Posted by BEN BEAUMONT – Clinton School student James Mitchell recently emailed us about his time in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he is working with USAID to implement a program to bring education instructional support to rural communities there.
“The idea of the project is to provide basic educational instruction to the most isolated and under-served kids through radio broadcasts (it’s a lot like Sesame Street in Swahili),” Mitchell says. “So kids who cannot attend public school for whatever reason can attend a RISE club for free and learn through the radio broadcasts. I’m helping to draw up a report of the student progress over the past year and then determining if they project has been effective.”
Mitchell, who attempted to quickly learn some Swahili before leaving the states, says the locals enjoy his attempts to speak their language.
“Tanzanians are incredibly friendly people and seem to think my attempts at Swahili are hilarious,” Mitchell says.
Overall, Mitchell says he’s enjoying life in Tanzania. He reports that the food is good and the work he’s doing is rewarding.
“The people I work with are ridiculously talented,” he says. “I get the chance to meet lots of peace corps volunteers, USAID staff, State Department people, and locals here at my office. I’m feeling like a kid in a candy shop.”
Mitchell also sent along this photo of downtown Dar es Salaam:
