Board member Jeff Shaw on his first trip to Tanzania – 30 Aug 2014

Better Lives board member Jeff Shaw shares memories from his first trip to Tanzania:

My wife and I had the opportunity to visit the welcoming and beautiful country of Tanzania, after first participating in the formation of the Better Lives partner organization Wamukisa in Uganda.  During the early days of the Tanzania trip, we were joined by Alex Mitala, a Ugandan leader in transforming impoverished communities and children.  Together, we learned best practices from Better Lives’ organic gardening, school, and water projects, as we were hosted by the Tupendane partner organization leader, Deo.

What is your favorite perspective-shifting or learning moment from Tanzania?

An American 10,000 miles from home, standing next to a Ugandan, I watched a Tanzanian school child of about 12 years harvest from his home FAITH garden.  He had learned organic gardening principles and techniques from a gardening club at his school.  From there, he brought the learning home to share with his farming parents, who allowed him to plant and maintain a garden at home.  With his older brother’s help selling, he was able to supplement the family income by raising and taking to market produce from his garden.  The venture was so successful that at the time I visited, the brothers were busily clearing more land, where they would plant a second garden to increase production for sale and family consumption.  For me, seeing the implications of people teaching and helping people, multiplying the good effects, was overwhelming.

What is your favorite “fun” memory from Tanzania?

After working with Better Lives’ partners on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, we took a stunning safari with premier guide Simon of Kipori Safari.  One morning, Simon convinced us to get on the (dirt) road well before sunrise, to drive deep into Serengeti National Park.  Just as the sun was rising over the horizon, Simon pulled onto the green grassy plain, set up folding chairs, and brought out hot tea in a Thermos, muffins, and fruit.  We had some breakfast guests:  thousands upon thousands of Wildebeests migrating from left to right before us, on their way to cross the Mara River some miles ahead.  Thankfully, at our observation point, they were not pursued by lions!  We saw the results of that other kind of breakfast later in the day, as we happened upon a pride of lions, one male, four females and some young, lolling with grotesquely-distended bellies next to the remains of a wildebeest.  The majesty and diversity of animals in their natural environment that we saw that day were far, far beyond anything we expected from photos or video documentaries.