centre, we are given a tour of this tranquil place. They have made a great job of building the medical centre. After passing the gates, you enter a true oasis of peace and care. In a country that is not necessarily familiar with western medicine – in many areas, they work with traditional medicine, and we have to be aware that our way of living isn’t necessarily theirs – this is definitely a good basis on which to build trust. During the tour, we do see that there is definitely more we can do. In my last story about Emanuel’s walk, I talked about Lake Victoria and how the lake’s water is poisoning its surroundings. Kamanga Health Centre is on the lake, and depends on its water. Although water-purifying systems are doing their job, more is needed, and projects to filter the water in ponds are in progress. What amazes me is that the fish of Lake Victoria are moving with the water. The natural cleaning system seems to be a good spot for the fish, and this could maybe become an attractive side-line for the centre one day. Another problem we are made aware of is power. The hospital regularly experiences power-outages. Emergency generators can fill the gap, but this solution isn’t compatible with the aims of low costs and sustainability. Ideally, the centre should be powered by solar energy. I think this is a great project idea, and I truly hope it can be started sooner rather than later.  

At Kamanga Health Centre, we get to know Sian and Colinda. They are very talented doctors from the UK and the Netherlands, and I don’t know what the centre would do without them. Our group is allowed to join their training session for local medical staff. I have never done anything like this before, and try my best to keep up with the medical terminology. I actually catch myself wishing I could stick around a little longer and support them in their everyday tasks. It’s really fun to learn and be part of the group. They do an amazing job with their teaching, making Cedar Tanzania’s efforts more lasting, with a sustainable outlook. Day by day, the local medical staff can take over more and more of the centre’s tasks.  

What impresses me most is how devoted and happy the Cedar Tanzania team is. It’s such a great atmosphere and they all give the impression that they have found profound happiness in what they do. I’ve heard the term “who cares, wins” in a financial business context, but I feel this is also true in the case of the Cedar Tanzania team. If you ever get the chance to visit them, I can only motivate you to do so! My big thank-you goes out to the Cedar Tanzania team. Thank you so much for having me, for showing me your world, for inspiring me. You all do a great job! My third story is about you, because you are on my mind, and you did change my view for the better.  

As much as I admire the passion, fearlessness and work of the volunteers on the ground, those back home also help immensely and show passion for good work. I can remember a speech by his holiness the Dalai Lama. He was talking about volunteering to help others. A guest told the Dalai Lama how it makes him feel bad to not be on the ground, helping those in need. He wanted to know if the Dalai Lama would suggest that he should give everything up and travel to a country in need of support. I feel this is a question that bothers many of us. The Dalai Lama reassured his guest by telling him that it would never work out if we were all to give up what we are doing and head out as volunteers. Two kinds of people are necessary in order to keep a healthy system running: those who provide the support on the ground and those who stay home and keep our world working. What is important is that we all do our best, be thoughtful and care, because, ‘who cares, wins’!

By Kathrine Anne Lee
Katherine Anne Lee is a published author with her first novel "From Dust to Dust and a Lifetime in Between"receiving public acclaim.

Chris Tucker - A Virtual Volunteer

Cedar Team - Thank You Chris Tucker.jpg

My name is Chris Tucker and I’m a 29 year old, based in the South East of England. I currently live in a small town called Maidstone, which is about an hour drive from London. I work for the National Health Service in a Creative and Digital role, working on websites and apps based around helping the public find the effective solution to help improve their own health or those they are caring for.

I had started using an online skill match-up platform called Pimp My Cause and in February 2016 I responded to a request for design support from Cedar Tanzania. I was keen to get involved in some new design projects and the prospect of supporting an organisation providing such value to the people it was working with was really appealing.

Since then I have worked on various projects for Cedar Tanzania including logo design, flyers and signage. A significant collaboration came with the production of a number of design materials for the Kamanga Health Centre, which was a really exciting task to be involved with.

I take great joy in the idea that the projects I’ve been involved with can be of benefit to Cedar Tanzania, thousands of miles away - this makes the world feel a little smaller in my head! It can be hard to quantify the impact of design and branding so if at the very least by giving my time I’ve helped to make some of the staff’s lives a bit easier that’s only a good thing!

I would recommend someone who was considering volunteering remotely for Cedar Tanzania to go ahead and do so. The team are a pleasure to work with and clear when proposing ideas, which is always useful when working remotely. From my own perspective, I’ve been able to challenge myself and develop my skills as part of the process so it’s great that both sides can benefit from the collaboration.

By Chris Tucker
Virtual Volunteer
Maidstone, England

The Cedar Tanzania team saying thank you to their virtual graphic designer volunteer Chris!

Update from Kamanga Health Centre

Over the last few months we’ve seen many changes and developments at Kamanga Health Centre - here are a few of the most important updates:

INCREASING PATIENT NUMBERS

There has been a significant increase in the number of patients attending Kamanga Health Centre over the past few months! In February we had a total of 932 outpatient department attendances and 107 admissions, a huge increase on the numbers from last year. The most common conditions treated at Kamanga Health Centre were pneumonia, gastroenteritis and typhoid.

The Reproductive and Child Health department has also seen an increase in patient numbers, particularly at the bustling under 5’s clinic. Here the children are weighed, vaccinated, and given essential medicines like mebedazole, which kills intestinal worms, and vitamin A to prevent eye diseases.  Whilst the mothers are waiting we provide them with education on topics such as nutrition, breastfeeding, and vaccinations.  In February alone we saw 519 children at the under 5’s clinic. It’s wonderful to see so many children receiving crucial vaccinations to keep them safe, even if they do make quite a racket!

THE NEW WARD

We realised back in November that we needed extra space to accommodate the increasing numbers of admitted patients. We only had 4 beds (2 postnatal beds and 2 medical beds) and we were often over-capacity, leading to inappropriate rooms being occupied such as the clinic rooms.  After an emergency meeting of the Cedar Tanzania team we made a plan and the maintenance team got to work on converting one of the waiting rooms into a new ward.  This provided an extra 4 beds - doubling our capacity! The imaginatively named ‘New Ward’ was finished back in January and has been more or less full ever since! (I’m trying not to imagine the chaos that will ensue if we build another ward - ‘New new ward’?!)

NEW STAFF

To cope with the increasing patient demand, we have employed 12 new volunteer staff members. They have settled into the team wonderfully and, alongside the other staff, are working hard to cope with increasing patient numbers. Since we have started admitting patients all of the staff have had to adapt to working in the inpatient setting- this has involved many new procedures and protocols which ensure patients are closely monitored and receive the necessary medication during their stay. This has required a huge amount of work over the last few months, but we have managed to create a system which is working smoothly!

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

Kamanga Health Centre celebrated its 1 year anniversary on the 18th of January! To celebrate the big day, all the staff gathered for a post-work feast. Awards for the best staff of 2018 were given to Neema , our clinical officer, and Mussa, head of maintenance – both very well deserved! A fun evening was had – eating, drinking, and celebrating our achievements over the last year. Excited to see what year 2 has in store.

By Dr. Sian Ashby
Medical Volunteer
Kamanga Health Centre in Tanzania

Mambo!* Adam from the UK here!

For a long while, I had been thinking about escaping London and doing some voluntary work abroad. Having reached and exceeded the ripe old age of 30, I figured now was a good-a-time as any to do so. I have absolutely zero regrets regarding the decision I made – I have really enjoyed myself out here! Prior to joining Cedar Tanzania, I worked as a consultant for a FinTech company in London, and, prior to that, I spent 8 years in glorious Bristol, studying a MSci and PhD in chemistry.

Adam Nunn - Volunteer at Cedar Tanzania Head Office in Mwanza, Tanzania

Adam Nunn - Volunteer at Cedar Tanzania Head Office in Mwanza, Tanzania

What inspired you to volunteer with Cedar Tanzania?  

An up-to-date website is a rare thing for NGOs in these parts. It was great to get a real-time feel for the amazing and inspirational work that Cedar Tanzania are doing here in Mwanza and in the Nyamatongo Ward. I had a chance to speak to Claire Michelotti, the Executive Director, who was a delight and very reassuring with regards to what I might be able to contribute to the team. The diversity of projects being run here was immediately appealing, as well as the clear vision that Cedar Tanzania sets out, which I also don't find with many other NGOs that I researched. In addition to that, I was quite keen to skip a cold, bleak, grey British winter for once.

How long is your volunteer placement?

Three and a half months.

What is your role at Cedar Tanzania? 

I'm helping transition the Cedar Tanzania Accounting Team from MS Excel to an off-the-shelf accounting software system, which will provide significant improvements to their accounting abilities as well as efficiency savings for accounting team and the NGO. I've also been involved in writing an application to a section of the Tanzanian Government and teaching some of the staff at the Kamanga Health Centre how to cook chilli con carne (which isn't strictly speaking in my job description, but it's been fun).

Can you mention highlights of some of the activities that you have been involved in whilst you have worked for Cedar?

Well, all of my colleagues are great, which is always a good start. It was immediately evident when I started working here that everyone is really passionate about their work and about delivering upon Cedar Tanzania's vision. I've been given a lot of autonomy over what I do, but with plenty of support when I've needed it. Accounting isn't a particularly glamorous job, but it's been really rewarding supporting an NGO and knowing that my small contribution helps the NGO operate more efficiently and continue to deliver their outstanding work within the Nyamatongo community.

What things have challenged you so far?

Navigating in the dark around the potholes in the pavements here. And not succumbing to the temptation of eating ‘chips mayai’* every day.

What things have you found enjoyable or surprising about Tanzanian culture either socially or at work?

I love the Tanzanian attitude to life. It's much more relaxed and friendlier than what I've experienced in the majority of Western Europe. Almost everyone here is keen to chat and seem to enjoy my very broken and limited attempts at speaking Kiswahili. No one seemed to enjoy that on the London Underground. Also, the food you find at the little hawkers dotted along the roads or in the villages is delicious, and almost everyone here is a great dancer. I'm not a great dancer, if you were wondering. But I've picked up some moves that I execute poorly.

What would you say to anyone who said that they could not volunteer because they didn't have a skill to offer?

If you are already interested in volunteering abroad, if you already have that desire to take yourself out of your comfort zone and do something different, if you want to immerse yourself in a totally different culture and give your time and energy to help others who live a very different and likely less fortunate lifestyle than yourself, then you already have what it takes to volunteer at Cedar Tanzania. There is no shortage of work to be done, no shortage of inspirational projects to get involved in, and I don't doubt that you'd have a great time volunteering here. I certainly have.

*Mambo - kiSwahili for ‘What’s up’, popular greeting amongst friends.

*Chips mayai – a Tanzanian dish of fried chips in an omelette.

By Adam Nunns
Volunteer - Admin and Office
Self-professed Chilli-Con-Carne Chef
Cedar Tanzania