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Tanzania
Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and the great lakes of the Rift Valley to the west. Much of the central terrain is a high plateau that lies between the east and west branches of the Rift Valley, the birthplace of humankind. A world-class travel destination, Tanzania is home to natural landmarks such as the Serengeti Plains, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and Olduvai Gorge.

The savanna grasslands of Tanzania are home to a magnificent array of animals, with Ngorongoro Crater having the most intense concentration of mammal species on earth. July and August are ideal months to visit Tanzania, when millions of wildebeest are making their annual migration to the north in search of fertile grazing lands.

In addition to its natural wonders, Tanzania is well-known for the warmth and politeness of its people, who number 35 million. Unlike many of its East African neighbors, Tanzania is notable for its relative stability. Tribal divisions that have ignited conflict in the region are largely absent in Tanzania’s well-integrated population.

Global Issues Background
Climate change is having a dramatic impact on the balance of nature in Tanzania. Changing weather patterns and an extended drought have reduced the fertility of once-abundant grasslands, threatening the survival of humans and animals alike. Each year, the legendary “snows of Kilimanjaro” that once blanketed Africa’s highest peak continue to recede. Glaciers on Kilimanjaro are expected to vanish within a decade.

The Masai “pastoralist” lifestyle revolves around cattle. Residents refer to their livestock as the “Masai Bank,” as cattle are the main asset around which everything in traditional Masai culture revolves. The Masai diet is based on cattle, including meat, milk, cheese, and other dairy products. When possible, the Masai complement these foods with vegetables, fruits, beans, corn, and rice.

The Masai live close to the earth and the rhythms of nature. Their agricultural techniques, which include cultivating a variety of crops in desert and scrublands, have been recommended to other African nations as models of sustainability. To avoid over-grazing, the Masai move their living quarters, compounds constructed of mud, cattle dung and wood, with regularity. The Masai also do not eat wild game or birds. For this reason, Masai-controlled areas of Africa remain some of the most wildlife-abundant regions of Africa.

Historically, the Masai controlled extensive areas of the East African grasslands. There was little competition over grazing resources, as the Masai traversed vast territories in search of food and water to support their livestock. But during the last century, the neighboring Kenyan government forced the Masai to settle in group ranches, much like Native American reservations in the U.S., which has limited the Masai’s ability to seek new grasslands.

Meanwhile changes in rainfall patterns and extended droughts, both associated with climate change, have gradually reduced or destroyed the Masai grasslands in northern Tanzania. The shortage of grass has caused overgrazing and soil depletion, and in turn pushed the Masai into poverty.

The United Nations Panel on Climate Change concurs that Africa is just beginning to feel the effects of climate change. The UN predicts that climate change will eventually cause food and water shortages for tens of millions of Africans, resulting in significant levels of conflict and human suffering.

 
Requirements
Students should have a satisfactory level of physical fitness in order to participate in manual labor and other physical activities, such as hiking and swimming.

Students and parents are required to complete all required World Leadership School forms, including the Application, Acknowledgment and Assumption of Risks, Indemnity Agreement, and the Medical Form. As part of the application, students must respond to a detailed questionnaire expressing their reasons for wanting to go on the trip.

Students should remain flexible to changing circumstances, delays and other hurdles that are common in Tanzania. The specifics of volunteer work will be decided according to the needs of the community or organization shortly.

Risk Management & Safety
We strive to responsibly manage risks. Our itineraries minimize highway travel and maximize immersion in rural communities that we know well. We update our risk management protocols, integrate feedback into program design, and invest in safety and communication equipment. Despite these efforts, World Leadership School cannot guarantee safety nor can it eliminate the inherent and other risks of international student travel. For information regarding program activities and associated risks, risk management, and student and parent responsibilities, please contact us (303) 679-3412.