January 2011: We have selected a group of nine Juilliard students for the 2011 trip! Now it is on to raising $25,000.
Arusha Arts Initiative
Submitted by Patrick M on Sun, 03/14/2010 - 22:35
Check out our videos!
Check out our videos!
the problem:
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its urbanization has lead to a population boom and caused an even greater amount of poverty. Many people from rural areas have moved into the city of Arusha in search of higher-paying jobs in tourism and agricultural industry. Many people in the city work small jobs for cash and earn between $1 and $15 per week. However, most do not manage because of insufficient education and skills. Proper education is absolutely essential, but most youth cannot afford it. After the first two years of schooling, students have to pay for their own books, uniforms, and classes; most drop out at this point, forfeiting their education and ultimately their careers. Additionally, it is estimated that in 2002, 8.8% of the country’s population, nearly 1.6 million people, was infected with HIV/AIDS, and that number has likely doubled since then. These major unemployment and health issues feed into each other and plague Tanzania. The Arusha Arts Initiative aims to target this by focusing on educating Arusha’s youth.
Tanzanian public education is divided into primary and secondary schools. The government, however, does not have enough money or resources to offer free education to the country’s children beyond the Primary level. Primary school is free of cost and is divided into seven Forms, similar to elementary and middle school in America. Students are taught only in Swahili and classrooms are overcrowded, often with 50 or more students in a classroom with a single teacher. The students must take a test after Form 4 to evaluate their progress. If they do not pass, they will not be allowed to continue in school. At the end of Form 7, students must take another exam, in English, to be placed into Secondary Schools. Because they have been taught entirely in Swahili, most students do not pass. They have had little to no exposure to English. Those students who do pass the exams must pay tuition for Secondary School, but few can afford it. Recognizing these hurdles as unmanageable for the country’s brightest future, the Umoja Empowerment Centre was created. By offering free classes in English and computer skills it can educate those students who are enthusiastic about learning but have no had the resources.
Umoja partners with local people and organizations in Tanzania by sharing knowledge and vocational skills to provide a more promising future for the young people of Arusha. The Centre is devoted to being environmentally sustainable, and encourages the students to help in its development. The Centre works toward giving their students the skills and opportunities to find meaningful employment, while at the same time encouraging independent and creative thinking. In addition to providing students free tuition, after-school care, and facilities for sports, arts, and social events, students are involved in workshops and campaigns on health, welfare and global issues. This not only creates deeper understanding of such issues, but also encourages confidence and power as they understand more about themselves and the world.
vital stats:
people impacted:
100people involved:
15why it's important:
The Arusha Arts Initiative is a group of Juilliard students working in collaboration with the Umoja Youth Empowerment Centre to help the impoverished youth in the city of Arusha, Tanzania. The Initiative has conducted arts workshops at the Centre in 2009 and 2010, building confidence and enthusiasm in 100 students through the creation of a performance with comedy, singing, dancing, poetry, and storytelling. We will be returning in May 2011to conduct another workshop with a new set of students at Umoja.
Our mission is to provide the community at Umoja Youth Empowerment Center with access to the performing arts. We aim to use the creative and collaborative skills utilized in the arts in order to guide the students in their personal development and to promote Umoja's goal of empowering students to create change in their communities.
We want to challenge the Umoja students in an encouraging and community-oriented environment. Rooted in the performing arts, we provide a setting uncommon to their impoverished lifestyles. During the two weeks we spend with the students, we encourage them to take risks, to put themselves out there, and to step outside of the box to stretch the limits of their potential. Guiding the students through the process of creating a performance, we exercise creative, collaborative, and problem-solving skills to the fullest extent. We don’t anticipate the performance to serve as the final product of our trip; the creative tools implemented during our stay will remain with the students after we’re gone, and they will be able to apply them towards their own personal development at Umoja and in their communities.
the plan of action:
We are constantly looking to raise money to make our trip happen and to support Umoja in every way that we can. We have raised enough money for two large-scale workshops to occur, as well as all of the money necessary to provide the school with Internet access. Since then, all of the students at the school now have e-mail addresses, and many have created Facebook accounts to keep in touch. They use the Internet to add to the learning experience that they get at the Center.
This year we need to raise $25,000 to bring nine Juilliard students to Umoja. Our workshop has become an essential part of Umoja's curriculum and is important to their students as a community-building and confidence-boosting experience.
how you can get involved:
Our priorities are currently raising enough money for the 2011 trip and for raising awareness about Umoja and Tanzania.
-We've raised a large amount of money through individual dontions
-The average personal donations we've received are $25 from adults and $10 from students
project updates:
01/21/2011
videos:
Related Projects
Related Guides
Tips and Tools:
Meet Do Something Awards Finalist Jacqueline Murekatete
After losing her family in the 1994 Rwanda...
Action Guides:
Action Tips: Join an online discussion group about education inequalities
Chat it up about education inequalities!