Over the Spring Break, our family took a trip to Kenya and Tanzania. One of the activities we took part in was a visit to a Tanzanian high school, to which we arrived with treats such as candies and pencils for the students. As we parked the car, students and teachers began excitedly filing out of the classrooms to greet us. To our surprise, as soon as our feet touched the ground the students immediately wanted the pencils over the candy, eagerly reaching their hands out towards us. We had only brought 3 packs of pencils, not realizing that a $0.50 pencil was much more than just a writing utensil – to these students it was a key factor in their education.

As we proceeded into the school, we were speaking with the principal and three of the teachers who informed us that they had been writing exams as we arrived. This got us wondering… how are they printing their exams? We found out that while they had 186 students in attendance at the school, they only had one printer and one computer, which the students were not permitted to use. As three students from Canada, we recognized the contrast between the delivery of their education and ours, as most of the education we receive now is online. As we walked into the classrooms, we saw the exam questions for the eleventh-grade students written on the chalkboard, and even I – a grade nine student – knew the answer to these common knowledge questions. Again, we recognized the difference between the high standards of our Canadian education system and the underdeveloped education system of this Tanzanian high school.

Without change, this small school in Tanzania will not be able to provide further education to these students who are so deserving of better. This GoFundMe will provide the school with computers, printers and Wi-Fi, helping to improve the standards of education and allowing the students to succeed in the world.