Monday, February 17, 2014

The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania







The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania was established in 1952. It is home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth - the great migration of wildebeest and zebra. The resident population of lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and birds is also impressive. There's a wide variety of accommodation available, from luxury lodges to mobile camps. The park covers 5,700 sq miles, (14,763 sq km), it's larger than Connecticut, with at most a couple hundred vehicles driving around.

The Park can be divided into 3 sections. The popular southern/central part (Seronera Valley), is what the Maasai called the "serengit", the land of endless plains. It's classic savannah, dotted with acacias and filled with wildlife. The western corridor is marked by the Grumeti River, and has more forests and dense bush. The north, Lobo area, meets up with Kenya's Masai Mara Reserve, is the least visited section

Sunday, February 2, 2014

At least once a week, volunteers on Eco-Africa community projects have the opportunity to spend time with local pre-school children; a visit both they and the children absolutely love.

Last week, volunteers visited the Mickey Mouse Pre-School.  Here is what Fanny, from Sweden, had to say about her day:

‘Last Thursday we spent the day at Mickey Mouse Pre-School.  It was a good visit!  The kids were so cute in their school uniforms.  Since it’s very uncommon with school uniforms in Sweden, you really find that adorable.  The actual school building impressed me, the big classrooms and the nice colour outside on the walls.  The kids are so happy and thankful to go to school, and that is what I love the most.  Tomorrow we are going there as well, and I’m looking forward to it.  Every day is a new experience with those children!’
 



Also last week, Annie, a community project volunteer from America, spent a day visiting Machame hospital in Kilimanjaro.  Here are her thoughts on the experience.

‘Last week I went to Machame hospital.  The clinic is available to all Tanzanians for a low cost.  I was very surprised at how low the cost is, even without health insurance.  The clinic serves patients with HIV, TB and general medical problems.  The clinic also has a maternity and post-natal unit.  When I first arrived, the Director of the clinic explained the various parts of the clinic to me and showed me around.  After the introductions, I helped count HIV medications into appropriate quantities for the patients.  Then I visited the TB area of the clinic where I witnessed a patient visit.  The patient was given a container to collect sputum to test for TB and was given information about TB.  Overall I really enjoyed my experience at the clinic.  I learned a lot about the healthcare that is available to local Tanzanians and I hope I will be able to go back soon.’

If you would like to join us as a community volunteer, you can find out here contact us...


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