Seven students from Leigh UTC Dartford, part of Leigh Academies Trust, recently participated in a remarkable educational visit to Tanzania, working in partnership with the charity Go MAD on a series of community development projects.
The journey itself was considerable, beginning with a nine hour flight to Kenya, followed by an overnight stay in Nairobi and a further nine hour coach journey to Musoma. Despite the demands of travel, students quickly immersed themselves in the rhythms of local life and the surrounding community.
During an initial visit around Musoma, the group met a local family who introduced them to the town’s primary water source. Students were struck by the reality that the community relies on what is effectively a stagnant pond with no natural flow. They learned that consuming the water without treatment would likely lead to serious illness within hours, a stark and sobering insight into the challenges posed by limited access to clean water.
The group also visited a tree planting initiative established by Go MAD. This project supports local farmers by enabling them to cultivate and sell timber in nearby towns, thereby creating sustainable income while contributing to environmental regeneration. In addition, students toured Lake View, a new volunteer accommodation site that is currently under construction.
While returning from Lake View, the group encountered a young girl known to a Go MAD volunteer, whose eldest child was gravely unwell. Students and staff assisted in transporting the family to a local hospital, where the child was diagnosed with severe malaria and septicaemia. Go MAD funded the necessary treatment, and a follow up visit later in the week confirmed that the child had made a full recovery.
From the second day onwards, students began work on the construction of a new home for Erica, who had recently secured an apprenticeship in construction through Go MAD. In recognition of her commitment, the organisation pledged to support the building of a house for her and her five children.
Students began by producing seven wooden window frames from first principles. Following a short period of instruction, they rapidly developed the required skills and completed all frames within two days. Under the guidance of Mr Aboagye, two students also assisted in marking out and preparing the foundation frames before the group progressed to the main building site.
The next phase involved the construction of roof trusses, a more technically demanding task that required patience and precision. Students demonstrated resilience, adaptability and strong teamwork throughout. Once completed, all five trusses were handed over to local construction workers, who successfully installed them.
Alongside their construction work, students visited a local boys’ and girls’ club, where they took part in a football match against a local team. Although Leigh UTC Dartford scored several goals, they were ultimately outplayed in what proved to be an enjoyable and spirited match for all involved.
Throughout the visit, students also learned and practised basic Swahili, enabling them to communicate more effectively with local residents and develop a genuine sense of connection. These interactions deepened their cultural understanding and ensured they felt warmly welcomed within the community.
This experience provided students with a profound insight into global inequality, the resilience of communities and the importance of sustainable development. It combined meaningful cultural engagement with the development of practical skills and technical understanding, while reflecting the International Baccalaureate philosophy of global context and international mindedness. The academy extends its sincere thanks to Miss Arklie for organising the visit and to Mr Aboagye for his invaluable support throughout.
Micah, one of the students who attended the trip said “At first I was shocked about how different Erica and her family’s lives were compared to ours, such as the lack of fresh, clean water and the inability to access the internet. Then, as I got to know them I could see that even though they had so little, they still enjoyed their lives. I felt that I was doing a good thing for the world and was making a positive impact. To see them all happy at the end when the roof trusses were put on made everyone in the group happy and we felt proud that we had made a real difference to these people’s lives.”
Kevin Watson, Principal of Leigh UTC Dartford, commented: “Visits such as this exemplify the breadth and depth of education we strive to offer. We pride ourselves on providing unparalleled opportunities for our students. This experience not only broadened cultural awareness and enhanced technical understanding, but also fostered a strong sense of global responsibility that will remain with them for years to come.”
