Visit to Tanzania and participate in a drawing exchange!
2025‐01‐21 to 2025-01-30
<Nyambri Elementary School>
私たちが到着した時の様子
日本の子供たちの夢の絵を説明
近くの子と色々話ながら
私たちが到着した時の様子
I visited Tanzania mainly for the following two purposes:
1. Drawing Exhibition in Tanzania
2. Textbook support
1. Drawing Exhibition in Tanzania
We have held exhibitions of "Dream Paintings" by Japanese children in three locations.
*This project is partially funded by the 2024 Japan World Exposition Commemorative Fund Project Grant.
■Nyamburi Elementary School
We gathered together children who had drawn pictures of their dreams in 2011 and held an exhibition of the dream pictures of Japanese children. Although it was called an exhibition, there was no space to display the pictures, so the exhibition was held in a dialogue format with Chairman Tanaka showing the larger pictures in front of the children.
I asked, "What is this picture?" but at first everyone was nervous and just looked at the picture without saying anything.
After that, we handed out the booklets of pictures, and the children looked intently at the Japanese children's drawings while exchanging opinions with the children around them. Some children even asked questions like, "What is this picture?", and the atmosphere gradually warmed up.
After looking at the pictures, I asked, "Who would like to talk about their dreams?" and many hands went up. Everyone spoke of their dreams, with answers such as "soccer player" and "school teacher."
When Tanaka first visited in 2017, the children were still wondering, "What is your dream?" When he visited two or three years later, when he asked, "What is your dream?", almost all of the children raised their hands, but when he asked, "A teacher?", "A doctor?", "A tour guide?", almost all of the children raised their hands for all of them.
Now, I have reached the point where I can talk about my dreams. I feel that our activities are helping children to have dreams and make them a reality.
<Meshak Orphanage>
出迎えてくれた子供たち
風船で大盛り上がり
これが夕食だそうです
出迎えてくれた子供たち
Meshack Orphanage
This was my first visit to an orphanage on the outskirts of Arusha. We turned off the asphalt onto a side road and entered a narrow road that would be difficult for a normal car to navigate. The road was overgrown with trees, and in places we had to cut them with scissors as we went along.
When we arrived at the orphanage, 35 children, both boys and girls, lived together, ranging from small children to those old enough to attend secondary school. The building consisted of only a classroom-like space where we were welcomed, and a small office right next to it.
When we arrived, a staff member asked us, "The children have just come home from school and are hungry. Can we feed them?"
I answered "Of course" and they started handing them out, but all they were handing out was bread and fruit juice.
I wondered if this was a snack or dinner, so I asked, and they said it was dinner.
I felt that the nutritional value was too low for growing children.
However, when I listened to their story, I learned that it was better just to have something to eat, and that when money was tight, there were times when they had no food at all.Also, this was the only building they had, so everyone slept outside at night.
It was my first time seeing such a harsh situation even in the suburbs of Arusha, Tanzania's third largest city.
At this orphanage, I showed pictures of the dreams of Japanese children for a short time and asked them, "What are your dreams?" but they were slow to respond.
Some staff members commented, "I don't really understand what you mean when you say it's a dream. It's a difficult question."
Yes, it's the same as the original state of Nyambri Primary School.
I hope this visit will be a step that encourages everyone to start thinking about their dreams.
<Sakura Girls' Junior High School>
展示会場の様子
いくつかの絵を取り上げて全体で対話
最後は数人に自分の夢についても語ってもらいました
展示会場の様子
■Sakura Girls' Junior High School
This junior high school was established and run by the Japanese general incorporated association, Kilimanjaro Association.
This is a junior high school that aims to develop female leaders.
For this reason, Japanese language education is included in the educational program.
This time, we asked first graders (who had been in school for about a week) to look at the drawings.
At the beginning of the exhibition, just like at Nyamburi Primary School, we presented some pictures and asked the children, "What do you think this is?" in a dialogue format. The reaction was very different from that at Nyamburi Primary School.
Many children raised their hands at once and began to give their opinions, saying, "I think this is it."
After that, when the exhibition began, the children looked at the paintings seriously while exchanging opinions with their friends. I had asked them to write their thoughts on the paintings and messages to Japanese children on cards, and they filled the cards with their messages.
We had also asked the girls to draw pictures of their dreams in advance, and when we looked at them, we noticed that many of them were writing in Japanese. We wondered why this was happening, as they had only been at the school for a week and hadn't even learned much Japanese yet, so we asked a Japanese staff member stationed at the school. He said that everyone wanted to write in Japanese, so they asked us to teach them, and they wrote as they were taught.
Considering their enthusiasm on the day, I felt their strong desire to convey this message to Japanese children. Seeing the difference that improving the quality of education can make, I was reminded of the importance of education.
<Machochwe Primary School>
沢山の子供たちが集まってくれました
アトラスを手に嬉しそうな地理の先生
沢山の子供たちが集まってくれました
2. Textbook support
During my visit in August 2012, I delivered textbooks to two elementary schools that I had been unable to take due to scheduling conflicts.
*This textbook was purchased with a grant from LUSH Charity Bank.
■Machochwe Primary School
First, we arrived at Machochowe Primary School. 150 textbooks were donated to this school in 2011. The children were so happy with the textbooks that they started studying hard, and a teacher happily reported to us that the number of students who passed the entrance exams for Secondary School had increased from 55 in 2011 to 71 in 2012.
This school requires about 1,000 textbooks, so 150 books is really only a small amount. However, I realized that it was still effective in increasing the children's motivation to learn.
This time, they are bringing 600 books, so I hope they will study even harder!
Another memorable thing about this school was when we handed out the atlas (world map). The geography teacher got really excited. Why was that?
Apparently, he had only seen an atlas once as a young child and had never seen one since. It must be tough for teachers to teach geography to students who have only seen a world map once as a young child.
The teacher who received the atlas was overjoyed and held it dearly.
I felt that this textbook support not only helped students but also teachers develop a mindset to provide better education.
<Nyamakendo Elementary School>
雪崩が起きそうな勢いで詰めかける子供たち
整然とならび国家斉唱
雪崩が起きそうな勢いで詰めかける子供たち
Nyamakendo Elementary School
This is a school where we have donated textbooks twice in the past, and where we also held a drawing event in 2011. As soon as we arrived, the principal greeted Tanaka and told him, "All the children remember you."
When we arrived, children started pouring out of the classrooms so quickly that it seemed like an avalanche was about to occur.
The school welcomed us with the national anthem and school song.
This time, 400 textbooks were donated to Nyamakendo, bringing the total number of textbooks donated to both schools to 750 each.
*Permission has been granted to post the photographs.
TOFA-sponsored event in Tokyo
2025-02-08 to 2025‐02‐09
We held a TOFA event at BIRTH LAB in Azabu-Juban.
On the day, in addition to an exhibition of drawings by Tanzanian children and a screening of a video of the exhibition in Tanzania, special events included a talk with a representative from the Tanzanian Embassy and an opportunity to try on kangas.
The talk with the Tanzanian Embassy staff was a valuable opportunity to ask questions directly to the embassy staff, and many people attended.
The Kanga try-on experience was also very popular! One Kanga (a set of two with the same pattern) can be worn in a variety of ways, so everyone tried out different ways.
I also learned for the first time that all the letters printed on the kanga have meaning, which was a valuable experience for me.
Once again, thank you to everyone who came!
*The following are photos of the event. Permission has been granted from those in the photos.
TOFA sponsored event in AICHI
2025-03-15 to 2025‐03‐16
The first TOFA solo event outside of Tokyo was held at Maison Shintenchi in Aichi Prefecture.
As this was the first time the event was held in Aichi, we chose a small venue, but this allowed each visitor to take their time to look at the exhibits.
We had a chance to talk with the staff about various things, and many of them said that they had a fulfilling time!
Thank you to everyone who came!
Visit to Tanzania
2025‐08‐08 to 2025‐08‐17
<Manyata Elementary School>
入口
授業中、少しお邪魔しました
教科書は科目によっては十分ありました
入口
We visited Tanzania every August, and this year 12 people went there. The purpose was the same as every year.
1. Educational support and international exchange
2. Deepen your understanding of Tanzania
is.
Below is a report on the situation on the ground.
1. Educational support and international exchange
This year we visited one primary school in Mara Region, two primary schools and one secondary school in Arusha.
◆Mara State: Manyata Elementary School
This was my first visit to Manyata Primary School in Mara State. This school is located very close to Nyamakendo and Machochwe Primary Schools, but it is a different school from the 13 schools we have supported so far.
There were a total of 781 students, from kindergarten onwards, nine teachers, and from what I could see, seven or eight classrooms. Some of the textbooks, such as English textbooks, were new, but there were still insufficient textbooks.
Despite this, the children studied hard.
And one thing I learned for the first time when I heard about it here is that English is taught from kindergarten. Since all classes from junior high school onwards are taught in English, it may be that this is accelerating English learning.
<Lenjani Elementary School>
集まってくれた子供たち
校舎は4つしかない
ここでおかゆをつくって子供たちに出しています
集まってくれた子供たち
◆Arusha State: Lenjani Primary School
This elementary school is a new one that was just approved by the government last July. There is actually no elementary school in the vicinity, so the children have been attending an elementary school about 7-8 kilometers away. However, that distance makes it difficult for young children to walk, so there were many requests for a school to be built nearby, and this new school was built in response.
Although the school was approved, it apparently received no support from the government. As a result, there were only five teachers (three of whom were volunteers) for 601 students, and only one textbook per subject. Furthermore, with only four classrooms, the school was only able to accommodate students from kindergarten through third grade.
The most pressing issue is that classes cannot be held for students who will be entering the fourth grade next year because there is no school building available, but other than that, there is also a severe shortage of textbooks and teachers.
The teachers are sleeping in a completely empty building on the premises, doing their best to give the children an education.
I was surprised to find that just an hour's drive from the center of Arusha, Tanzania's third largest city, there was a school in worse condition than those in Mara Region.
I have heard that the number of students in Arusha has increased significantly recently, so I suspect there are other schools in the same situation.
<Natema Elementary School>
着くのが遅くなりましたがみんな待ってくれていました
ショートドラマも披露してくれました
着くのが遅くなりましたがみんな待ってくれていました
◆Arusha State: Natema Elementary School
This school has a long history, dating back to 1978, and has over 800 students. It has a relatively good supply of teachers and textbooks, and is one of the best-equipped schools I've seen. The school building is two stories tall, and apparently even has a computer lab (though it's not connected to the internet).
However, there are still some issues to be addressed. The lack of a fence around the school means that water is stolen from the school, and there is not enough food to eat.
During our visit, student representatives performed a short drama on the theme of "children's rights." The rights they advocated were "the right to eat" and "the right to wear clothes."
Considering that people are demanding basic rights such as food, clothing and shelter, it is clear that basic environmental improvements are still insufficient.
It is expected that
<Sakura Girls' Junior High School>
全員で集合写真
皆元気！
折り紙も折りましたー
全員で集合写真
◆Arusha State: Visit to Sakura Junior High School for Girls
Following our visit in January, we visited Sakura Girls' Junior High School. This time, we asked the top students (fourth-year junior high school students) to draw pictures of their dreams, and then had several of them talk about them on the day.
Compared to the first-year students, their dreams were more specific and the reasons for them were clearer.
Some of the children were so nervous that they were in tears, but they all spoke clearly about their dreams and the reasons behind them.
This painting will be exhibited at Global Festa at the end of September!
<Tanzania's natural beauty and wildlife>
フラミンゴ。茶色いのは子供です
朝日に照らされるナトロン湖
こちらもおなじみ？イボイノシシ
フラミンゴ。茶色いのは子供です
2. Deepen your understanding of Tanzania
Every year, we stop off at places like NGORONGORO and Serengeti National Park on the way to our activity area, but this year we went to Lake Natron for the first time.
This is a highly alkaline salt lake that is said to turn animals to stone.
This lake is a breeding ground for flamingos, and it is said that most of the flamingos in Africa give birth here before flying off to other places.
We walked to the lake through the muddy ground from the previous day's rain. As it was the season when many baby flamingos were present, the lake was covered in a mixture of pink and gray.
I visited first thing in the morning, and the sunlight reflecting off the lake was so beautiful. It was a place with a different charm from places like the Serengeti.
First lunch and dinner party held
2025‐07-04／2025-07-12
We held a dinner party in Nagoya on Friday, July 4th, and a lunch party in Tokyo on Saturday, July 12th. Both were first-time attempts, but it was a very meaningful experience!
◆Dinner party in NAGOYA
Not only regular members but also drop-in attendees attended, and many people showed interest in TOFA's activities, making it a great opportunity to meet new people.
◆Lunch Party in Tokyo
In the end, 17 people participated and the event was a huge success, with the restaurant being completely booked.
Those who were interested in the event and attended asked various questions about Tanzania and TOFA's activities, which helped them to deepen their understanding. We also had a great time hearing about the participants' experiences in Africa.
We hope to continue holding events like this, so if you're interested, please come along!
"Sport for Tomorrow × Africa Action Day 2025" booth
2025-08-02 to 2025-08-03
We exhibited a booth at "Sport for Tomorrow × Africa Action Day 2025" held by A-GOAL General Incorporated Association.
This event was an official partner event of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) and was held at Yokohama YC&AC.
Over the two days, over 400 people visited the TOFA booth, many of whom came to listen to talks, including university students who are interested in working in international cooperation or educational support in the future.
The Kanga wearing experience and African puzzle time trial were also very popular! We had a great time throughout the two days.
Exhibiting at Global Festa 2025
2025‐09‐27 to 2025‐09‐28
Following on from last year, we exhibited a booth at Global Festa.
As in previous years, many people came to the venue.
We had the impression that our booth was visited by a large number of high school and university students who were particularly interested in overseas and international aid.
Perhaps because so many people attended, we unexpectedly ran out of pamphlets by the morning of the second day, but it was an opportunity for people who had never before come into contact with TOFA's activities to learn about our activities.
Thank you to everyone who came.
The 2025 Hattori Reijiro Africa Fund has been selected!
2025-mid-December
Our project has been selected for the 2025 Hattori Reijiro Africa Fund.
Your grant will help us provide textbooks to children in Tanzania. Thank you so much.
We will continue to make preparations so that we can hand them over directly to the children during our visit in August 2026.
Christmas present from The Right Stuff!
2025-12-25
Right Stuff Co., Ltd. donated Christmas presents for children in Tanzania.
Right Stuff continues to donate to us every year. We are truly grateful.
Your donation will be used to improve the educational environment at elementary schools in Tanzania.