Merseyside students make a difference in Tanzania

Staff and students at Hope Academy, in Newton-le-Willows, recently embarked on a month-long expedition to Tanzania, where they combined community development, cultural experiences, and wildlife adventures.

14 students in Year 10 and 11 spent time across multiple locations in Tanzania, making a meaningful difference in local communities while gaining invaluable skills and life experiences.

The first part of the expedition saw the group base themselves in Tanga, on the Indian Ocean, where students stayed in tents without phone signal and used cold water showers. Each day, they walked to the local community to assist with vital projects.

Students worked to build the base of a home for a recently widowed woman and helped refurbish a local primary school classroom by clearing rubble and laying a new concrete floor.

Alongside practical work, the students took part in cultural activities, learning to cook local dishes, make crafts from recycled materials, and participated in traditional dances. After watching local dancers perform, the Hope Academy students showed off their own moves with the YMCA, the Macarena, and the conga.

Student Jessica Hookway said: "I really enjoyed the mixture of cultural activities and working in the local community to make a difference. The people we met were so welcoming and we all felt like we helped others through our hard work and dedication."

For the second part of the trip, the group moved to Shanti, near Mount Kilimanjaro. They worked at a local primary school at the foot of the mountain, creating two paths from a well to the kitchen, where the children fetched water and food. They even earned the nickname 'Team Speedy' for their efficiency.

Students also played in local football matches and enjoyed a waterfall trek in the scenic Kilimanjaro foothills.

The expedition continued in a rural savannah area, where students had the chance to observe wildlife, including elephants, monkeys, giraffes, zebras, and even lions. They also helped dig a waterhole for local animals, learned survival skills, and explored sustainable practices such as making paper from elephant dung.

Fellow student Harry Clarke said: "The safari experience was amazing, and we all loved the waterfall trek too. Being so close to the animals, and seeing them in the wild, was a memory that I won't forget."

The final part of the trip was at Hakuna Matata Camp, where students constructed a water duct to prevent flooding in the girls' toilets at a local primary school, and painted classroom walls and blackboards. Students also took part in community-led activities such as cooking traditional meals and replanting banana trees.

Miss Amy Green, assistant principal at Hope Academy, who organised and led the expedition, said: "This trip has been an incredible opportunity for our students to give back to communities in Tanzania while developing new skills and experiencing a completely different way of life. They have worked tirelessly on projects that will make a lasting difference, and they should be very proud of themselves."

Mrs Marie Adams, principal of Hope Academy, said: "Our students have truly lived the values of Hope Academy during this expedition. They have shown 'courage' in stepping out of their comfort zones, 'respect' for the communities and cultures they visited, 'ambition' in tackling challenging projects, and above all, 'hope' for the positive difference they could make. From building homes and school facilities to sharing laughter and even a few dance moves, they have made the school incredibly proud."

Hope Academy's next expedition will take students to Kenya in 2027, with further details to be announced in October 2025.

LINKS

Hope Academy: www.hopeacademy.org.uk.

Hope Academy is part of All Saints Multi Academy Trust: https://allsaintsmat.org