TANZANIA
SAFARI & SOLAR
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Bring Energy Independence to a Masai Community
• Learn to Build and Install Solar Energy Systems in Rural
Masai Homes
• Safari in the Majestic Serengeti National Park &
Ngorongoro Crater
• Search for the Big Five: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino
and Cape Buffalo
• Take Swahili Language Lessons
• Trek to the Remote Villages of the Usambara Mountains
• 30 Hours Community Service
Spotlight Project: Building Solar Power Systems
Throughout most of East Africa, a large majority of homes lack power. This leaves little daylight for productivity,
homework, and a means of earning income. Kerosene lanterns are widely used, but are expensive and burn toxic
fumes in the home. Our spotlight project partners with a Masai village and brings this essential utility to enrich the
lives of its residents through the installation of solar power systems in families’ homes. Together, we’re creating a
healthier, safer, and more productive future for East Africans.
Days 1 – 2: Travel Days
Students and trip leaders meet in New York (JFK airport) and together fly to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania where our local
guides meet them upon arrival. Our guides drive us directly to a full service campground outside the city of Arusha
where we set up our Tanzanian “home” in Masai country.
Day 3: Orientation and Swahili Lessons
We spend the morning taking it easy as we adjust to both Africa and a new time zone. We pack the “Overland
Truck”, get orientated to the area and chat about our plans for the coming few days. In the afternoon we walk to
the local primary school where we meet the teachers and students and enjoy an afternoon learning essential words
and phrases in Swahili.
ARCC Programs | Tanzania: Safari and Solar
Day 4: Meserani Masai Village & Continued Swahili
Lessons
Today we immerse ourselves in Masai way of life as we visit the Masai cultural center before heading to a nearby village to meet local citizens of all ages.
We visit the pre-school, orphanage and adult education center and witness
modern and traditional cultures blending to benefit the Masai people. We
return to camp for lunch and for a group discussion before making our way
to Juu primary school for more Swahili lessons. Day 5: Begin our Spotlight Project--Building Solar
Power Systems
Now that we have a grasp on Masai culture and the local community, we
start on our project of installing solar power systems into homes in the local area. Before we can do the hands-on fabrication work, we spend the
day immersed in electric theory, learning about alternative energies, how it
works, why it works and why we are installing solar power systems.
Across most of Tanzania, electricity is a luxury item most households simply
cannot afford as the majority live below the poverty line. The majority of
Tanzanian households rely on health damaging kerosene lanterns or open
fires for light. These lanterns and smoky fires are the main cause of an epidemic of respiratory and eye problems throughout the region. By providing
clean heathy electric power, we not only provide good quality lighting, but
also a safer and healthier environment for family members young and old.
In East Africa, children value school and attending is a privilege. Having
good clean lighting in the home means children can study and complete
their homework after dark, a vital component to doing well in school. Scholastic success leads to advanced studies or, at the very least, better paying
jobs. A single electric light in a home can help a family begin the long crawl
out of the poverty cycle.
Working hand in hand with our local partners, ARCC has spent 10 years
researching, building and installing solar electric power in rural villages
throughout East Africa. Our student-built solar power systems are uncomplicated, user friendly, and low maintenance. They are a very simple custom
designed solar system consisting of a solar panel, a recharging battery and
a charge controller. This system easily runs 4-6 household lights and can
charge several mobile phones. The system operates on only 12 volts ensuring that it is safe. These systems, although very simple, are very effective,
have a life span of 6-12 years and require very little maintenance knowledge
from household members.
ARCC Programs | Tanzania: Safari and Solar
Day 6 - 9: Solar Power System Building and Installation
Over the next 3 days we first learn about the basics of electricity, solar
panels and battery storage. We then put our newfound knowledge into
practice. Armed with the essential materials and tools, we design and
fabricate several solar power systems in the local workshop adjacent to
our camp. We next head into the village to install our newly built systems into people’s homes. Working with excited village members, we
bolt the solar panel to the roof, run the wiring to the on/off switch, and
connect the single bulb hanging in the center of the room. The moment
of truth arrives as we flip the switch, bathing the room in electric light
for the first time ever. Cheers erupt and together we celebrate our accomplishment, knowing we have changed lives for the better.
Day 10: Mto Wu Mbu oasis
We depart Meserani for the small village of Mto Mbu Wu, a totally different
environment to what we have been experiencing in Masai Land. Mto Wu
Mbu is a small oasis in the desert. Due to its unique climate, this area is famous for growing a variety of fruits including pink bananas, mango, papaya
and other fruits normally only found in humid coastal regions of Tanzania. We have the afternoon to explore the area with a guide from a local community ecotourism project. He takes us through the plantations and teach
us about the plants, traditional farming techniques and the history of the
area. We finish off the afternoon with a traditional dinner in one of the village homes
Day 11 - 12: Safari in Serengeti National Park
We pack our bags, say goodbye to our overland truck and jump in our smaller
safari vehicles for an incredible safari through the most famous game parks
in East Africa. Our first stop is the Serengeti National Park. This park needs
no introduction; well known for herds of elephant, zebra, eland, gazelle, water buffalo and predators like lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and jackal. We
arrive at the park gates in time for a late lunch before ‘game driving’ our
way to our campsite in Seronera. We establish camp in “the bush”, have a
delicious open air dinner and go to sleep to the sounds of a lion’s roar and
an elephant’s call far in the distance.
After an early morning breakfast, we leave camp at dawn as this is the best
time to view wildlife. Hanging out of the opened roofed land rovers, we
traverse the park in search of “the big five”: lions, leopards, elephants, cape
buffalo, and rhinos. There is nothing quite like coming upon a pride of lions
and observing their daily lives from just feet away, tucked safely in our vehicles. We are guided through the park by local experts, whose ability to spot
even the slightest of movement thousands of feet away is a thing of marvel.
The big five goal hopefully accomplished, we exit the park and head for our
next safari in nearby Ngorogoro Crater.
ARCC Programs | Tanzania: Safari and Solar
Day 13: Ngorogoro Crater
Ngorogoro Crater is one of Africa’s seven natural wonders. Designated a
World Heritage Site, Ngorogoro is a huge collapsed volcano approximately
15 miles from rim to rim. The grassy flat bottom of the crater is populated
by over 25,000 animals and has one of the densest collections of lions in
east Africa. We leave our rim camp and wind our way by vehicle down the
narrow track to arrive at the bottom of this 100 square mile natural enclosure. Herds of elephant, zebra and buffalo greet us at the bottom. The park
comes alive as the sun works its way over the crater’s rim, bathing the floor
in sunlight. We spend the day zooming around the crater in search of the
park’s predators and witnessing life unfold before us on the African plain. Day 14: Orphanage and Return to Arusha
As we work our way back toward Arusha and the last week of the trip, we
stop at a local orphanage. We are inspired by the joy of life these kids possess despite their unfortunate circumstances. It is unclear who has the most
fun during the visit, the ARCC students or the African children. Eventually
we pull ourselves away and return to Meserani in Arusha. Having spent time
here previously, it feels a bit like coming home
Days 15-16: Mesurani School
For the next two days we take full advantage of our unique access to a
local Masaii school. Here we spend the days helping the faculty of the
school teach classes, run recess and after school athletic activities. These
two days give us a rare glimpse directly into the evolving Tanzanian educational system; a system filled with enthusiastic participants but sorely
lacking fundamental supplies, teachers and funding.
Days 17-20 Usambara Mountain Villages
Our Tanzanian odyssey continues as we head on to the Usambara Mountains – home to a biologically diverse world of plants and animals, and a
number of rural villages. There, we begin an overnight trek into the lush
mountain vegetation passing through a number of remote villages and giving us a glimpse of a life so different from our own. Along the way we will
meet with a local “healer” and learn about herbal remedies and the traditional medicines still widely used in East Africa. We stay in a rustic camp
nestled in the clouds high in the mountains with views of the African plains
far below. The following day we venture into old-growth cloud rainforest
where we meet local subsistence and coffee farmers, converse with small
village communities, and look for the rarely seen Usambara chameleon and
Eagle-owl.
ARCC Programs | Tanzania: Safari and Solar
Days 21: Farewell to Africa
After three weeks of hard work and adventure our Tanzania summer service program comes to an end. After many miles, high fives, nails pounded,
passports stamped, wildlife sightings and stunning sunsets, we say goodbye to our newfound African friends. We buy last minute souvenirs in the
markets of Arusha and prepare for a famed “final feast” Tanzania-Style. Our last night is filled with activities all celebrating our three weeks of life
changing experiences and the discovery of lifelong friends.
Day 22 and 23: Flight Home
Eventually all good things must come to an end. We head to Kilimanjaro
airport, say farewell to Africa and begin our journey home. We carry with
us the memories of our time in Masai land, the impactful solar project, our
incredible safaris and the many friends we’ve made along the way. Once
we arrive in New York (JFK), we board our flights for home, the spark of
Africa within us forever.
ARCC Programs | Tanzania: Safari and Solar