Service Trip to Songea

For the month of August, I will be traveling to Songea, Tanzania with three student-volunteers from LMU to work with St. Teresa Orphans Foundation (STOF). STOF includes a middle school, a high school, a daycare, an orphanage and St. Benjamin's medical clinic, all of which are aimed at rescuing severely impoverished children.

I traveled to Songea last summer to work with STOF and I personally saw the impact that it has on this impoverished community. I watched the doctors at St. Benjamin's save the life of a baby who was expected to die. I walked the halls of a school that educates and houses children who would otherwise be lost and forgotten. The change that STOF produces is very real and impressively far reaching.

STOF is a great place to volunteer because it provides opportunities for volunteers to participate in projects meaningfully. To name a few examples from last summer, I was able to work as a medical assistant in the clinic, participate in construction projects and join the students at the school to teach English and work on community outreach projects.

This year, we plan to spend a lot of our time working at the medical clinic. We will also help construct homes for families in need of relocation and volunteer at the school and at the daycare.

Half of the funds will be used to cover our in-country costs i.e. food, water and ground transportation. The other half of the funds will be used to buy medical supplies, school supplies, construction materials and food and fresh water for the orphans.

Thank you so much for your support. I am grateful to have the opportunity to return to Songea and to continue working with STOF.

For more information on STOF: https://stoftz.orghunter.com/node/132