August 2014
20 photos for 20 years: Amizade celebrates two decades
Amizade was officially incorporated 20 years ago today. Amizade is the brainchild of founder Daniel Weiss; the result of never-ending efforts by communities around the world; and it is an ongoing global movement by over 7,000 volunteers, staff, and board members. Amizade will mark its 20 years with its Celebration and Fundraiser event on November 1. But for today, we here at Amizade scoured the archives and found 20 pictures from our vibrant 20 year history, ranging from epic, funny, bizarre, and beyond. We hope you enjoy and we will see you on November 1!
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The Ota Initiative: Endings and Beginnings
The Ota Initiative, aiming to foster critical thinking skills that students can use to excel academically and in life general, wrapped up its inaugural program for elementary school students in Karagwe, Tanzania in December. The Ota Initiative aims to build skills that students can use to become confident, successful, engaged and inquisitive citizens.
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Africa: The Danger of a Single Story
A single story becomes that which we judge all other people from; it is a one-dimensional perspective of something that is actually quite complex. It is a misinterpretation of reality. It is a lens through which we look at everything from, it narrows our perspective, and once we know the single story, it becomes difficult for us to stray away from that. These stories often become the only stories.
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Congratulations!
Amizade is proud to announce that 3 people in the Amizade family have recently been awarded funding from The AllPeopleBeHappy Foundation. Congratulations Becky, Sam, and Micah, we look forward to sharing updates on all of your projects!
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Siri ya maisha ni ujasiri – The secret of life is to be daring.
I find myself at the end of what has been, by far, the 3 most exciting and educational months of my life, and I’ve been given a simple task: write a blog about my experience. In the end though, all I can do is to try and to hope that I will be able to convey even a smidgen of the amazing experience that has been my life in Kayanga.
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Leaving Tanzania: Katy Merckel
The problem with travelling is that in the end, you are always just a visitor and you must go home. The world may be small, but a lot of places are pretty far away. This is the reality I am currently confronting, and if I thought about it too hard, I would probably not be able to take another step towards the door.
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Stories from Karagwe: Ninaitwa Joyce na ninatoka Marekani
Be it funeral, wedding, or Sunday service, every time I enter a church, a silence sweeps the crowd as all eyes turn to stare. More than a few “mzungu ” (white person) are uttered under breaths as the ushers scramble to make sure I get a real chair and not a bench off to the side but in the front so that I’m visible to all.
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Our hotel is a nice respite from the chaos that is center city, Kampala. We have ventured into the heart of the city twice now, and even the students admit it is difficult to explain the experience in words only. People are everywhere, vehicles are everywhere (on the road, on the sidewalks, in the shoulders), and there is much to take in. Personally, I will feel much more at home in Karagwe where the most common sounds are those of farm animals… cows, goats, chickens, the lone roaster crying to wake up everyone when the sun rises.
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