EXPANDING HORIZONS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Expanding Horizons was established to assist Project Zawadi in meeting its goals in 3 program areas: Model Schools, Student Sponsorship and Tenda Teachers. The following describes Expanding Horizons’ accomplishments and contributions in these program areas.
MODEL SCHOOLS
Project Zawadi works in Nyamuswa, a remote area bordered by Victoria Falls and the Serengeti plains in northern Tanzania. It’s surrounded by approximately 30 smaller villages in which the vast majority of Project Zawadi’s students live.
When Project Zawadi chose 4 Model Schools in 2019, a community-based task force was formed at each school to evaluate needs and priorities. Based on those needs, a 5 year strategic plan was developed for each school to address school infrastructure, staff development and teaching materials, academic counseling, model farms, family support, enrichment activities and girls’ empowerment.
Expanding Horizons has achieved great success in helping the schools meet their goals.
2018
Construction of the Charlotte Elizabeth Fortran classroom
was completed at Kurusanga Primary School and introduced to
villagers at a Grand Opening and ribbon cutting by the area’s
Ward Chief.
2019
Expanding Horizons was involved in the initial stages of development of the Kurusanga Model Farm. The purchase of cover crop (to help manage water, weeds, pests, soil erosion and soil quality), seeds and fertilizer were funded by Expanding Horizons. In cooperation with the African Inland Church of Tanzania, agriculture and gardening clubs were formed at the four Model Schools to offer students opportunities to learn hands-on about land use, crop selection and rotation, soil and water management and the incorporation of trees and livestock into farming. Long range goals of the clubs and farms are to:
1) grow enough food to feed students and staff and their family members
2) offer agricultural education to area farmers to increase food security in surrounding villages
3) produce income to support the schools by selling agricultural products to area residents
2020
Expanding Horizons had raised enough money to fund the construction of a second classroom when they were contacted by Project Zawadi staff with a special request. They reported that a classroom had collapsed and killed 2 students and injured others. Their request was to re-direct the new classroom funds to renovation of several existing classrooms. For the safety of all concerned, Expanding Horizons agreed to upgrade classrooms before new construction took place. Over $15,000 was spent on the extensive renovation of classrooms including floors, walls, windows, painting, lintel beams, ceiling boards and roofs. Additional funds covered the cost of desk construction provided by apprentices in the sponsorship program.
2021
A former sponsored student has returned to Project Zawadi to manage clubs at each of the Model Schools. Clubs have been formed as extracurricular programs in the areas of Arts and Crafts, English, Water/Sanitation, Agriculture/Gardening, Sports/Games and Health. These clubs are supplemental to classroom learning and promote gender equity. Expanding Horizons sponsored all the clubs at Kurusanga School.
2022
The Model Farms and Student Feeding programs are well under way. Being near the equator, Tanzanians get two growing seasons per year. Kurusanga Primary School had 2 good growing seasons in 2022. In the first season, Martha, Project Zawadi's Model Farm Coordinator, helped Kurusanga students to plant corn, beans, sunflowers and orange flesh sweet potatoes (boost immunity to disease). The sunflowers made cooking oil and the students enjoyed eating the corn, beans and potatoes. It was one of the rare times when the students were able to eat at school. In the most recent season, students were helped to plant corn, beans and bambara groundnuts.
2023
The number one priority at Kurusanga in 2023 was completion of the water project that was initially started due to the need for hand washing to help prevent the spread of Covid 19. At that time, Kurusanga had only gutters and one collection tank for water. Now, Project Zawadi is working towards the goal of providing permanent water sources to all 4 Model Schools and their surrounding communities, thus providing clean, reliable water to more than 10,000 people. In fact, the expectation is that they will have more water than they’ll need! And, because the systems will be solar-powered, the operating costs will be extremely low. The systems will work year-round and be self-sustaining. To fund the water systems, Project Zawadi hosted a Community Vision: Access to Clean Water fundraising campaign. Expanding Horizons offered the final $10,000 needed to complete the project at Kurusanga.
The water system has multiple purposes: sanitation, cooking and use in the school’s Model Farm program to increase the amount of food grown to feed students. Crops provided a nice harvest in January 2023. The “Conservation Agriculture” technique is being used to increase soil fertility each year, thus increasing yields annually to the point that enough food is being grown to feed all the students every day of the school year. Rhonda and Melissa, sister-in-law Julie-Ann and Brother Randy witnessed the tangible impact of the water system during their June 2024 visit to the school. They walked through crops surrounding them on all 4 sides, learned about the irrigation techniques being used and saw the solar system in use.
2024
The addition of another new classroom at Kurusanga Primary School is a testament to Expanding Horizon's commitment to making an impact on educational infrastructure in Nyamuswa and to providing a quality learning experience. Each additional classroom reduces the student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for more personalized attention for each student. Ultimately, the expansion of educational facilities is a testament to a community's commitment to providing an effective learning atmosphere for its youth. In June 2024, Rhonda and Melissa Barona, Julie-Ann Fortran (Rhonda's sister-in-law) and Randy Fortran (Rhonda's brother) travelled to Tanzania for the Grand Opening of the classroom. Named the "Rod and Julie-Ann Fortran Classroom", it stands as a testament to their generous contributions towards education in the village. The presence of nearly 500 attendees, including local and Tanzanian dignitaries, educators, students, and Project Zawadi representatives, underscores the community's and country's commitment to education. The unveiling of a commemorative plaque, in the presence of such a distinguished gathering, highlights the collaboration that made this project possible. Festivities that followed were an exuberant display of culture, education and community spirit. The students performed a poem written specifically for their visitors, and performed a dance to the beat of student drummers, villagers danced to the music of amazing local talent and officials representing Nyamuswa as well as Tanzania expressed their sincere thanks for the new classroom and water system (see 2023). Expanding Horizons and local stakeholders are empowering students to expand their own horizons!
STUDENT SPONSORSHIPS
Primary school is required in Tanzania, but many children attend intermittently or not at all. Common reasons include parents wanting their children to help in the home, the need for farm help, costs, the distance and/or danger in traveling to school and parents not understanding the importance of education. Project Zawadi encourages students’ attendance and continued education by providing student counseling and family counseling at home. They also ensure students and family members understand that Project Zawadi will support students as long as they’re progressing in their studies.
Project Zawadi chooses students for sponsorship based on need, not academic ability. Support can include up to 2 years pre-primary, 7 years primary, 4 years secondary and 3 years of higher education. Because of this long range commitment, sponsors are encouraged to provide for multiple years of sponsorship. A $240 annual sponsorship provides uniforms, shoes, textbooks, a notebook, pens, pencils and school and exam fees. For older students, solar powered lanterns and menstruation kits are provided. Additionally, Project Zawadi may provide room, board, travel expenses or equipment or supplies required for a specialized area of study in a vocational or apprenticeship program.
Sponsored students write a letter to their sponsors at least once a year. It is generally accompanied by a photo and an update on the student’s progress in school such as their score on national exams or position in their class. Younger students write their letters in Swahili (they’re translated by staff for the sponsor), while older students write in English to practice the language used in secondary school and higher education. Sponsors are encouraged to write to students to tell them about their home, work and interests. They also can include a photo, something appreciated by the students.
2019
Expanding Horizons committed to sponsoring 6 students for 6 years each.
2022
One additional student was sponsored in 2022. Meet all of Expanding Horizons’ sponsored students:
Joseph Kilimanzera Rehema Mtani Pili Matwiga Nyangeta Mwikwabe
Kurusanga Primary Kurusanga Primary Sarawe Primary Makongoro Secondary
Ada Gamena Kayahaza Kisoreka Gengere Mahatani
Kurusanga Primary Makongoro Secondary Kurusanga Primary
TENDA TEACHERS
The strategic planning process identified the need for teacher training to provide an improved quality of education and broader opportunities for student learning. Thus, the Tenda Teachers Program was implemented at the four Model Schools.
2020
Expanding Horizons funded training offered by the African Inland Church of Tanzania. The training sessions led 220 teachers in intensive training workshops where teachers learned skills and new teaching strategies. They had a chance to practice new skills and then receive feedback from trainers and their peers.
2021
Expanding Horizons connected Project Zawadi staff with Louise Sherman, who had indicated a desire to volunteer in Tanzania. Louise was a former teacher who worked as an educational consultant. She was a perfect fit to help with development of the English Bridge curriculum. The English Bridge Program was developed to “bridge the gap” between primary schools taught in Swahili and secondary and higher level schools taught exclusively in English. For many students, English can be a third language to learn after their tribal language and Swahili. Adding difficulty is the fact that often, primary English instruction is subpar and doesn’t adequately prepare students for instruction in English. In cooperation with another volunteer, Louise developed an intensive, engaging English curriculum to teach English comprehension and conversational English through creative use of sports demonstrations, singing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes to teach parts of the body, a family tree to teach family members and much more.
2022
Often, primary English instruction is subpar and doesn’t adequately prepare students for instruction in English. Expanding Horizons funded the purchase of textbooks for the English Bridge Program and English teachers at Kurusanga and Kambarage Schools. See photos below.