July 26 and July 27, 2019, by Jane Burdett
fdOur team gathered Friday morning in Washington’s Dulles Airport from various places across the US from Washington state to New York. In total, the team from the US includes 16 people, including two amazing recent graduates of Vanderbilt University who have been on the ground preparing for our visit with site visits to schools, collecting data about the girls we will serve and getting things ready. There are more than 20 Tanzanians - perhaps more! - actively participating in this mission, including the team making the 100% biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads we will deliver. Our team will be rounded out by two men from India, one who is onsite improving production with the installation some new machines will expand the number of pads produced each day; the other is the founder of Aakar Innovations, the technology, research and development
The "traditional" Uhuru Champions group has been augmented on this trip by the addition of three great guys - two high school students and a dad. While they won't be along as we visit the schools - 9 are on our list! - they will be serving and connecting in a local orphanage and school, creating their own story and building friendships.
The first leg of the trip took us on a 13 hour flight via Ethiopian Air from Washington DC to Addis Ababa. Although long, the flight went well for most. People were syncing movies in their rows and we were fed 3 times on the first leg.
Several hours in the Addis Ababa airport cemented that this is an adventurous group as many – despite some long lines – decided to leave the secure area and head out (just in the airport!) to see what could be found. We boarded our next flight to Mt. Kilimanjaro airport. Compared to the first leg, this was an easy flight of 2 hours where many of us fell asleep (just one meal BTW). We exited the plane onto the tarmac – standing on Tanzanian soil (well…tarmac) for the first time was a new experience for 9 of our group of 14. After snapping pictures quickly we joined a long line, prior to entering the small, very full terminal. The line was for safety protocols, checking health certificates and having our hands sanitized with Purell. Laura indicates that this precaution is not always in place but, as Tanzania is fortunate that neither Yellow Fever nor Ebola has reached its borders, there are some small precautions.
The visa line was – surprise! – long but a gentleman from the airport noticed this great group comparing notes and sharing pens and offered to assist us with the visa process, taking our stack of passports (and a fat stack of bills) into a back office to get the paperwork completed with Laura sticking to him like glue.
We eased through customs and all 15 pieces of our luggage arrived (yeah and double-yeah!). It was so interesting to watch the countryside as we traveled through Arusha and to Jane and John’s beautiful estate. Our host, Jane, is a horticulturist and quite an entrepreneur: she fires her own clay pots and grows the plants which go in them: you'll find Jane's work in beautiful homes and hotels throughout the region. The homes, lawn and gardens are lush (half the group is staying in the new house they’ve just completed…there a few kinks to be worked out there (but one of the bathrooms has an amazing mountain view!). After a delicious dinner on the front veranda and time to visit we settled down to a long anticipated sleep!
We are in Tanzania - many thanks to all of those who helped us to make this journey and those we will meet along the way.
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To Support the UhuruPads Mission distributing pads, undergarments and life-changing education to girls in need in East Africa, shop and support via Her Best Foot Forward's product page or via the UhuruPads donation link here.
The "traditional" Uhuru Champions group has been augmented on this trip by the addition of three great guys - two high school students and a dad. While they won't be along as we visit the schools - 9 are on our list! - they will be serving and connecting in a local orphanage and school, creating their own story and building friendships.
The first leg of the trip took us on a 13 hour flight via Ethiopian Air from Washington DC to Addis Ababa. Although long, the flight went well for most. People were syncing movies in their rows and we were fed 3 times on the first leg.
Several hours in the Addis Ababa airport cemented that this is an adventurous group as many – despite some long lines – decided to leave the secure area and head out (just in the airport!) to see what could be found. We boarded our next flight to Mt. Kilimanjaro airport. Compared to the first leg, this was an easy flight of 2 hours where many of us fell asleep (just one meal BTW). We exited the plane onto the tarmac – standing on Tanzanian soil (well…tarmac) for the first time was a new experience for 9 of our group of 14. After snapping pictures quickly we joined a long line, prior to entering the small, very full terminal. The line was for safety protocols, checking health certificates and having our hands sanitized with Purell. Laura indicates that this precaution is not always in place but, as Tanzania is fortunate that neither Yellow Fever nor Ebola has reached its borders, there are some small precautions.
The visa line was – surprise! – long but a gentleman from the airport noticed this great group comparing notes and sharing pens and offered to assist us with the visa process, taking our stack of passports (and a fat stack of bills) into a back office to get the paperwork completed with Laura sticking to him like glue.
We eased through customs and all 15 pieces of our luggage arrived (yeah and double-yeah!). It was so interesting to watch the countryside as we traveled through Arusha and to Jane and John’s beautiful estate. Our host, Jane, is a horticulturist and quite an entrepreneur: she fires her own clay pots and grows the plants which go in them: you'll find Jane's work in beautiful homes and hotels throughout the region. The homes, lawn and gardens are lush (half the group is staying in the new house they’ve just completed…there a few kinks to be worked out there (but one of the bathrooms has an amazing mountain view!). After a delicious dinner on the front veranda and time to visit we settled down to a long anticipated sleep!
We are in Tanzania - many thanks to all of those who helped us to make this journey and those we will meet along the way.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
To Support the UhuruPads Mission distributing pads, undergarments and life-changing education to girls in need in East Africa, shop and support via Her Best Foot Forward's product page or via the UhuruPads donation link here.
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