September 21, 2015
Today’s post is by Laura Thompson who recently traveled to Tanzania to participate in TFFT’s Vision Trip. Below you will read her reflections on this experience and the work TFFT is doing. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to witness TFFT’s work firsthand and to Laura for writing such a beautiful piece summarizing the experience.
By: Laura Thompson, TFFT ambassador and 2015 Vision Trip participant
What a week. What a truly fantastic, unforgettable, eye-opening week. As I take off from Kilimanjaro airport and see the renowned mountaintop through the clouds, my mind is filled with many memories – sounds and images – of seven well-spent days in Tanzania with the TFFT team.
From the day of our arrival to the morning of our departure, we were shown the beauty, compassion and commitment of The Foundation For Tomorrow to the children of Arusha, as as well as a to larger community in Arusha and beyond.
Our week included a very happy graduation and celebration at Usa River Academy (16 TFFT scholars graduated that day!), an exciting SuitUp Nike shoe design competition at Star High School, a fun gathering with TFFT scholars who board and study at Arusha Modern School, a visit with the children who live at Matanyok Children’s Home, a visit to one of TFFT’s teacher training centers, calls on two of TFFTs micro-loan recipients, a visit to the remote Sinai Primary government school, and last, but not least, a tour of Seeway Children’s Home.
Each day was filled with memorable highlights: we were all thrilled to meet with and learn more about one scholar’s plans to study computer science at a university in the U.S. We met other students who told us of their hopes to become pilots, doctors, and lawyers, and the classes they enjoy that will help them reach that goal. Each night before dinner we were given hand written notes from scholars that described their excitement about a pending gradation, plans for the future, their hopes and dream and how TFFT has made an critical difference in their lives. We began several of our dinners toasting the determination and future success of these young people.
While we saw many things that filled us with immense hope, we had other visits that stopped us in our tracks. I personally wrestled (and am still wrestling) with several situations that I wanted to apply my American “let’s fix it!” attitude, but realized that “fixing it” isn’t necessarily the role of TFFT or any other NGO. Rather, the path forward is to work with local organizations to partner or lend assistance to as they face the many challenges of their education and child welfare programs. And if I learned anything in the past seven days, it is that TFFT is an excellent partner that listens and responds as community partner, a professional partner and/or a life partner to the many children and families they commit themselves to.
In addition to spending time with TFFT scholars, our group also had the opportunity to spend time with the TFFT team. We were all deeply impressed by the highly qualified and diversified set of skills the team possesses, and even more so by their unified mission. The team not only identifies and gives a hand up to some of Tanzania’s most vulnerable children but has developed a holistic set of services to enable the child, their family and/or foster family to gain more educational, psychological/social, health and economic opportunities.
Although I currently live in Hong Kong and cannot attend the Galas, participate in informational gatherings, or help to stuff envelopes, I do hope that my family and I will find ways that we can become more involved in the work of TFFT – sponsor Full Circle Toolkits, provide funding for teacher training, or sponsor a scholar. I hope that I, along with my fellow Vision Trip companions will to play a small part, or grow our participation, in advocating on behalf of TFFT when and where we can. TFFT’s extensive, thoughtful, and impactful work, with support from friends, families, contributors and sponsors from the U.S. and beyond, is making a difference in the lives of the children of Arusha, their families and local organizations. When I close my eyes and think of the last few days, I think of the hard stares and the wide smiles of the children TFFT reaches. I think of the hopes and dreams of young people who are working hard each day to achieve their goals, I reflect on the heart-felt, well-written letters of thanks from TFFT scholars and I worry about the children that need foster parents and school placements. Most of all I cherish the memories of the children that embraced my hand or accepted my hug – a stranger’s – when held out to them. Those are memories I will hold on to and cherish forever. Through this experience I have become to understand TFFT’s mission, programming and reach(!) and the power of their commitment. Before this journey I was an interested party, now I join them as a committed partner.
