Hi, my name is Kate and for the past five weeks I have been visiting my wonderful friend ‘Madam Lauren’ here in Tanzania and helping her out at Steven Tito Academy (STA). Last week the students returned to school and I finally got to meet Salim, the STA student I sponsor! He is a really outgoing, friendly and intelligent kid and it has been wonderful getting to know him.
During the week he said to me ‘I wish that you would come and visit my home’- so I did! On Sunday I visited Salim’s home and met his family (mother, father, sister, two aunties, and uncle and his grandmother). All week Salim had been asking me what foods I liked best, and I was rather overwhelmed to find that they had prepared all my favourites- rice and beans, fish, chapatti, fruit and a bunch of other delicious things I had never tried before. For a family with limited resources I was very humbled by how I was received as a guest. There was a pile of forks and spoons, and they asked me which I would like to eat with, then all followed suit with a spoon.
My Swahili is somewhat rusty but I was able to talk with his family, crack a few jokes (at least I hope they were laughing with me…), and Salim translated conversations when I got a bit lost. When I showed them pictures of my family and farm in Australia they thought it was funny that unlike the motley coloured sheep here, most of the sheep in Australia are white.
After lunch Salim showed me where his family grows cassava, potatoes and keep chickens. Every inch of their yard had something growing, and every plant and tree produced food or was used for medicine, something I would one day like my own yard to be like.
It is so wonderful to have seen that Salim is supported by such a caring and loving family. I am so proud to be able to help provide him with an education on par with what I received as a child in Australia.
Fortunately, all the students here at STA are fully sponsored. But the school is always looking for monthly donors to help support the programs, activities and resources that make the quality of education at this school so high. From first-hand experience I can honestly say that all money donated helps give these students the primary school education they deserve, and one that will put them in the strongest possible position to thrive in high school. To support STA’s great work you can visit https://sta-baobabhome.nationbuilder.com/donate to donate or set up a monthly donation.
