Our 15 Jackson high school students have embarked on the trip of a lifetime to Noloholo Environmental Center in Northern Tanzania! The purpose of this trip is to offer these students an opportunity to engage in experiential learning about an African nation, its cultures and related critical global issues that most young Americans are not exposed to first-hand. These participants will be called upon to undertake a community project of building a library from scratch in the small town of Loibor Siret. All 15 students, together with their three leaders, had a meeting prior to departing and boxed-up eighteen 50 lb. boxes filled with books to take with them for the new library!

Students packing up their boxes so these books can be part of the new library being constructed.

Once they arrive to Kilimanjaro, and travel to the Noloholo Environmenta Center, their weekdays will be spent working on projects alongside Maasai tribesmen from the village. Our projects will include helping with the construction of the previously mentioned library, teaching in the local primary school, and contributing to ongoing APW conservation efforts such as building “living walls” from local materials that protect community members and livestock from big cat predation. After the work day is done, students will have a chance to participate in a pick-up game of soccer, learn some Swahili, go for nature hikes (with guides), and learn about various cultural and conservation themes from locals and APW employees. Afternoons may also include time for our independent projects. Working alongside Maasai people, participants will build friendships and learn new skills. Follow our trip via this blog: http://tanzaniaservicelearningproject.blogspot.com/