The details! (Ignore if you recieved my email last week!)

My Trip to Tanzania!

When? November 1st 2011 - May 1st 2012

Where? I will be traveling to the northern part of Tanzania in the Oldeani Village, which is adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Rift Valley.

Who? I am volunteering for the Tanzanian Children's Fund. The Children's Fund has built and fully funded an orphanage that supports 80 orphans from the ages of 2-19. Many of the children have been orphaned because their parents have died from AIDS/HIV or because they are unwanted or at-risk. The Children's Fund also helps educate and manage the local primary school. They provide supplies, uniforms, and medical attention for students. They have also started a microfinance program for the families in the village.

Who knew the founder, India Howell went to UVM and their Chairman lived in Montpelier. Go Vermont!

What? I will be living in one of the buildings with another volunteer, two local 'mommas' and twelve orphans. At the orphanage I will be doing everything from getting the kids out of bed in the morning to tutoring to creating after school activities. I will also be there to help improve their local schools mathematics programs and curriculum. Most importantly I will give my love!

***Please help me volunteer! Because I am volunteering this means that I have paid for this experience. I would love to bring supplies and a money donation for the orphanage as well. This is where I am asking for your help! Because I am going for a full 6 months I do not have a lot of space to bring physical items, but if you think you have something perfect let me know! I would love to arrive at the orphanage with donations from my friends and family! Even if you can only donate $10, every dollar counts!

Donations- Please write checks out to me: Jill Kellogg- 1190 Dorney Rd Breinigsville PA 18031. I am leaving November 1st, sorry for the late notice! I will be writing one big check out to TCF, making sure to acknowledge all who donated, their information, and their donation amounts!

*For more information about the Tanzanian Children Fund please visit: http://www.tanzanianchildrensfund.org/

2 weeks!

Jambo !

Thank you so much for the donations I have received for the Children's Fund. We have raised well over $5,000 already! All I can say is asante sana, asante sana, asante sana.....thank you, thank you, thank you! I will make sure that everyone is acknowledged by the TCF for their contributions.

If you still are still looking to donate, please email me at jill.kellogg@gmail.com.

*They also have a great website: www.tanzanianchildrensfund.org

I am now at home in PA with my mom and dad. I have been practicing my Swahili everyday and loving it!

Swahili word of the day: kuku- chicken (makes sense and fun to say)

Swahili phrase of the way: Mimi ni Mmarekani. I am American. I only like this because Mimi is my grandma....yet to say grandma, its bibi!

Kwa heri !

Jill

Less than 3 weeks!

Karibu! Welcome to my TanZANIA blog!

This is where I will be posting from near the Oldeani Village in northern Tanzania. I will be volunteering and living in an orphanage with about 80 children from 2-19 years old. I also hope to work in the public schools and help out with their math programs.

This blog is where I will be sharing my experiences, my photos, and my new home and family for the next 6 months.

Because the orphanage relies on solar power and does not have consistent internet access, this blog might be sporadic. I will do my best to relay what it is really like to LIVE there and to LEARN there.

I thank everyone who has helped sponsor me in my biggest adventure yet!