Tanzania PCV Matthew Raboin says Good news comes out of Africa, too
Good news comes out of Africa, too
TANZANIA — One tends to hear only the worst of news coming from Africa.
Drought, bloodshed, fam-ine, poverty and disease are common themes.
These problems undeniably manifest themselves in places across this vast continent, but as a Fond du Lac native currently enjoying life here in the southern highlands of Tanzania, I can say that it is not all doom and gloom.
Instead, I would like to take this opportunity to share with people back home one of the brighter moments I have experienced here.
I recently participated in an Eco-Camp for kids put on by some of my fellow volunteers in order to teach young people the importance of taking care of their environment. Topics and activities ranged from gardening, tree planting and soil conservation to water sanitation and HIV (AIDS) awareness.
One evening we even watched the Disney movie “The Lion King.” Though the only words that most of the kids understood were the Swahili ones like “Simba,” “Rafiki” and “Hakuna matata,” their eyes stayed glued to the screen because most of them had never seen a cartoon before, and they knew all these animals lived right in their home country.
In addition to what the kids may have learned about environmental issues, it was also an incredible cross-cultural learning experience for all involved. I was impressed with the students’ good behavior and enthusiasm for learning. A particularly bright student, named Good Luck, amazed us all with his knowledge of Tanzania’s native plant species. With his bony little legs, he tromped through the bush naming off plants in the local Kihehe language. This cross-cultural learning and sharing is becoming increasingly important as modern technology makes us more and more globally connected.
The highlight of the week for me was the children’s singing. If they hear a song once, they can repeat it back flawlessly. The songs often had a relevant theme or lesson, one example being a song that promoted learning about AIDS in order to put an end to the epidemic.
In this young nation where some anthropologists would argue human life began, hearing all those little voices singing in perfect harmony under the infinite stars of the truly dark African night, one feels nothing but hope for the future.
Matthew Raboin is a Fond du Lac native who graduated from L.P. Goodrich High School in 1997 and later received his bachelor of arts degree at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He is serving as a community-based natural resource management extension officer for the Peace Corps in Tanzania.
