What can 10 vacationers do to pay back a country for the pleasure it's afforded them?
Join a group such as Roadmonkey, founded by New York Times reporter Paul von Zielbauer. Roadmonkey represents the new travel trend of philanthropical adventure. You enjoy a country, then pay it back.
In June, Paul and Stef Levner lead 10 adventurers to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, after they'd raised some $11,000 among their friends and families. After the successful trek up Africa's highest mountain, the group traveled south to Dar, checked into a seaside hotel, and set to work.
The all-woman team plus one husband built school desks, installed a pure water system (so water needn't be boiled before use), got the school cooks up off the floor by puting in two gas stoves, and painted and decorated classroom walls.
Paul says the adventurers put in long, tough days under the broiling African sun, surprised the local (male) work crew with their skills and fell in love with the children.
"Spending time at Bibi Jann was an amazing experience," says Jo Ellingson, a New Yorker designer raised in Oregon. "The community and school is filled with such love and light that will be with me forever. It is a wonderful thing you and Fatuma have built.
"I treasured every moment there - from building a relationship with
the guys that took us under their desk-building wings,to watching George (and
all of the teachers) light up the smiles of the children. Fatuma with Halima
graciously took us into their house everyday and made us feel like we were home.
"And of course all of the kids...in the school and on the dusty streets...holding
your hands,running into your arms,and just showing you how happy they were.
Unforgettable. I especially fell in love with the little girl in the golden
floral dress. She had the absolutely best giggle I have ever heard."
Roadmonkey's first trip was to Vietnam, where they built a playground for HIV-infected children. The remainder of the money raised for the Tanzania trip will be used to complete the Bibi House for homeless grandmothers and their AIDS-orphaned grandchildren.
Learn more about Roadmonkey Philanthropical Adventure www.roadmonkey.net and enjoy photos posted below.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
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GETTING THE GOATS HOME
Leading the goats to the pickup truck wasn't easy!
The goats are now at home on the bibi farm, with wide open spaces to graze on.
This where the bibis will raise animals and crow cassava to feed their grandchildren and to sell. Fatuma, Dickson and Jann are in front, with pen to left, unfinished farmhouse in middle and neighbor's nyd watle house in rear right.
SMART GIRLS FIELD TRIP
Smart Girls Club on a field trip to art center to explore career opportunities.
We picnicked...
...And then we went for ice cream.
Emil of Unique Batiks told the girls about his designs.
The girls learned how the primitive Tinga Tinga painting style began.
Can you believe we got 23 people into this van?
ISGR 4th Graders Donate
These students in Goteborg, Sweden raised over $500 for the new Bibi Jann Farm!
DISCOVERING NEW YORK...
St. Patrick's Cathedral
An NYC cop in Times Square
Hors d' voueres at the mayor's Gracie Mansion
Rooftop garden - imagine! with social workers Lysa and Katharine at the4 Grandparent Apts. in the Bronx.
HALLOWEEN
Jann applies makeup
A well-decorated yard
Fatuma and son-in-law Tom in air-filled clown suit
Candy break
Sorting the loot
Fatuma, Jann's son Keith Hess at Eugene Waldorf School
Snow Fun
Tom captures the first sled ride
Ready to go...
Oops!
Warming up inside the lodge
Cuddled up to a carved critter
A cup of cocoa helps
Renee gifts Fatuma with a souvenir snow globe so she can have snow in Tanzania
Fatuma's first visit to American grocery, shopping for Tanzanian fare
...But we can't find the Tanzanian aisle!
Kitchen is more elaborate than what Fatuma is used to
Girls watch Fatuma make chipati
Son-in-law Tom has his hands washed
Chloe, Eva like eating with their fingers
...And so do Japanese visitors Miho, Ruli
Fatuma finds the Oregon Coast more rugged than Tanzania's
A new way to dry hands!
Fatuma, Jeanne, Suzanne enjoy Horn of Africa restaurant
Meeting a sturgeon
Watching barge navigate the dam through the lock
Salmon migrating upstream will die after spawining
Multnomah Falls from afar
FANCY FOOTWASH
Fatuma, Jann and Renee soak their tootsies in warm water while rollers kneads their backs.
...While catching it on camera
...Sparkle on the toes
...Plus a manicure
...Resulting in fancy footwork
...After a day in school
...Including cafeteria lunch
GETTING A GRIP ON AMERICA
Nine-year-old Chloe, Jann's granddaughter, teaches the teaches about local currency.
...And it inhabitants
Pirate-themed kids' concert
..Some of whom dress better
Fatuma with the Heathman Hotel doorman and Miho, the Japanese girl visiting my daughter's home.
And its gadgets
Testing the $3,500 Brookstone massage chair
Even moving stairs!
Mall escalator
But kids are the same everywhere
Chloe, Eva, Alexa and Miho have fun at Gramma's tumbling dominoes
