United Planet and Newton-Tanzania Collaborative Partnership

Post written by Theresa, a United Planet Team member.

In November 2008, United Planet and the Newton-Tanzania Collaborative (NTC) joined forces to increase the impact of their shared mission to build bridges between people around the world. United Planet has been sending international volunteers to Tanzania and supporting community-driven projects for the past four years. NTC focuses on community-to-community cultural exchange and support between the United States and Tanzania. The first NTC partnership was established between Newton, Massachusetts and Kwala, Tanzania. Together, United Planet and NTC can work more efficiently to facilitate mutual exchange and support important sustainable projects as identified by the Kwala community.

The first two joint projects have been very successful! NTC raised funds to provide scholarships for 20 girls to attend school for one year, and also purchased new computers for the students and faculty to use. United Planet’s staff in Tanzania are working closely with NTC representatives in Kwala to ensure successful distribution of funds and purchasing of materials. Additional funds are being raised and plans are being made for a community sanitation project in 2009.

United Planet is excited to be working with NTC to provide a meaningful, fun and educational group trip for Newton South High School’s NTC Club to visit Kwala in summer 2009. This group Quest will include a service project in Kwala, cultural exchange between the students of Newton South and the students at Kwala high school, and excursions in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar! United Planet and NTC believe that by facilitating opportunities for youth to cross international borders and learn from each other directly, doors are opened for endless possibilities of cooperation and development.