The Program
“The Ndarakwai Experience” (TNE) is a unique service-learning opportunity for high school girls that takes advantage of the offerings of Ndarakwai Ranch, the SEGA Girls School in Morogoro Tanzania, and We Share Solar to provide an extraordinary educational, cultural and personal experience. Created by experienced youth mentors and professionals, TNE is designed to open pathways to growth and opportunity to selected students while, at the same time, offering new options for energy generation to under-developed communities in Tanzania.
TNE is a two-part program. In one part, groups of high school girls from Washington, D.C. travel to the SEGA School in Tanzania to complete the We Share Solar Curriculum. Through the curriculum, students will learn about global energy poverty, basic electricity, solar energy, and engineering. The curriculum includes hands on experience building a 12 volt DC stand-alone solar powered mobile suitcase. The solar suitcase is a system that can light a room, charge mobile phones, laptop computers, e-readers and headlamps and ensure overall increased access to light and therefore safety and further access to education for youth. The intent is that one suitcase per year will be deployed and installed in a school or community center in areas in need within close proximity to the SEGA school in Tanzania.
The second component brings the American girls to spend approximately one week at the Ndarakwai Ranch, a privately-owned conservancy on the Western side of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. During their stay at Ndarakwai Ranch, the students will divide their time between:
While in country, at both SEGA School and Ndarakwai, the students will also participate in a range of cultural and other educational programs, possibly including but not limited to:
At both Ndarakwai Ranch and the SEGA School, students will live in newly renovated housing on the property. The housing will be simple but safe and includes indoor plumbing. The students will be fully supervised 24/7.
This unique program offers students an exceptional opportunity to gain both a deeper understanding of the conservation and energy challenges that impact much of Africa, and to engage, interact with and learn from local villagers about their lifestyles, and challenges – what it really means to live in a ‘developing’ country.
With the Ndarakwai Experience, participants can change and positively impact lives while learning a marketable skill in an ever-growing field. For many, a visit to Africa is a life-changing event; for inner city youth, its power and impact can be even greater.
Behind and Beyond the “Trip”
TNE is much more than a “trip.” It is designed to be a complete service-learning experience. As such, the TNE team develops and leads both pre- and post- trip curricular activities and requirements. Lectures, readings and other preparatory activities will be scheduled across the ten to twelve weeks prior to each trip. And, during the school semester following each trip, participating students will be required to design and deliver a range of learnings for their fellow students, from cultural events, to current events discussions, and more. The Solar/STEM component further enables the girls to enhance their knowledge of and, hopefully, interest in, a field that offers life-changing opportunity.
“The Ndarakwai Experience” (TNE) is a unique service-learning opportunity for high school girls that takes advantage of the offerings of Ndarakwai Ranch, the SEGA Girls School in Morogoro Tanzania, and We Share Solar to provide an extraordinary educational, cultural and personal experience. Created by experienced youth mentors and professionals, TNE is designed to open pathways to growth and opportunity to selected students while, at the same time, offering new options for energy generation to under-developed communities in Tanzania.
TNE is a two-part program. In one part, groups of high school girls from Washington, D.C. travel to the SEGA School in Tanzania to complete the We Share Solar Curriculum. Through the curriculum, students will learn about global energy poverty, basic electricity, solar energy, and engineering. The curriculum includes hands on experience building a 12 volt DC stand-alone solar powered mobile suitcase. The solar suitcase is a system that can light a room, charge mobile phones, laptop computers, e-readers and headlamps and ensure overall increased access to light and therefore safety and further access to education for youth. The intent is that one suitcase per year will be deployed and installed in a school or community center in areas in need within close proximity to the SEGA school in Tanzania.
The second component brings the American girls to spend approximately one week at the Ndarakwai Ranch, a privately-owned conservancy on the Western side of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. During their stay at Ndarakwai Ranch, the students will divide their time between:
- Supporting conservation activities at the ranch, including the removal of invasive species of plants, patrolling with rangers looking for poachers’ snares and/or ongoing repairs to tracks and waterways. And,
- Building and repair work or other activities to support a local school, potentially including classroom construction, teaching or assisting in class, playing sports with the pupils, running art and craft classes, etc.
While in country, at both SEGA School and Ndarakwai, the students will also participate in a range of cultural and other educational programs, possibly including but not limited to:
- Lectures on tribal life and traditions, music, art and history
- Visits to local Maasai villages (boma) to learn about and experience first-hand the traditional ways of living that remain prevalent today
- Visits to local coffee plantations
- Maasai bead / jewelry making
- Conservation issues impacting wildlife across Africa
- Game walks and game drives, including a night drive, to view and study the habits of the widely divergent species that are most commonly found in the area
At both Ndarakwai Ranch and the SEGA School, students will live in newly renovated housing on the property. The housing will be simple but safe and includes indoor plumbing. The students will be fully supervised 24/7.
This unique program offers students an exceptional opportunity to gain both a deeper understanding of the conservation and energy challenges that impact much of Africa, and to engage, interact with and learn from local villagers about their lifestyles, and challenges – what it really means to live in a ‘developing’ country.
With the Ndarakwai Experience, participants can change and positively impact lives while learning a marketable skill in an ever-growing field. For many, a visit to Africa is a life-changing event; for inner city youth, its power and impact can be even greater.
Behind and Beyond the “Trip”
TNE is much more than a “trip.” It is designed to be a complete service-learning experience. As such, the TNE team develops and leads both pre- and post- trip curricular activities and requirements. Lectures, readings and other preparatory activities will be scheduled across the ten to twelve weeks prior to each trip. And, during the school semester following each trip, participating students will be required to design and deliver a range of learnings for their fellow students, from cultural events, to current events discussions, and more. The Solar/STEM component further enables the girls to enhance their knowledge of and, hopefully, interest in, a field that offers life-changing opportunity.
